Deputy Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Deputy Director roles sit at the senior leadership tier where employers routinely sponsor H-1B visa and EB-2 visas, and many positions qualify for National Interest Waiver self-petitions. Expect specialty occupation documentation requirements, PERM labor certification for green card pathways, and prevailing wage obligations tied to your specific metro area.
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INTRODUCTION
Job Posting: CEA B, Deputy District Director, Traffic Operations
Department of Transportation
JC-538534
CEA B, Deputy District Director, Traffic Operations
C. E. A.
$12,131.00 - $18,376.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
Final Filing Date: 12/4/2026
JOB DESCRIPTION AND DUTIES
Under the general direction of the District Director and Chief Deputy District Director, the Deputy District Director is responsible for the management, policy development, direction, and coordination of all activities for the Division of Traffic Operations. These include: System Operation activities such as traffic management, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) development and implementation, and ITS device asset and performance management; System Management activities such as electrical design, highway operations, and encroachment permits; and Transportation Safety activities such as traffic safety investigations, safety signing and engineering, and implementation of a Safe System Approach. The incumbent is responsible for all aspects of Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) and the planning and management of traffic system development and operations for the State Highway System within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties.
See attached duty statement for additional information.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
POSITION DETAILS
Job Code #: JC-538534
Position #(s): 904-351-7500-XXX
Working Title: CEA B, Deputy District Director, Traffic Operations
Classification: C. E. A.
$12,131.00 - $18,376.00 B *An appointment salary higher than the maximum range for a CEA B may be supported by the Department.
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions: 1
Work Location: Alameda County
Telework: Hybrid
Job Type: Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time
DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
Caltrans Mission: Improving lives and communities through transportation.
Caltrans Vision: A thriving and connected California.
The Caltrans workforce is made up of diverse and unique individuals who contribute to our organizational success. Caltrans is about celebrating diversity, valuing one another, and recognizing that Caltrans is strong not in spite of the diverse attributes of our workforce, but because of our diversity.
Caltrans Director's EEO Policy and EEO Policy Statement:
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/equal-employment-opportunity
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Statement of Qualifications
A Statement of Qualifications is required to participate in the examination.
Candidates must provide detailed and specific examples from their professional education, experience, and training that directly answer each of the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) questions outlined below. In addition to the examples, candidates must also include their overall length of time of their experience as it relates to each SOQ question in the space provided. Each question will be scored individually, therefore, candidates must provide length of time and specific examples to each question.
Responses to the SOQ must be submitted on the Department of Transportation's CEA Statement of Qualifications Form (PM-0503). Any SOQ responses that are not submitted on the PM-0503 will not be scored. Each box provided on the form for your response has been limited to 2000 characters. Additional documents to supplement the PM-0503 will not be reviewed during the examination scoring.
The PM-0503 SOQ Form can be found in the Required Application Package Documents section of this advertisement.
Submit your completed PM-0503 in the “Additional Documents” section. Select “Other” from the drop-down menu for Type of Document and enter SOQ for the Description. Upload your completed PM-0503, then Save & Review Application.
The Statement of Qualifications must address the applicant’s qualifications relative to the following:
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Equity has a heightened strategic focus across Caltrans Programs with efforts aligned to support all highway users without limits. Please provide examples of your previous work experience that demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively to deliver transportation services more equitably in our communities.
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Caltrans has a large role in achieving the Vision Zero 2050 goal. Please provide examples of your previous work experience that demonstrate your ability to effectively contribute to achieving this goal through transportation safety and system management operations.
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Delivering transportation safety and operational improvement projects in the Bay Area are challenging due to continued growth and increasing costs. Please provide examples of your previous work experience that demonstrate your ability to develop and foster key partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance safety and operational performance of highways.
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Describe a specific situation in which you demonstrated leadership in a professional setting. Include the context, your role, the actions you took to lead others, challenges you encountered, and the outcome of your efforts. Be sure to explain how your leadership contributed to achieving organizational goals and what you learned from the experience. Please use specific examples that highlight your leadership skills, decision-making abilities, communication effectiveness, and results achieved.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 12/4/2026
WHO MAY APPLY
Individuals who are eligible to be appointed to this Career Executive Assignment (CEA) by the State of California.
HOW TO APPLY
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Transportation
CEA
Attn: Ehsan Tahir (26CEA31)
Career Executive Assignment (CEA) MS-86
1727 30th Street, 6th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95816-8036
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Transportation
CEA
Ehsan Tahir (26CEA31)
Career Executive Assignment (CEA) MS-86
1727 30th Street, 6th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95816-8036
Please date stamp and drop in the correct box for Examination Unit
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
REQUIRED APPLICATION PACKAGE DOCUMENTS
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
- Statement of Qualifications - Candidates must provide detailed and specific examples from their professional education, experience, and training that directly answer each of the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) questions. In addition to the examples, candidates must also include their overall length of time of their experience as it relates to each SOQ question in the space provided. Each question will be scored individually, therefore, candidates must provide length of time and specific examples to each question.
Responses to the SOQ must be submitted on the Department of Transportation's CEA Statement of Qualifications Form (PM-0503). Any SOQ responses that are not submitted on the PM-0503 will not be scored. Each box provided for your response has been limited to 2000 characters. Additional documents to supplement the PM-0503 will not be reviewed during the examination scoring.
