Summary This is a public notice for FTA authorized Program Analyst (0343) positions open to U.S. Citizens. This position is in the FTA Office of Regional Services (TRS). The candidate will be a member of a small team reporting to the Deputy Associate Administrator and will assist in facilitating effective coordination between Headquarters and Regional Offices and support the effective and efficient delivery of regional services and operations. Duties
As a Program Analyst, you will:
- Serve as a Program Analyst and advisor to management on the evaluation of the effectiveness of government programs. Interprets and applies federal regulations governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to manage project budgets, audit variances, and enforce strict cost accounting principles.
- Act as the primary liaison to key partner offices, capturing and synthesizing external materials to support seamless TRS day-to-day and overseeing high-impact special projects. Provide authoritative guidance to multi-disciplinary staff regarding strict formatting, structural design, and baseline content expectations for complex program analyses and official documentation.
- Apply expert qualitative and quantitative methods to collect, analyze, consolidate, and track program performance data, metrics, and status reports to evaluate resource impacts, program efficiency, and compliance with statutory goals.
- Evaluate and improve administrative frameworks by designing, developing, and recommending standardized processes for recurring regional operations to enhance program execution and streamline HQ-to-region communications.
- Coordinate agency-wide data collection and activity inputs across all geographic regional offices; systematically identifies and leverages opportunities for regional cross-collaboration, knowledge sharing, and improved business process delivery.
The ideal candidate for this position is motivated, experienced and self-reliant professional with exceptional analytical abilities, and effective communication and customer service skills.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education OR experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration and provide a copy of transcripts for verification.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:
- Experience gathering background information on operational planning and organizational excellence initiatives; monitoring processes to enhance program delivery; AND
- Experience collecting and consolidating program data for status reports used to evaluate resource impacts, measure goal achievement, and monitor compliance with established organizational goals and improve program oversight; AND
- Experience assisting in the development of procurement documentation, including statements of objectives (SOOs), performance requirements, statements of work, and supporting cost estimates for program projects; assisting with tracking contractor performance, deliverables, budgets, and ensuring Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) compliance.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have:
- 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
- You can also qualify based on a combination of higher-level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
- Experience gathering background information, identifying issues, and preparing draft options and recommendations for review by the executive leadership on operational planning and organizational excellence initiatives; monitoring and assisting in implementing improvements for processes to enhance program delivery; AND
- Experience collecting, consolidating, and tracking program data for status reports used to evaluate resource impacts, measure goal achievement, and monitor compliance with established organizational goals and improve program oversight; AND
- Experience managing special projects of broad organizational impact; to include, developing statements of objectives (SOO), managing contractor performance, deliverables, budgets, and ensuring Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) compliance.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Operational Planning - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
- Data Analysis - Knowledge of collecting, consolidating, and tracking complex status reports and data streams from diverse sources and the ability to perform rigorous analyses that support improved program consistency, delivery, and oversight across the organization in collaboration with internal and external offices to translate data into actionable compliance strategies.
- Communications - Knowledge of production, and dissemination of operational and informative information and ideas to inform all levels of audience via written, oral, and visual media.
- Contract Management - Knowledge of developing detailed statements of objectives that effectively support service programs and projects and the ability to critically assess contractor proposals, action plans, and deliverables to ensure absolute alignment with contractual goals, to include evaluating contractor performance and financial data.
For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.
Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education If using foreign education to qualify, you must submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from a member of NACES or AICE (or show acceptance on an accredited U.S. transcript). The evaluation must verify degree equivalency, semester-hour equivalents, and individual grades to demonstrate fulfillment of the required coursework. All evaluations and certified English translations must be uploaded before the announcement closes.
Requirements
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
- GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
- BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
How you will be evaluated DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination.
All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process. Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
You may preview questions for this vacancy. How to apply To be considered, you must submit all required resume details and applicable documents no later than 11:59 (EST) by the closing date of the announcement.
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- To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
- Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
If you need reasonable accommodation during the interview process, please notify the Office of Human Resources, Staffing and Classification Division via email at FTAStaffing@dot.gov
Other information The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.