Lead Community Planner

Summary

This position is responsible for providing leadership, program expertise, and technical support for the implementation of Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) transportation planning process with an emphasis on planning, programming, and project development. This position is also responsible for providing technical assistance to FHWA staff, State and local agencies, and other parties in the development and implementation of transportation planning techniques and processes.

Duties

• Planner: Advances statewide, metropolitan, and rural transportation planning programs at the
• State, national, and international levels, including providing input for policy and legislation, developing regulations and guidance, providing training and technical assistance, and administering associated research programs and projects.
• Serves as a national authoritative advisor for transportation planning and plays a major role in developing and promoting national policies, programs, and procedures on numerous transportation planning and policy issues.
• Provides guidance to Federal, State and local governments on transportation planning issues.
• Identify planning issues and capability gaps using formal evaluations and contacts with professional and stakeholder groups.
• Develops new program directions and initiatives in response to capability gaps; designs, develops, and directs studies to be undertaken in-house or by outside contractors to resolve these gaps.
• Evaluates work results and implications with respect to overall transportation planning program objectives and policy implications.
• The ideal candidate for this position is a senior level executive who possesses a mastery of transportation planning and project management techniques and an in-depth knowledge of transportation planning processes, guidance, and policy.
• In addition, the ideal candidate should be an expert public speaker with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

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
• 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.
• PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Education

Degree: Community planning; or related field such as urban affairs, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, sociology, geography, economics, political science, or public administration that included at least 12 semester hours in the planning process, socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, urban and regional economic analysis, and development finance. Note: Applicants with degrees in related fields, such as those listed above, who do not have the 12 semester hours of specified course work must have had at least 1 year of work experience in community planning acquired under the supervision and guidance of a community planner. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in one of the above disciplines, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the above disciplines of which at least 12 semester hours were in the planning process, and socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Required Documents

• RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application.
• These should be legible and in a readable font size.
• A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
• Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is
• Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles.
• If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level.
• The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
• For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series.
• The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
• DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the
• Program (CTAP) or
• Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents: your most recent performance appraisal, the proof of eligibility letter from the
• Agency, and your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
• Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
• For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
• Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
• Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents.
• Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.
• You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.