PM0503 SOQ Exam Form
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.
EXAMINATION QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement.
Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service.
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS
State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:
- Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; and personnel management techniques; the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.
- Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislature and Executive branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; and prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity objectives.
These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):
- CEA Level A - Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.
- CEA Level B - Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.
- CEA Level C - Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
- Academic course work at the university level. Training and experience in the area of supervision and management principles.
- Ability to reason logically and creatively.
- Ability to develop and maintain a level of professional integrity to ensure that the best interests of Caltrans and the program are served.
- Ability to work well with partners and clients.
EXAMINATION INFORMATION
The examination will consist of an evaluation of the Statement of Qualifications (SOQ). All interested applicants must submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) using the provided PM-0503 SOQ Form with their State Application. This will be the only tool used to determine your eligibility and ranking for this examination. The SOQ will be evaluated based on the quality of examples provided with each question, as well as the overall length of time candidates indicate related to each question response. Candidates who fail to submit an SOQ on the PM-0503 SOQ Form will be eliminated from the examination.
A passing score of 70% or higher must be obtained to establish eligibility. Hiring interviews will be conducted with the most qualified candidates. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results. The result of this examination will be used only to fill the position of CEA B, Deputy District Director, Traffic Operations with Caltrans. Applications will be retained for twelve months.
If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores.
A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results.
The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months.
Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates.
The examining Department reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.
SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS
If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.
BENEFITS
CONTACT INFORMATION
The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Human Resources Contact:
Ehsan Tahir
(279) 234-2289
ehsan.tahir@dot.ca.gov
Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.
EEO Contact:
Caltrans EEO Office
(844) 368-3367
Ask.eeo@dot.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED ON APPLICATION
Please include the CEA Exam Number (26CEA31) and title of the position applying for on the STD. 678 application form.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please take this 1-minute Caltrans Recruitment survey to tell us how you found out about this job!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HMQ7LDR
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Deputy Director Jobs
Document your specialized degree alignment early
Deputy Director roles must clear the specialty occupation bar under H-1B rules. Gather transcripts, degree equivalency evaluations, and any professional licenses that tie your graduate credentials directly to the management and policy functions the role requires.
Target agencies and nonprofits with cap-exempt status
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and government-affiliated organizations are H-1B cap-exempt, letting employers file any time without waiting for the annual lottery. Deputy Director openings at these institutions can move to USCIS petition stage within weeks of an offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsoring employers
Many Deputy Director postings omit sponsorship details in the job listing itself. Migrate Mate shows employers with confirmed LCA filing history for senior leadership roles, so you can focus your applications on organizations that have actually sponsored comparable positions.
Verify prevailing wage tier before you negotiate
Deputy Director titles frequently fall into DOL Wage Level III or IV, which sets the LCA floor your employer must certify. Run the OFLC Wage Search for your specific metro area and job duties before entering salary discussions so both sides are working from the same number.
Assess National Interest Waiver eligibility alongside PERM
If your Deputy Director role serves a U.S. national interest, such as public health, education, or infrastructure policy, you may qualify for an EB-2 NIW self-petition without waiting for employer-sponsored PERM. This parallel track can significantly compress your green card timeline.
Confirm O*NET classification matches your actual duties
Employers sometimes file LCAs under a broad management category that doesn't reflect a Deputy Director's specialized policy or technical responsibilities. Cross-check the O*NET occupation profile used in your LCA against your offer letter duties to avoid an RFE on specialty occupation grounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What visa types are most common for Deputy Director sponsorship?
The H-1B is the most common nonimmigrant path, provided the Deputy Director role qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring a directly related bachelor's degree or higher. Senior candidates with advanced degrees or exceptional ability often pursue the EB-2 green card simultaneously, either through employer-sponsored PERM or a self-petitioned National Interest Waiver if the position serves a recognized national interest.
Does a Deputy Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Most Deputy Director positions qualify because they require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a field directly tied to the role's core duties, such as public administration, policy, finance, or a technical discipline. USCIS scrutinizes whether the degree requirement is specific rather than generic, so the employer's job description needs to link the degree field to the actual responsibilities, not just list a degree as a general preference.
How long does PERM labor certification typically take for a Deputy Director hire?
PERM audits from DOL currently run well over a year for many cases, and Deputy Director roles in management or policy fields are common audit targets because employers must demonstrate no qualified U.S. worker was available. Building a thorough recruitment record from the start reduces the risk of an audit extending that timeline further. USCIS I-140 petition review follows separately after PERM certification.
Where can I find Deputy Director jobs where employers are open to sponsoring?
Migrate Mate lists Deputy Director openings with employers who have verified LCA filing histories for senior roles, making it straightforward to identify organizations that have actually sponsored comparable positions rather than guessing from job postings that rarely state sponsorship intent upfront.
Can a Deputy Director candidate self-petition for a green card without employer sponsorship?
Yes, if the role and your background meet the EB-2 National Interest Waiver criteria. USCIS looks at whether your work has substantial merit and national importance, whether you are well-positioned to advance it, and whether waiving the job offer requirement benefits the United States. Deputy Directors in public health, education policy, infrastructure, or scientific research are common NIW applicants because the national importance standard is easier to satisfy in those sectors.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Deputy Director jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.