Correctional Officer (Senior Officer Specialist GL-05) Job in Prisons - Nationwide

Vacancy No. HR-N-2025-0007 Department Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Salary $48,809.00 to $75,529.00 Grade 05 to 05
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/1/2024 Close Date 9/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Prisons - Nationwide


Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Our highly-skilled, diverse, and innovative workforce creates a strong foundation of safety and security. Through the principles of humanity and normalcy, we develop good neighbors.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

• BOP Employees nationwide • DOJ Surplus and Displaced (CTAP) Employees in the local commuting area.

Duties

Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates and guidance to lower-graded Correctional Officers. Concerned with maintenance of institution security contributing to the health and welfare of the inmates and the promotion of good public relations.

Enforces rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct to ensure judicial sanctions are carried out and inmates remain in custody. From time to time, may be authorized to carry firearms and to use physical force, including deadly force, to maintain control of inmates.

During institution emergencies or other periods of heavy workload or limited staff, may be required to work long and irregular hours, unusual shifts, Sundays, holidays and unexpected overtime. Incumbent must be flexible and have a broad knowledge base to use own initiative in the resolution of problem situations.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP eligibility, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: Click Here

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

Education:

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

OR

Experience:

At least 3 years of full-time general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GL-04 grade level. This experience must have demonstrated the aptitude for acquiring the qualifications required for correctional work, and, in addition, demonstrate the possession of personal attributes important to the effectiveness of correctional officers, such as:

  • Ability to meet and deal with people of differing backgrounds and behavioral patterns.
  • Ability to be persuasive in selling and influencing ideas.
  • Ability to lead, supervise, and instruct others.
  • Sympathetic attitude towards the welfare of others.
  • Ability to reason soundly and to think out practical solutions to problems.
  • Ability to make decisions and act quickly, particularly under stress.
  • Poise and self-confidence, and ability to remain calm during emergency situations.

General experience may have been gained in work such as:

  • Social case work in a welfare agency or counseling in other types of organizations.
  • Classroom teaching or instructing.
  • Responsible rehabilitation work, e.g., in an alcoholic rehabilitation program.
  • Supervising planned recreational activities or active participation in community action programs.
  • Management or supervisory work in a business or other organization that included directing the work flow and/or direct supervision of others.
  • Sales work, other than taking and filling orders as in over-the-counter sales.

AND

Medical Requirement:

The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons has established the following medical requirements for Correctional Officer positions:

The duties of these positions involve unusual mental and nervous pressure and require arduous physical exertion involving prolonged walking and standing, restraining of prisoners in emergencies, and participating in escape hunts. Applicants must be physically capable of performing efficiently the duties of these positions, and be free from such defects or disease as may constitute employment hazards to themselves or others. The duties of a Correctional Officer are arduous; and sound health as well as physical fitness is required.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

All applications submitted prior to the cut-off date will receive consideration for certification. (CUT-OFF DATES ARE THE LAST DAY OF EACH MONTH) 

You will continue to receive consideration for this position until you are SELECTED or until you WITHDRAW your application

This position IS included in the bargaining unit.

Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age for initial appointment to a position is a Bureau of Prisons institution, Applicants can be considered up to age 39.  If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

The representative rate for this position is $63,340 per annum ($30.35 per hour).

SALARY RANGE:  The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GS-05/01 @ $48,809 to highest GS-05/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA @ $75,529.  See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at www.opm.gov and search pay tables.

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.  All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office.  On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered.  The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score must be obtained.  Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score.  Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application.  You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Retention Incentives: may  be paid to selectee(s) who meet criteria for Retention Incentives.  

Relocation Bonus:  Upon completion of the Relocation Service Agreement, Retention Incentives may be initiated.

A 35% Retention Incentive at: 

  • Brooklyn MDC

A 25% Retention Incentive at:

  • Beaumont FCC
  • Berlin FCI
  • Florence FCC
  • Yazoo City FCC

A 14% Retention Incentive at:

  • Atwater USP 
  • Herlong FCI

A 10% Retention Incentive at:

  • Memphis FCI
  • Victorville FCC

A 25% Relocation Incentive at: 

  • Yazoo City FCC

A 17% Relocation Bonus is offered. 

  • Mendota FCI

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is authorized at:

  • FDC Honolulu, HI - 8.90%
  • MDC Guaynabo, PR -2.63% 

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment questionnaire responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you rate yourself higher than what is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment questionnaire;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the cutoff date (end of month).

Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.) that includes specific timeframes (MM/YYYY) format and number of hours performing duties.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Stress Tolerance
  • Writing
  • Oral Communication
  • Decision Making
  • Teamwork

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

  • Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
  • In order to receive credit for experience contained in an application, your employment history must be documented in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date and include the number of hours worked per week. Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification.
  • Current or former Federal employees NOT employed by the Bureau of Prisons MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. If you are applying for a higher grade, and your experience was gained at a Federal agency other than the Bureau of Prisons, you MUST provide the SF-50 Form which verifies the length of time you have been in your highest grade and supports your claim for time in grade.
  • Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment.
  • Current federal employees NOT employed by the BOP and former federal employees MUST submit a copy of their latest yearly performance appraisal/evaluation.
  • CTAP, Click Here, if applicable.
  • A college transcript which includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded, if applicable. (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.)

Failure to provide these documents could possibly result in removal from consideration for this vacancy.  If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc.  Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts.

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.

NOTE:  Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.

Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing date of the vacancy announcement.  You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.

NOTE: Failure to follow these application procedures will result in the applicant losing consideration for this position.

Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.

Contact for Assistance in Applying On-Line:
DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, TX  75051
E-Mail:  BOP-HRM-HRSC-ConsolidatedStaffingUnit-S@bop.gov
Phone:  972-352-4200

Agency contact information

CSU
Address
JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75051
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the application process has been completed. Normally, Selecting Officials will make a selection within 90-days. When deemed necessary, the selection process may be extended up to 180-days from the date the certificate(s), (Exception, Best Qualified Lists) is/are generated to make a selection.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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