Explosives Investigator Job in Pentagon, Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. DE-12452366-24-DMB Department Pentagon Force Protection Agency
Salary $68,405.00 to $128,956.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/12/2024 Close Date 7/11/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Pentagon, Arlington, VA


Summary

The mission of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) is to provide force protection, security, and law enforcement to safeguard personnel, facilities, infrastructure, and other resources for the Pentagon Reservation and designated DoD facilities (hereinafter referred to as "the Pentagon Facilities") within the National Capital Region (NCR).

Duties

This is an open continuous announcement. Applicants will be reviewed throughout the open period of the announcement. The first cut-off date for consideration of applicants will be 8/10/2024. Thereafter, the cut-off for applications received will be 9/10/2024; 10/9/2024; 11/8/2024; and 12/10/2024; etc., until the job opportunity announcement closes.

Under this recruitment, applications will be accepted and selections made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

There will be a cut-off of 100 resumes each time applications are submitted to hiring managers.

This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Please read this Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
  • Serves as a liaison with other law enforcement, public safety officers and fire service personnel and provides technical investigative assistance and expert advice in support of investigations involving criminal violations of Federal explosives and arson laws.
  • Responsible for the daily transportation and physical protection of government property, such as: explosives, explosive evidence, and other hazardous materials.
  • Conducts investigations of post-blast scenes, technical investigative guidance, and provides expert advice in support of investigations.
  • Locates explosives, booby traps; and identifies the presence of additional hazardous materials which may present a threat to agent, officer, or to public safety.
  • Provides technical assistance and expert advice in support of investigations involving criminal violations of Federal explosives and arson laws.
  • Develops bomb threat awareness and safety programs for potentially affected personnel, particularly the Pentagon facilities workforce.
  • Renders safe and/or removal of suspected Improvised explosive devices (IED's) incendiary devices, explosives, explosive chemicals, pyrotechnics, and ammunition.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship or National
  • This national security position, which may require access to classified information, requires a favorable suitability review and security clearance as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service. (See https://www.sss.gov/)
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Position has been designated as Top Secret/SCI. Incumbent is required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
  • This position may require occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
  • This position has been designated as "Mission Essential." Incumbent will be required to report to work or relocate to a new duty location, within the United States, in times of local/national emergency.
  • The incumbent may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, recall, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
  • The incumbent is required to pass a pre-employment and yearly physical examination for this position.
  • The incumbent is required to wear protective equipment, i.e., bomb suit, arc flash rated suit, tyvek suits and respirators, while working in hazardous areas.
  • This position requires the employee to work rotating shifts, weekends, recall, overtime, holidays and may be subject to call 24 hours a day.
  • The position requires meeting the requirements of "Lautenberg Agreement" which outline rules regarding possessing and carrying of firearms.
  • The employee must obtain and maintain a Hazardous Materials Technician certification.
  • The employee must successfully obtain and maintain the U.S. Public Safety Bomb Technician Certification per Paragraph 4.1.1, FBI Hazardous Devices School (HDS) is required for initial certification.
  • An HDS graduate is also required to attend recertification every three years.
  • The employee must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license from the jurisdiction where he or she resides.
  • This position requires that the candidate must sign a mobility agreement as a condition of employment. PFPA may relocate covered positions and covered employees in permanent changes of duty station between PFPA duty locations.

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/

Specialized Experience:

For the GS-09, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade GS-07within the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required.

Specialized experience is defined as experience in detection, identification, field evaluation, render safe, recovery, removal, mitigation and disposal of suspected improvised explosive device (IED), explosives and ammunition.

For the GS-11, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade GS-09within the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required.

Specialized experience is defined as experience in detection, identification, field evaluation, render safe, recovery, removal, mitigation and disposal of suspected improvised explosive device (IED), explosives and ammunition; and conducting investigations.

For the GS-12, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade GS-11within the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required.

Specialized experience is defined as experience in detection, identification, field evaluation, render safe, recovery, removal, mitigation and disposal of suspected improvised explosive device (IED), explosives and ammunition; and conducting investigations; and providing technical advice and recommendations on criminal acts, terrorist acts and post blast scenes.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) 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 to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications must be met at the closing date of this announcement.

