Drive Sustainable Infrastructure: Become the Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist at the FTA

As the United States enters a modern era of transit development, balancing infrastructural modernization with environmental conservation has never been more critical. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is aggressively upgrading transit networks, minimizing urban footprints, and delivering clean, efficient transportation systems to support millions of American workers. Achieving this delicate balance requires robust environmental policy and decisive leadership.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is recruiting for a premier leadership position: Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist (GS-15). Serving as the Director of the Office of Environmental Policy and Programs (TPE-30) in Washington, D.C., the selected candidate will lead the federal framework for surface transit environmental compliance, managing the teams that evaluate, shape, and streamline critical infrastructure approvals nationwide.

About the Agency: The Federal Transit Administration

Operating as a vital component of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the FTA provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems across the United States. These investments include subways, light rail, passenger ferries, buses, and streetcars. The agency’s efforts are geared toward bolstering safety, enhancing community mobility, and reducing national dependency on carbon-emitting transport methods.

The DOT consistently ranks as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. By joining the FTA family, you align with a high-performing, mission-driven workforce that values collaborative growth, technical innovation, and accountability. The Office of Environmental Policy and Programs plays a cornerstone role in this framework, ensuring that multi-million and multi-billion-dollar federal transit grants are awarded and executed in strict alignment with environmental laws.

Job Responsibilities

As the Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist, you will operate as a high-level administrator and direct advisor. You will run the TPE-30 office, directly supervising two Division Chiefs and a dedicated staff of environmental professionals. Your scope of influence spans national-level decision-making, strategic program administration, and direct representation of FTA leadership.

Key Duties Include:

Division Oversight & Leadership: Manage and mentor professional interdisciplinary staff. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing workspace. Monitor, evaluate, and direct performance standards while ensuring continuous professional growth.
Policy & Regulation Development: Direct the technical soundness of the FTA's environmental compliance systems. Lead updates to the FTA Environmental Regulations (23 CFR Part 771), ensuring they stay up-to-date with emerging statutory requirements and administrative directives.
Strategic Technical Counsel: Serve as the principal advisor to the Associate Administrator (AA) and Deputy Associate Administrator (DAA) of the Office of Planning and Environment. Present authoritative assessments and project-specific reviews for complex transit undertakings.
Interagency Collaboration & Representation: Represent the FTA on multi-agency workgroups with federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Speak with authority during high-stakes discussions with project sponsors, private developers, and academic institutions.
Resource Management: Command the division's human and physical assets, overseeing personnel recruitment, budget execution, travel authorization, and organizational structure.

Requirements and Qualifications

This senior-level leadership vacancy is categorized under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) and utilizes Subject Matter Expert (SME) assessments. To qualify for this GS-15 role, you must demonstrate a minimum of one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade in the federal service.

Specialized Experience Criteria:

Environmental Law Mastery: Extensive experience overseeing and interpreting federal environmental review processes, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Department of Transportation Section 4(f) mandates.
Programmatic Problem Solving: A proven track record of reviewing environmental compliance systems for surface transportation projects, formulating proactive policies, and engineering innovative programmatic tools.
Multidisciplinary Team Leadership: Demonstrated history of managing diverse, technical teams of scientists, policy analysts, and engineers, while leading legislative analysis, rulemaking, and federal policy initiatives.

Conditions of Employment:

Probationary Period: Must successfully complete a one-year general probationary period, along with a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless previously completed in a federal role).
Travel Requirements: Periodic national travel is expected. Incumbents must establish and maintain an official government contractor travel card.
Financial Disclosure: Due to the supervisory and policy-setting nature of this position, you must submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.

Salary Overview

This position is graded at the GS-15 level of the General Schedule, which represents the highest tier of non-executive federal compensation. The salary is established under the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality pay table.

Pay Parameter	Details	Description
Minimum Base Salary	$169,279 per year	Step 1 starting rate for GS-15 with local adjustment.
Maximum Base Salary	$197,200 per year	Cap limit for the GS-15 pay grade.
Pay Frequency	Per Annum (PA)	Bi-weekly pay structure standard to federal service.
Locality Adjustments	Included	Adjusted for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region.

Benefits

Employees of the Federal Transit Administration enjoy a comprehensive and highly competitive suite of federal benefits designed to ensure health, retirement, and work-life balance.

Healthcare & Wellness: Choose from a wide array of premium healthcare plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. Additionally, employees have access to dental, vision (FEDVIP), and flexible medical spending accounts (FSAFEDS).
Retirement Security: Benefit from the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) three-part retirement plan, combining a defined pension, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP functions like a private 401(k), featuring immediate agency matching up to 5%.
Generous Paid Leave: Accumulate paid annual leave for vacations, sick leave for medical needs, and enjoy 12 paid federal holidays. Eligible employees also qualify for up to 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave.
Flexible Work Schedules: Balance personal and professional commitments with telework eligibility, depending on operational needs and supervisor agreement.

Application Tips

Navigating the federal hiring process requires precise attention to detail. This specific vacancy is governed by unique OPM directives that must be followed closely to avoid disqualification.

1. Adhere Strictly to the Two-Page Resume Cap

In alignment with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan memorandum, resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Reviewers will only evaluate pages one and two. If your resume spills over to page three, that information will be disregarded. Ensure your two pages are written in a clean, legible font, and cover all critical metrics.

