Senior Specialist

Senior Merchant Mariner Evaluation Specialist (Deck)

You will serve as a Senior Merchant Mariner Evaluation Specialist (Deck) and be responsible for providing advisory services and administering the regulatory provisions and controls for examinations supporting the Merchant Mariner Credentialing program. In this role, you will be responsible for the examination of merchant marine personnel and the development of knowledge-based competency examinations and examination systems.

Typical work assignments include:

• Managing the full lifecycle of deck examination content, from development to revision, by researching technical and legal sources to create new material and ensure exams are current with vessel technology.
• Directing the item analysis program by performing and interpreting complex psychometric evaluations, providing authoritative feedback to training providers, and making final decisions on revising or removing flawed test items.
• Acting as the final technical authority for the branch by responding to the most complex internal and external inquiries, challenges, and reconsideration requests related to maritime credentialing and examinations.
• Providing authoritative guidance, on-the-job training, and direction to other examination specialists (GS-12s) and regional exam centers to ensure the quality, timeliness, and consistency of the program.
• Acting as the expert on examination processes, independently reconciling the most difficult inconsistencies, monitoring performance metrics, and implementing program-wide improvements to ensure effectiveness and economy.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Reasonable Accommodation Information Open Continuous: You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. Upon application, you may be provided a testing window to complete additional assessments. This testing window may stipulate a completion deadline before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to complete the additional online assessments within the timeline provided to remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement. Failure to complete the online assessments within the testing window for this announcement will not preclude you from being considered for and completing the online assessments during a testing window on a future announcement.

Note: This announcement has an open period until 11/11/2026, with applicant cut-off dates every 30 days. Applications received that meet the eligibility and qualification criteria may be referred for further consideration based on the following cut-off dates: Friday, September 11, 2026 Sunday, October 11, 2026 Wednesday, November 11, 2026