Education

GS-9 Substitution of Education for Experience: Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education, Master's or equivalent graduate degree, may be substituted to meet the qualifying experience requirement. If you are using education to substitute for the qualifying experience, you must submit transcripts at the time you apply.

GS-11 Substitution of Education for Experience: Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree may be substituted to meet the qualifying experience requirement. If you are using education to substitute for the qualifying experience, you must submit transcripts at the time you apply.

There is no substitution of education for the qualifying experience at the GS-12 grade level.

Official Transcripts: If the position you are applying for has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications (i.e. you would not qualify without the education obtained), you MUST submit transcripts with your application.

    • Official transcripts are not required at the time of application outside of what is outlined above; however, official transcripts must be verified PRIOR to appointment.
    • An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.
  • FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying or prior to appointment as outlined above.
    • Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation upon request. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education

Additional information

  • Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf.)
  • This position not covered by a bargaining unit.
  • This position is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are a displaced Federal Civil Service employee and attain a rating of at least 85, you may be entitled to receive special priority selection under the ICTAP. For more information on ICTAP, click here ICTAP Guidance.
  • Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
    • Position title;
    • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
    • Agency; and,
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
  • ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found ineligible for veteran's preference.
  • Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

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.

Review our benefits

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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements identified on this announcement. (If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position).

Applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Eligible candidates will then be placed for selection consideration into 3 categories as described below:

  1. Best Qualified Category: Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates experience as an expert in the field based on responses to occupational questionnaire.
  2. Highly Qualified Category: Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates full-performance level experience based on responses to occupational questionnaire.
  3. Qualified Category: Meets the minimum qualifications and demonstrates minimum experience and/or training only based on responses to occupational questionnaire
The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Only the highest category is issued to management for consideration. Applicants in lower categories may be considered only if there are insufficient candidates in the highest category.

The Category Rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

The assessment questionnaire link can be found under the 'How To Apply' section, and collects information on your education, training and experience related to the following critical competencies:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Communication
  • Information Gathering and Analysis
  • Problem Solving
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence

Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume
  • Complete Assessment Questionnaire: Your resume must describe the quality of work in regards to responses to the occupational self-assessment questionnaire as they generate your numerical rating.
Cover Letter: Although not required, you may submit a cover letter which will be forwarded to the selecting official with your resume. It will not be used to determine your qualifications or eligibility.

The following supporting documents are ONLY required if applicable to your personal qualifications or status:

1. Transcripts and/or Certifications: All applicants to include current agency employees, must submit proof of education if the job announcement requires education to meet the basic qualification requirements, or if substituting education to meet the specialized experience requirements. Many applicants must also submit documentation for proof of meeting the basic education requirement. All education and/or certifications must also be described in your resume.
2. Veterans Preference: If you are claiming veteran's preference, you MUST submit the appropriate documentation. Failure to do so WILL result in the loss of veteran's preference, and will possibly impact your placement on the certificate.
  • You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be.
  • If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability
  • If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference.
3. ICTAP Eligibles: You must submit an SF-50 confirming Separation-Reduction in Force (RIF); A RIF Notice showing separation within the past year (or a RIF notice declining a management directed reassignment outside the commuting area, or a Termination of Disability Notice from OPM); and, a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
4. Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligibles: You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
5. Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligibles: You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
6. Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligibles: You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
7. Retained Grade PPP Eligibles: You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

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

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement (07/11/2025) to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12452366
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Washington Headquarters Services provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please send an email to WHS.JOB.APPLICATION.ASSISTANCE@MAIL.MIL. You will be contacted regarding your request.

We will not accept applications sent to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed on this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement. Only reasonable accommodation requests, as described above will be considered.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents are legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.

Agency contact information

Washington HQ Services
Address
Pentagon Force Protection Agency
Human Resources Directorate
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Stay informed of changes to your application status by signing up for automatic email alerts at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Applicant/Application/ListApplications?

We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 90 days of the closing date.

Washington Headquarters Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.


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


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