POLICE OFFICER (MILITARY WORKING DOG HANDLER) Job in San Diego, CA

Vacancy No. DE-12798190-25-SDS Department U.S. Marine Corps
Salary $57,070.00 to $82,170.00 Grade 7 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/10/2025 Close Date 9/16/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
San Diego, CA


Summary

This is a public notice flyer to notify interested applicants of anticipated vacancies. Applications will not be accepted through this flyer. Interested applicants must follow the directions in the "How to Apply" section of this flyer to be considered. There may or may not be actual vacancies filled from this flyer. Notice of Result letters will not be sent to applicants who respond to this flyer.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. CITIZENS

Duties

  • You will serve as a Military Working Dog Handler and function as a Law Enforcement Officer performing law enforcement of federal and state criminal laws, protecting persons and property.
  • You will conduct investigations utilizing MWD to search out illegal narcotics, explosive devices and apprehend and take into custody suspected violators associated with crime committed.
  • You will perform on/off leash obedience, controlled aggression, utilizing Military Working Dog in congested areas.
  • You will handle a military working dog specialized in narcotics detection, explosive detection and patrol duties regarding all legal aspects pertaining to search and seizure and preservation of evidence.
  • You will plan special enforcement activities requiring utilization of military working dogs; responsible for safety of working dogs and personnel involved in military working dog operations.
  • You will conduct searches of vehicles, vessels, aircraft. buildings, warehouses, luggage and/or open areas. You will conduct searches of vehicles, vessels, aircraft. buildings, warehouses, luggage and/or open areas.
  • You will feed and groom assigned Military Working Dogs daily.
  • You will pursue and detain persons fleeing a crime scene or attempting to resist apprehension.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a US Citizen; pass a National Agency Check and local background check. Must be 18 years of age or older prior to start of employment. Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Generally, current federal employees applying for GS jobs must serve at least one year at the next lower grade level. This requirement is called time-in-grade. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • The DON does not employ individuals for Law Enforcement Officer positions who have been convicted of a crime of domestic violence on or after 27 November 2002. You must submit DD Form 2760, Qualification to Possess Firearms before appointment.
  • You must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license and be able to obtain/maintain a U.S. Government emergency vehicle operator's license, and an explosives driver's license.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or pass the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. You will be required to sign a DD-Form-2760, Qualification to possess firearms or ammunition.
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Must be able to read, write, and speak English. You will be required to successfully complete a pre-appointment physical examination.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or pass the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • This position is subject to shift work; subject to 24-hour recall and will maintain a 24-hour recall notification number and is required to respond, subject to being interrupted from meal or other work breaks while on duty. Overtime may be required.
  • Must maintain program height and weight appearance standards. As a first responder to chemical/biological attacks, must be able to train and wear personal protective equipment to include ask, suit, boots and gloves.
  • Must meet medical standards for Police Officers in DoD 6055.055 and NMCPHC-TM-OM 6260. Required to wear a uniform and maintain appearance and grooming standards.
  • You must be able to use all police equipment, certify in radar and alcohol detection equipment, field sobriety tests, expandable or collapsible baton, and obtain other certifications required to accomplish law enforcement duties.
  • You must carry firearms. You must meet the qualifications and be certified to carry a firearm. You will need to maintain firearm proficiency.
  • This is a Mission Essential position. You will be required to ensure organization or facility continuity of operations and/or completion of tasks that are considered essential to the mission designated by a local or command decision.
  • Incumbent must pass a sanctioned agility test and medical evaluation and pass periodic re-test as required. Failure to meet conditions of employment may result in disciplinary action or termination.
  • Must successfully complete the first available Working Dog Course at Lackland AFB, TX and maintain certification with Working Dog.
  • Must have a spleen.
  • This position does not meet the definition of law enforcement officer (LEO) and is excluded from coverage as LEO for purposes of the Federal Employment Retirement System-Base Annuity IAW 5 CFR, PArt 842, Subpart H.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

GS- 08: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: performing working dog handling/training operations (patrol/narcotic/explosive functions); working dog procedures related to law enforcement practices and techniques; and that involved in the responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property.

GS- 07: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Assisting in the preparation and/or conducting of demonstrations in reference to Military Working dog handling, conducting searches of vehicles, vessels, aircraft, buildings, warehouses, luggage and/or open areas and performing on/off leash obedience, controlled aggression, utilizing Military Working Dogs.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0000/police-series-0083/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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 directly to paid employment.

Additional Conditions of Employment:
Must complete a designated USMC Police Officer Course of Instruction and meet all certification requirements, weapons certifications, CPR, AED, DoD and Joint Training Regulations, etc. Training may be conducted at a regional training facility.

You will be required to wear personal protective equipment such as helmets, gloves, coveralls, glasses, goggles, respirators and safety shoes continuously for the duration of the work shift.

Must be able to use all police equipment, certify in the use of radar detection and alcohol detection equipment, field sobriety tests, expandable or collapsible baton and obtain other certifications required to accomplish the duties of a law enforcement officer.

If conducting law enforcement operations in navigable waters, incumbent must attend the Inland Boat Operator Training Program at FLETC or similar course.

Must be eligible to meet established standards for transport of explosive materials related to the performance of their duties to include; passing an explosive material physical, completion of annual explosive/hazardous material training and obtain/maintain, if applicable, appropriate commercial hazard license.

Education

**No substitution of education or training may be made for the required specialized experience.**

Additional information

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

The Department of the Navy uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf

This position requires rotating shift work.

This position is subject to work an uncommon tour, including nights, weekends, and holidays to meet mission requirements. Overtime or night differential pay and/or unusual duty hours may be required.

ICTAP Applicants: To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application: 1) agency notice; 2) most recent performance appraisal; and 3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location. Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/ictap/

Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position.

PPP applicants will be placed at the FPL, if determined Well Qualified (WQ). To receive priority consideration, the FPL must be the same grade level or equivalent of the retained grade or the grade held immediately prior to separation.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience.

As vacancies occur, the Human Resources Office will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this flyer. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume, along with your supporting documentation.

If selected, you may be required to provide additional supporting documentation.

If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible/not qualified.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

All qualification requirements must be met before being considered for any vacancies.

Required Documents

A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience. TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check the Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit the Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?
If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide the applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.

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

Interested Applicants must submit resumes/application packages to:

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego HRO
MCRDSD_HRO_RESUMES@USMC.MIL


Facsimile applications will not be considered.

All resumes/applications must be received no later than the close date of this flyer.

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

Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.

Agency contact information

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego HRO
Address
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT
MCRD
San Diego, CA 92140
US

Next steps

Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager. The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews.

Our evaluation will be based on the information you provide. You should expect that we will verify performance, suitability, and security information and take that information into account in making employment offers.


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


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