Human Resources Specialist (ER-LR)

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Administration, Office of Human Resources (OHR), Labor and Employee Relations Division. The incumbent serves as a Senior Human Resources Specialist and designated Labor Relations Officer (LRO), functioning as the agency's authoritative technical expert on union-management relations, collective bargaining, and unfair labor practices (ULPs).

Duties

The Human Resources Specialist (ER/LR):

• Provides full-scope advisory services across employee relations (ER), performance management, administrative investigations/anti-harassment inquiries, and suitability determinations.
• Serves as the authoritative management advisor and lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements, mid-term bargaining, impact-and-implementation negotiations, and union information requests. Represents the agency before third parties, including the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and grievance arbitrators. Coordinates responses to unfair labor practice (ULP) charges and complex negotiated grievances, promoting dispute resolution at the lowest organizational tier.
• Advises management on complex, high-risk employee conduct and disciplinary matters. Formulates strategy and drafts legally defensible administrative actions, including reprimands, suspensions, demotions, and removals under Title 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75. Partners with the Office of Chief Counsel to prepare litigation defense files, declarations, and testimony for hearings before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• Provides expert technical consultation on Chapter 43 actions, performance appraisal cycles, and performance improvement plans (PIPs). Evaluates deficiencies, reviews narrative appraisals, and counsels supervisors through remedial and corrective performance-based actions.
• Serves as a senior technical investigator and advisor on allegations of workplace harassment and misconduct. Develops investigative strategies, conducts comprehensive fact-finding interviews, gathers evidence, drafts exhaustive investigative reports, and delivers objective findings with corrective action recommendations to deciding officials.
• Provides support with reviews background investigations and pre-/post-employment conduct to render authoritative suitability advisements under 5 CFR Part 731. Evaluates nexus, mitigating/aggravating factors, and security/suitability risks to formulate management positions regarding employment eligibility or suitability-based separations.

The ideal candidate for this position has expert level knowledge of HR practices, laws, regulations, policies to provide advice and resolve the full range of complex and wide impacting employee and labor relations operational problems. The applicant must have excellent written, verbal and analytical skills, work collaboratively with other and have experience serving as an advisor to all levels of management on employee and labor relations issues.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National.
• 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:

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: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
• 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. See other information for additional instructions.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:
• Experience advising and negotiating as a management representative on collective bargaining matters, master labor agreements, impact-and-implementation bargaining, unfair labor practice (ULP) disputes, and binding arbitration before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) or independent arbitrators.
• Experience structuring and drafting formal disciplinary, adverse (5 U.S.C. Chapter 75), and performance-based (5 U.S.C. Chapter 43) actions (e.g., Performance Improvement Plans, suspensions, removals), including assisting agency counsel in defending actions.
• Experience directing or conducting formal administrative investigations into employee misconduct or anti-harassment allegations, preparing findings of fact, and assessing candidate or employee suitability/conduct under Federal suitability frameworks (e.g., 5 CFR 731) to determine actionable risk.

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:

• Labor-Management Relations: Mastery of Title 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71, collective bargaining principles, interest-based bargaining, impact and implementation (I&I), FLRA precedent, contract administration, and third-party grievance arbitration.
• Employee Relations & Discipline: Mastery of Title 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75, Douglas Factors, adverse action statutory requirements, administrative appeal procedures (MSPB), and settlement negotiation tactics.
• Performance Management: Expertise in Title 5 U.S.C. Chapter 43, appraisal cycles, development and monitoring of Opportunity to Demonstrate Acceptable Performance (ODAP)/Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), and performance-based adverse actions.
• Administrative Inquiries & Anti-Harassment: Knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) principles, agency anti-harassment policies, investigative fact-finding methodology, witness examination, and evidence synthesis
• Suitability Review & Adjudication: Knowledge of 5 CFR Part 731, nexus requirements, risk determinations, character standards, and pre-/post-employment background suitability processes.

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

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional 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, [redacted]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL APPLICANTS:Submit SF-50 documentation proving your highest competitive grade, federal eligibility, and 52-week time-in-grade requirement. To pass HR validation, it's recommended to combine and upload these into a single PDF:

• Start Date: The SF-50 showing when you were originally appointed or promoted to the qualifying grade.
• End Date: An SF-50 dated at least 52 weeks later (e.g., a Within-Grade Increase, promotion, or subsequent action) to prove a sequential 52-week period.

Warning on Incomplete Documentation: Do not submit an award or current-year annual pay adjustment SF-50 by itself. These do not prove your original entry date or grade. If your documents fail to conclusively prove a full 52-week history, you will be rated Ineligible.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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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.