Chief Safety Scientist

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Job Title:
Chief Safety Scientist
Department:
Department Of Transportation
Agency:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Job Announcement Number:
NHTSA.SES-2016-0002
SALARY RANGE:
$123,175.00 to $185,100.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:
Monday, March 7, 2026 to Tuesday, April 5, 2026
SERIES & GRADE:
ES-0340-00
POSITION INFORMATION:
PERMANENT - CAREER
DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington DC, DC
WHO MAY APPLY:
Applications will be accepted from all groups of qualified U.S. citizens.
SECURITY CLEARANCE:
Public Trust - Background Investigation
SUPERVISORY STATUS:
Yes
JOB SUMMARY:
About the Agency
Come on board with us and take a journey that will challenge your mind and develop your career. The quality of our lives, the shape of our communities and the productivity of our Nation's economy depend on our transportation systems. We recognize and value the importance of our workforce and the diversity of backgrounds and ideas that each employee brings. The U.S. Department of Transportation: Careers in Motion.
The position is established as a Chief Safety Scientist and reports directly to the Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The incumbent provides strategic and technical oversight regarding the activities of the Office of the Associate Administrator for Enforcement, including the office’s relationship to the science of safety across NHTSA’s lines of business. The incumbent is responsible for planning, developing and administering an effective and comprehensive agency process to achieve safety practices and procedures within NHTSA programs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an exciting and progressive organization. We are seeking individuals who are committed to superior service and who can help us continue our work to reduce highway injuries and fatalities. Excellent benefits include 401K and family friendly leave policies. Visit our website at ****TRAVEL REQUIRED
Occasional Travel
Occasional travel will be required.
RELOCATION AUTHORIZED
No
KEY REQUIREMENTS
You must be a U.S. citizen
Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
Provide all required documents by closing date
DUTIES:
The Chief Safety Scientist
will be responsible for the following duties:
1. Serves as Chief Advisor to the Administrator and reports on all activities of the Office of the Associate Administrator for Enforcement. Has complete oversight of all safety related business matters of that office, and is able to make key decisions for major safety related-initiatives. The incumbent provides the Administrator with a safety science perspective on agency policy and other matters involving government and public affairs.
2. The Chief Safety Scientist directs the review of proposed legislation to determine its impact on vehicle safety issues. The incumbent provides policy reviews and analyses on a broad range of complex and controversial matters affecting the highway traffic safety transportation industries. The incumbent reviews regulations and other documents for their policy content and provide analysis of proposals from outside NHTSA that can affect NHTSA programs.
3. The Chief Safety Scientist directs the study, development and validation of standards, rules, regulations, and reports as mandated by legislation. The incumbent provides analysis, evaluation, and assessment capability to the Administrator, Deputy Administrator and the NHTSA Executive Director Leadership. Assists the safety programs in their analytical efforts, and ensures objectively and sound methodology in the agency’s safety and security analyses and evaluations.
4. Advocates and represents safety issues of importance to the agency and is highly involved in the technical community and auto-related industries. Facilitates change in safety culture with NHTSA and in the relationship between the industries and regulators.
5. Develops plans for strategic safety positions of the agency independently or with the program offices.
6. Advises the Administrator and the appropriate senior managers on significant safety issues. Provides leadership and coordinates activities of Advisory Boards to NHTSA’s safety mission. Develops and maintains a focused effort to improve safety and quality in NHTSA’s programs and mission through effective safety disciplines, tools and techniques.
7. As a member of the executive leadership team at NHTSA, along with the other Associate Administrators, will participate in strategic planning efforts to prepare for the future of highway safety in the United States and aligned with the Departmental Strategic Plan.
8. The incumbent administers policies and programs that encourage broad constituency participation and promote responsiveness to their problems, concerns and needs. The incumbent will actively support strategic initiatives developed by and for the Secretary of Transportation that impact the national highway traffic transportation industries and safety aspects of intermodal organizations. Utilizing a variety of formats, the incumbent promotes personal and organizational cooperation, internal and external dissemination of information, and other similar initiatives to develop an environment of partnership and mutual achievement and respect.
9. Provides leadership to assure that controls are issued that govern motor vehicle safety through rulemaking, regulation, inspection and criminal enforcement under applicable Federal legislation. Monitors the development, design and testing of various vehicles undertaken by equipment and manufacturers.
10. Supports EEO and diversity efforts, ensuring a workplace free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES), you must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability; and that is directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications (TQs) and Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) listed below.
Below are descriptions of the technical qualifications that will be presented to you within the online application. You must clearly demonstrate in your responses how your experience supports each of the TQs.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS(TQs):
Demonstrated executive level experience directing the development and validation of standards, rules, regulations, and reports pertaining to safety and technology.
Demonstrated experience in initiating action and following to completion the resolution of complex problems and issues, including developing and implementing initiatives to measure and improve the effectiveness of agency safety programs.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS
(ECQs): Below are descriptions of the ECQs.
Please Note:
Current career SES members, former career SES members with reinstatement eligibility, and SES Candidate Development graduates who have been certified by OPM do NOT need to address the ECQs.
ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Leadership Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision
ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building
ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility
ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management
ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating
FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES:
The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Continual Learning, and Public Service Motivation. Additional information about the SES and Executive Core Qualifications can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
SES Website
. You are strongly encouraged to review OPMs
Guide to SES Qualifications
for specific examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
If selected for this position, you will be required to:
Complete a Public Financial Disclosure report, OGE-278. You will need to provide the information annually.
Complete a one-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
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.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
An SES reviewing panel will evaluate your application based on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Applicants determined to be highly qualified may undergo an interview and a reference check.
If selected, you must be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before you can be appointed to the position, unless you are a current career SES member, former career SES member with reinstatement eligibility, or SES Candidate Development graduate and have already been certified by OPM.
To preview questions please click here
BENEFITS:
You can review our benefits at: ****OTHER INFORMATION:
Veterans’ preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.
HOW TO APPLY:
You must submit a complete online application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
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.
You may review your saved application(s) at ****If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET) at (202) 366-1298. You may also email us at ****
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
The following documents
must
be provided by the close date:
RESUME
- showing relevant experience and education. Please do not
include pictures in your application package.
COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE
- Responses to the Technical and Executive Core Qualifications are limited to 4,500 characters per question. Do NOT include your answers in the body of your USAJOBS resume, since they will be asked separately.
SF-50
- Current & former federal employees should submit an SF-50 which shows your current (or most recent grade.)
Current Career Senior Executives and individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility must submit a copy of an SF-50 which shows career SES status
CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATE
- individuals who have successfully completed an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved SES Candidate Development Program, submit a copy of your OPM certificate.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the announcement will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
AGENCY ****
****
Email: ****
Agency Information:
DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, DC
20590
US
****
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:
If you have opted to receive account status updates via USAJobs, you will receive online confirmation that your application package has been received. All applicants will receive a notification email of the final outcome regarding the hiring decision.
All applications must be completed and submitted electronically no later than midnight ET of the closing date. Final reviews will be performed after the announcement closing, and timely notice of the status of your application will be emailed to you. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and selecting Application Status
Please Note:
Interim reviews will take place March 14, 2026 and March 24, 2016.
Control Number: 431917300
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