Lead Vessel Management Specialist

$89,508

Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganFull-timeLeadPosted Oct 20, 2026

Against the United States typical range

Job description

This vacancy is for a GS-2150-12, Lead Vessel Management Specialist located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, SECTOR NORTHERN GREAT LAKES WATERWAYS MGMT DIV in SAULT STE MARIE, Michigan.

You will serve as a Lead Vessel Management Specialist and be responsible for providing continuous coordination of vessel traffic within the area of responsibility. The incumbent ensures coordination of vessel traffic in an assigned geographical area in order to reduce the probability of collisions, allisions, ramming's and groundings and the ensuing environmental damage.

The employee facilitates vessel traffic movements and assists Coast Guard and other agencies in accomplishing their missions, which may include such efforts as search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental protection, maritime security and aids to navigation. Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team.

Typical work assignments include: Coordinating the efforts of the Traffic Service (VTS) watch Team during an 8 or 12 hour watch period. Ensuring Traffic Service (VTS) Watch Operators gather, validate, and analyze navigation safety information. Responding to actions for incidents, and ensuring watch personnel contact the appropriate personnel to respond.

Coordinating the task of monitoring and tracking vessel movements in the Area of Responsibility (AOR) using all available means. Interfacing with coworkers, US Coast Guard and other military officials, vessel operators and maritime industry representatives, to exchange information. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.

e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended 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

Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements: EDUCATION: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study - accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, engineering, finance, industrial management, statistics, traffic management, transportation, motor mechanics, nautical science, marine affairs, marine engineering, marine transportation, or other fields related to the position.

For Marine Transportation Specialist positions, education obtained in a Federal, State, or other accredited Merchant Marine Academy is qualifying. OR Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): For positions other than Marine Transportation, experience in maintaining, retailing, purchasing, or procurement of automotive, rail, air, bus, or other transportation equipment or services, or in the operation of a commercial transportation facility or terminal.

This experience must have demonstrated knowledge of fleet operations; familiarity with Federal, State, and municipal regulations governing the use of transportation vehicles; and the maintenance of inventories and cost computations. For Marine Transportation positions, experience in: Planning, directing, and supervising cargo or bulk petroleum movements such as: Embarkation and debarkation, cargo loading and discharge.

Formulating marine transportation itineraries and routings according to commercial cost factors and tariffs. Formulating marine transportation traffic plans for personnel and cargo. Scheduling ships. Developing, analyzing, or evaluating cargo lift capabilities. Preparing statistics for planning operations of ships, or formulating budgetary estimates of cargo transportation costs.

Serving as a licensed merchant marine deck or engine officer or naval deck or engine officer. OR Ship chartering negotiation or administration, such as: Chartering commercial ships and space. Reviewing and approving ship operating and damage expenses and marine insurance premiums. Investigating ocean carrier claims for ship damage.

Reviewing and recommending action on cargo shortage and damage claims. Analyzing and applying appropriate precedents and regulations. Establishing rates with commercial carriers for special cargoes according to market conditions. Analyzing statements of ship operating costs, and preparing estimates to adjust rates or determine the most economical method of transportation.

To qualify at the GS- 12 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular basis. Ensuring that vessel traffic is properly informed, advised, or directed in order to reduce the probability of collisions, ramming's, groundings, and environmental damage; Coordinating the task of monitoring and tracking vessel movements ; Initiating response actions for incidents and ensuring watch personnel contact the appropriate personnel to respond; Working in a transportation facility or terminal and applying Federal, State, and local maritime-vessel regulations AND; Monitoring the progress of vessels, and informing, advising, or directing vessel operators.

NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or related applicable assessment) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. NOTE: Education CANNOT be substituted for experience at this grade level.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri. Corps) 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.

This position does have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. Are you qualifying based on education?

Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript.

Education

completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below). College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)

by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. To receive this credit, you must submit evidence of equivalency as provided by a credentialling evaluation service.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Description copied from U.S. Coast Guard's careers page. Read the full posting before you apply.

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