Job Listing
Supervisory Program Manager (Director, University Transportation Centers Program) (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)
Office of the Secretary of Transportation · Posted today
HybridFull-timeWashington, DC$169K – $197KApply by Jun 11, 2026Program ManagementENFJENTJESTJOperations
Apply for this job →About the Role
The position provides senior leadership for the Department's University Transportation Centers Program and related university research and grant activities. The incumbent serves as Director of the University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program providing executive leadership, strategic direction, and authoritative oversight for USDOT's national portfolio of university-based transportation research, innovation, technology transfer, education, and workforce development programs.
What You'll Do
- →As a Supervisory Program Manager (Director, University Transportation Centers Program), you will: Provides national leadership for the UTC Program, ensuring that university‐led research aligns with Departmental priorities, modal needs, Transportation Research Board recommendations, and emerging national transportation challenges.
- →Guides the development of an integrated and coordinated research strategy in collaboration with other modal partners.
- →Serves as the senior focal point for university research across USDOT.
- →Provides strategic oversight of program execution, including technical, administrative, and policy-level direction to staff managing grants and cooperative agreements and university partnerships.
- →Maintains expert awareness of Federal R&D funding mechanisms to inform program structure and ensure alignment with best practices.
- →Oversees staff evaluations of strategic plans, research proposals, and concept papers, ensuring program direction reflects state‐of‐the‐art technologies, private–public sector needs, and multimodal challenges.
- →Provides policy guidance on the initiation, continuation, and redirection of research activities.
- →Leads and oversees national outreach, engagement, and dissemination activities supporting UTC objectives.
- →Directs the development of seminars, workshops, technical briefings, and interagency activities that broaden understanding and application of UTC research.
- →Ensures awareness of stakeholder needs across Federal, State, local, Tribal, academic, and industry audiences.
- →Represents the Department as its senior official in promoting technology transfer and innovative outreach approaches to maximize the visibility and impact of UTC research outcomes.
- →Provides senior-level oversight of university-based R&D, ensuring UTC research portfolios and other Department-supported university programs address national transportation needs and statutory mandates.
- →Coordinates with university centers of excellence and other research programs to integrate results, minimize duplication, and enhance Department-wide research outcomes.
- →Serves as spokesperson for university research accomplishments and national innovation impacts.
Requirements
- ✓CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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.
- ✓BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Must be able to qualify for and maintain a Top Secret/SCI Level Clearance.
- ✓GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.
- ✓A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
- ✓SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
- ✓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.
- ✓DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
- ✓You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
- ✓You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
- ✓Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
Personality Fit
Job ID: 1c7b4495-63f5-4c32-8bcc-a2a4a740ebc6
Posted via USAJobs