Marine Cargo Specialist

Army Transportation•Concord, CA

About The Position

Serves as a Marine Cargo Specialist, working with higher-graded specialists to plan and coordinate vessel operations plans and contract specifications for loading and/or discharging Department of Defense-sponsored cargo through commercial ocean terminals. The position is responsible for cargo planning and oversight, terminal coordination, hazardous materials documentation, contractor performance monitoring, and maintenance of cargo and port records. The work includes providing technical logistics assistance during planning conferences and enforcing safety and physical security protocols in terminal and vessel work areas. The position requires shift work on a rotating schedule to provide coverage during evenings, weekends, holidays, or special situations. Work may be outdoors in all types of weather and requires boarding breakbulk ships, barges, and other vessels and accessing all decks. Temporary duty or business travel is required 15% of the time. This is a 13-month term appointment that may be extended; the announcement states that term appointments may be extended up to six years total and also describes possible extensions beyond six years with DoD approval.

Requirements

One year of specialized experience preparing preliminary cargo stowage plans and/or overseeing loading, stowage, and discharge operations to ensure conformity with preliminary plans, authorize necessary changes, and prepare final plans. The experience must involve vessels of at least 5,000 dead-weight tons.
Specialized experience must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of marine rules and regulations and the ability to plan, direct, organize, and coordinate cargo handling activities; interpret and apply policies; investigate operations and practices and resolve problems; and establish and maintain effective work relationships.
Alternatively, a master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the position.
A combination of education and experience may qualify if the computed percentage of requirements is at least 100%.
Must obtain and maintain eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment.
Must obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license from one of the 50 U.S. states or possessions to operate vehicles.
Must complete a pre-employment physical examination and annual examinations thereafter to demonstrate the required physical health and fitness for the duties.
Must be HAZMAT certified; failure to obtain certification within six months of appointment may result in adverse action.
Must meet a 15% temporary-duty or business-travel requirement.
Must work rotating shifts that provide coverage on evenings, weekends, holidays, or special situations.
Must be able to board breakbulk ships, barges, and other vessels and access all decks.
Must be screened from military recall status, either as the incumbent or designated alternate; cannot be a member of the National Guard or Reserves while in this position.
Applicants who have held a GS position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent, GS-07.
Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
Must submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) upon entry and annually thereafter.
Must complete a one-year trial period.
Must meet one of the listed employment authority categories to apply.
Foreign education used to meet qualifications must be evaluated as equivalent to education from an accredited U.S. program, or receive full credit for courses at an accredited U.S. college or university.
Must use direct deposit for pay.

Responsibilities

Formulate vessel stow plans using specialized software to ensure safe cargo placement and ship stability.
Coordinate terminal staging plans across truck, rail, and water networks to maintain efficient cargo flow.
Monitor contractor stevedoring performance during vessel loading and verify compliance with contract terms.
Certify hazardous materials shipping documents to ensure regulatory compliance and safe cargo segregation.
Document daily terminal activities and contractor performance metrics in official port cargo logs.
Resolve staging bottlenecks and cargo discrepancies with stevedore supervisors to prevent delays.
Analyze shipping manifests and terminal space allocations to optimize vessel space utilization.
Provide technical logistics assistance during planning conferences to coordinate scheduled cargo movements.
Enforce safety rules and physical security protocols in active terminal and vessel work zones.
Enter data in computerized databases to maintain real-time tracking of cargo and port inventory.