Trade Specialist

Summary
This position is located in the Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Commercial Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD).
This job is open to

• Individuals with disabilities
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Military spouses
• Family of overseas employees
  Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• Special authorities
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive status, VEOA Applicants, AND All U.S. Citizens.
This is not a Bargaining unit position.
Duties
As a Trade Specialist you will:

• Liaise with division or office level personnel of government agencies and other shippers generating preference cargo to assure that the laws and regulations as prescribed by the Act and that they are being met.
• Maintain a monitoring system to ensure that each shipper provides hard copy or electronically, copies of bills of lading, for each ocean shipment under its jurisdiction and, when required periodic reports detailing its ocean shipment plan and non-US flag offers. If all of the bills of lading are not being received or are improperly prepared or if the reports are delinquent or incomplete, you will work with the shipper or agency to correct the problem(s). In this regard, it may be necessary for the employee to request assistance from higher level personnel within the office.
• Work with others in the office and using previously developed fundamental skills handle requests for statistical data from the bills of lading and cargo preference reports received from civilian government agencies or other sources. Before a report is released, analyze the product and, based on the knowledge of each government agency's program detect and correct obvious errors.
• From the Cargo Preference Overview System (CAPOS) database, assist in assuring that all exports generated under the various programs are reported to MARAD and that cargo preference compliance is maintained.

The Ideal Candidate will be experienced in international maritime trade, international programs, or the promotion or administration of international transportation services. Candidates with experience with or within the maritime industry, or ocean transportation shipments, are ideally suited.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
• You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• 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.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• DRUG TESTING: Tentatively selected candidates are required to undergo urinalysis in accordance with DOT 3910.1D entitled "Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace", which includes testing for marijuana. Marijuana is legal in some states, however it's still illegal at the federal level. Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing.
• TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:

• Experience performing assignments that require the application of computer skills (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Experience utilizing applications in the tracking projects, describing concepts, explaining guidelines, or documenting the international shipping (ideally ocean shipping) activities of a business entity or the Federal government. Examples may include but are not limited to work in international economics or business, freight forwarding, steamship company or port operations.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
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 performing written data related or promotional assignments that require the interpretation and adaptation of fundamental principles, concepts, techniques, and guidelines relative to international cargo shipping practices, ideally ocean shipping practices. Examples may include but are not limited to significant work experience in international economics or business, freight forwarding, steamship company or port operations.

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 working with external government agencies, organizations, or contractors/sub-contractors to access their import and export shipping records, ensuring regulatory compliance, and serving as a point-of-contact, or liaison, to internal and external stakeholders. (Examples may include but are not limited to senior journeyman level work experience in shipping, supply-chain, logistics, or experience gained in several years of freight forwarding, steamship company or port operations.

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.
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:

• Technical competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
• Manages and Organizes Information - Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.

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/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
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
Individual Occupational Requirements:
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study marketing, business administration, political science, public administration, history, business or commercial law, economics, finance, international trade, or international relations.
Additional information
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
All applications received by 2-19-2024 will receive early consideration. Second consideration will be given to all complete applications received by the second closing date of 3-19-2024. You must meet all eligibility requirements (i.e. minimum qualifications and document requirements) at the time of consideration."

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Review our benefits
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.
To compete with U.S. Citizens: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of two categories: Qualified and Well Qualified which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over non-veterans. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position.
To compete with other competitive status government employees: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.
Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position.
All applicants: Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package. If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.
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• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. A...