2. Tailor Your Resumes with Direct Metrics

When documenting your experience with NEPA, NHPA, or Section 4(f), do not simply list regulatory titles. Describe actual transit projects you successfully guided through these reviews. Quantify your leadership history by detailing the size of budgets managed, the number of employees supervised, and key programmatic tools you developed.

3. Verify Documents Prior to Final Submission

Uploading documents to USAJobs does not guarantee that they will automatically attach to the Department of Transportation's application manager. After clicking the apply online button and being redirected to the DOT system, verify that your resume, performance reviews, and any applicable SF-50 forms are successfully linked to your current application packet.

The Director of the Office of Environmental Policy and Programs is a highly prestigious, high-impact career path for a seasoned environmental advocate. This GS-15 role offers an unmatched opportunity to direct the environmental standards governing major surface transportation projects, helping to shape safer, greener, and more efficient public transport networks for generations to come. Review your credentials, refine your resume to the strict two-page format, and submit your application package before the July 21, 2026 deadline to embark on a fulfilling executive career with the FTA.

Why This Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme Job Matters

Lead the nation's environmental transit strategy as Director of the FTA Office of Environmental Policy and Programs in Washington, D.C.

Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme Job Overview

The Federal Transit Administration is seeking a highly qualified executive to serve as the Director of the Office of Environmental Policy and Programs (TPE-30). Based in Washington, D.C., this GS-15 position supervises two Division Chiefs and their teams to establish environmental policies, direct federal compliance processes, and minimize the environmental impacts of major transit infrastructure projects nationwide.

Requirements for Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme

U.S. Citizenship is required.
Must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already satisfied).
Must complete a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless already satisfied).
Subject to a high-risk background investigation and suitability adjudication.
Required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Must register with the Selective Service (males born after December 31, 1959).
Must qualify for and retain a government contractor-issued travel card.

Preferred Qualifications for Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme

Substantial leadership background managing professional, multidisciplinary teams of environmental specialists.
Advanced experience administering FTA Environmental Regulations (23 CFR Part 771) for complex transit initiatives.
Strong technical expertise navigating the Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Act, and Department of Transportation Section 4(f) requirements.
Demonstrated capability in building consensus with diverse groups, including federal partners, state/local authorities, tribal nations, and private transit sponsors.

Federal Benefits & Perks

✓Competitive federal healthcare plans (FEHB) with employer contribution.
✓Dental and Vision insurance options (FEDVIP).
✓Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAFEDS) for medical and child care.
✓Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% matching contributions.
✓Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension benefit.
✓Generous accrual of annual and sick leave, plus 12 paid federal holidays.
✓Paid Parental Leave eligibility.
✓Telework eligible in accordance with agency telework policies.

💡 How to Apply Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme Job & Insider Tips

Application Steps for Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire-Sme Job

Review the full vacancy announcement on the USAJobs portal and check the assessment questionnaire.
Prepare a targeted resume that details your environmental policy experience, ensuring it does not exceed the mandatory two-page limit.
Assemble and verify your supporting documentation, such as performance evaluations, SF-50s, or CTAP/ICTAP proof.
Click the online application portal link to log into the Department of Transportation's automated application system.
Submit your complete application bundle, including questionnaire answers and attachments, before 11:59 PM EST on July 21, 2026.

💡 General Tips

Keep your resume strictly to a maximum of two pages. Under the Merit Hiring Plan, federal reviewers will ignore any content on page three and beyond.
Quantify your leadership achievements. State the size of teams managed, the scale of budgets controlled, and the scope of surface transit projects overseen.
Be explicit about your specialized experience with NEPA, NHPA, and Section 4(f). Avoid general statements and detail your direct involvement.
Verify that your attachments are completely loaded in the DOT system before final submission. Simply storing documents in USAJobs does not guarantee transit to the agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum page limit for resumes?

Resumes are strictly limited to two (2) pages. Reviewers will base your qualifications entirely on these first two pages; any additional pages will not be evaluated.

Is this position eligible for telework?

Yes, this position is telework-eligible. Specific schedules are arranged in accordance with Federal Transit Administration policy and require supervisor approval.

Does this position require a financial disclosure?

Yes. Because this is a key supervisory role with policy-making and resource management duties, the selected candidate must submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) annually.

Are there travel requirements for this job?

Yes, periodic official travel is required. The incumbent must be eligible to receive and maintain a government-issued contractor travel card.

Who can apply for this position?

This position is open to the general public and federal transition-eligible employees under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency CTAP (ICTAP).

What happens if my resume is longer than two pages?

Only the first two pages of your resume will be evaluated to determine your qualifications. Any experience or qualifications detailed on the third page or beyond will be ignored. Keep your application concise, factual, and high-impact.

Is relocation assistance provided?

No, relocation expenses are not authorized for this recruitment action. The applicant is responsible for any personal relocation expenses.

Will I have to travel for this job?

Yes. This position requires official government travel. You will be required to utilize a government contractor-issued travel card for all official business expenses.

What is the deadline to submit an application?

The announcement opens on July 7, 2026, and closes on July 21, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. All required documents must be submitted before this cutoff. ---