Summary

VA Birmingham Healthcare System is seeking full-time Police Officers in Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama locations.

Salary range listed incorporates both areas; BIRMINGHAM salary range is $36,308.00 to $57,364.00 and HUNTSVILLE salary range is $37,439.00 to $54,255.00 per year. Actual salary will be determined by location.

This is an Open & Continuous announcement (see "Next Steps" below for details).

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

Duties

The incumbent enforces Federal and appropriate State and City criminal codes (and VA Directives and Regulations originating in Federal statute) in the physical protection of patients, visitors and employees; the protection of property of the United States (U.S.) Government and personal property on VA controlled property; the protection of the civil rights of all individuals while on VA controlled property; and in the preservation of peaceful environment requisite to the operation of medical treatment programs.

As a "Condition of Employment", the VA Police Officer must be able to be issued a firearm and then qualify semi-annually with his or her assigned departmental issued firearm, annually with his or her departmental issued intermediate weapons, and maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License. Police Officers must meet the standards as outlined in the Lautenberg Amendment (PL 104- 208) to the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 USC 922). NOTE: The Lautenberg Amendment prohibits people convicted of certain domestic violence crimes from buying or owning guns. Federal law prohibits purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition by people who have been convicted in any court of a "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence", and/or who are subject to certain domestic violence protective orders.

Work Schedule: Shifts will fall between the hours of 6:00am-6:00pm or 6:00pm-6:00am. All shifts have rotating weekends and holidays. The work scheduled for this position may require that you work an irregular tour of duty including weekends and/or holidays. May be called upon to work on a regularly scheduled day off when and if needed.
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Police Officer/PD99925-S, PD99925-A, PD99925S, PD99925, and PD99925A
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

NOTIFICATIONS:

This position is an AFGE bargaining unit position.
This position is covered by locality based comparability pay in Huntsville, and at the GS-5 level in Birmingham.
This position is covered by a special salary rate at the GS-6 level in Birmingham only.
Selectee may be required to work at any VA Birmingham Healthcare System campus, as needed.

Conditions of Employment

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
Subject to a background/suitability investigation
Designated and/or random drug testing required
May serve a probationary period
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/29/2024.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in Police Science or a comparable degree program related to the work of the position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application.
OR
Successful completion of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level (or equivalent pay band) in the Federal service that has provided the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Police Officer. Specialized experience is work that provided knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills. At this level, police work must have included patrolling assigned area(s) to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crimes and/or arrest violators. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally NOT qualifying. NOTE: Examples of this specialized experience must be documented within your resume.
OR
Equivalent combinations of education and specialized experience. NOTE: Successful completion of a Federal, State, county, or municipal police academy or comparable training course that included at least 40 classroom hours of instruction in police department procedures and methods, and local law and regulations, may be substituted for a maximum of 3 months of specialized experience. Documentation of completion of such a program must be submitted with the application in order to receive credit.

GS-6: Successful completed one year of specialized experience to at least the GS-5 grade level (or equivalent pay band) in the Federal service that has provided the candidate with knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Specialized experience includes maintaining order to protect life and property; taking initial complaints; interviewing witnesses; securing a crime scene and conducting limited searches; responding to emergency situations; gathering information and preparing reports; conducting routine patrol, traffic control, and traffic accident investigations. Experience as a security guard or corrections officer is generally not qualifying. You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a Patrolman", "I was a Police Officer for a number of years," or "I enforced Federal, State, county, and laws" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. NOTE: Examples of this specialized experience must be documented within your resume.

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; religions; 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Routine patrol requires regular and recurring physical exertion, long hours of standing, walking, driving and similar activities. Responds to alarms, pursues suspects, participates in training activities, climbs stairs and walks during assigned foot patrols in and around the large buildings. Agility, dexterity and strength are needed to pursue, apprehend and detain uncooperative suspects. On a regular and recurring basis, the work requires strenuous exertion physically restraining disorderly individuals to prevent harm to others or the individual. Police work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Police Officers may work prolonged hours, especially during inclement weather or during a disaster situation. The incumbent is expected to maintain a high standard of physical fitness and hand and eye coordination in order to maintain his or her semi-annual qualification with his or her assigned firearm and annual qualification with his or her assigned departmental issued intermediate weapons.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Additional Requirements:

Must possess a valid driver's license.
Must successfully complete the VA Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) Academy.
Must successfully complete a physical agility test (one mile run, push ups, and sit-ups) using the VA LETC standards prior to appointment.
Must achieve and maintain qualification on agency-approved firearms, intermediate weapons, and CPR.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

There is no educational substitution at the GS-6 grade level.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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.

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Documents Accepted:

DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Transcript

Documents Required:

Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

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.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/29/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11670065.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

June Borsari

Phone

508-944-6804

Email

June.Borsari@va.gov

Address

Birmingham VA Medical Center
700 South 19th Street
Birmingham, AL 35233
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email.

This is an Open & Continuous Announcement. Applicants will be reviewed on a monthly basis to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

Police Officer Job