Summary
The candidate serves as a program analyst in the Human Resources Directorate reporting to the Executive Resources Program Manager. The candidate is responsible for serving as a staffing specialist to monitor and manage staffing actions for the Merit Promotion Boards and Executive Resources Boards, including leveraging information in associated systems, databases, and spreadsheets, coordinating panels with senior leaders, as well as preparing and maintaining status reports of ongoing actions.
This job is open to
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from internal employees only of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives serving under a career or career conditional appointment in the competitive service and from CTAP eligibles.
Duties
This position supports the mission of the Human Resources and Professional Development (HRPD) Directorate, the Human Resources and Operations (HRO), and HRPD, Executive Services program. The Executive Resources Program mission is to make selections for all Bureau competitive supervisory positions at the GS-14 and GS-15 grade levels through a consistent merit-based process.
The major duties of the Program Analyst position include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Participating in a variety of studies, analyses, and evaluations for which the purpose is to identify needs and evaluate operations and programs pertaining to HRPD.
- Locating and reviewing files, and as necessary, contacts other offices and/or outside sources to obtain needed information.
- Working directly with senior executives, chiefs of staff, and other directorate representatives to obtain Merit Promotion Board (MPB) members, develop interview questions, and arrange for individual and/or multiple MPBs.
- Serving as a consultant to Bureau managers on the MPB and its policies and procedures and provides accurate and reliable information concerning the MPB policies and procedures to other Bureau offices, managers, and representatives of outside entities.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
The requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Key Requirements:
- Must be U.S. Citizen or National
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
- You must be a current permanent Department of Justice employee with competitive status or a CTAP/RPL eligible candidate.
- Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
- You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement.
- Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process. This is a non-bargaining unit position.
Qualifications
To qualify for the Program Analyst position, you must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in your resume.
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, candidates must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07) by the closing date of this announcement. Specialized experience must include all of:
- Monitoring and managing actions for the Merit Promotion Boards and Executive Resources Boards; AND
- Accessing information from systems, databases, and spreadsheets; AND
- Preparing and maintaining status reports of ongoing actions; AND
- Coordinating panels with senior leaders.
OR
Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B
or J.D., if related.
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, candidates must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) by the closing date of this announcement. Specialized experience must include all of:
- Applying knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques, for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical program operations; AND
- Collecting data and establishing analytical techniques to gather and analyze narrative and statistical data; AND
- Communicating orally and written to exchange information to conduct fact-finding and convey findings, etc.
OR
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree
or LL.M., if related.
To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, candidates must have at least one year of
specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) by the closing date of this announcement.
Specialized experience must include all of:
- Applying qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyze and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical program operations
- Conducting studies to perform analysis of various MPB program-related data.
Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.
See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.
After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (06/23/2026) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.
Education
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.
Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.
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. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations from ATF's Human Resources Operations Division. Please click on the following link to read important information. DOJ Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations
Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:
- Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
- Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
- Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
Reasonable Accommodation: ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760 or send an email to reasonableaccommodations@atf.gov. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.
Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to Diane.Collins@atf.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.
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.
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 be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist. This information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. If a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.
USA Hire: You will be asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments where you will be evaluated on critical competencies relevant to this position. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
"The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment."
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Manages and Organizes Information
- Oral Communication
- Organizational Awareness
- Planning and Evaluating
Required Documents
It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.
Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history. Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training, your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations.
- Official position title,
- Employer name and contact information,
- Start and end dates (including month and year),
- Your Pay Plan/Series/Grade for all federal positions, and
- A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
Resumes must be limited to two pages in length. Applicants with resumes longer than two pages will not be considered. You can only submit one resume; Only the most recent resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes.
Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations.
SF-50: You must submit your most recent
SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action). Do not submit an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.
CTAP eligibility documentation:
- A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation ; or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, or a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement).
- A copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, promotion potential, and duty location.
College Transcripts: If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.
- Your transcript must come from a nationally accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
- If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education.
- Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection, these may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/23/2026 to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:
- 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.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Click here for Computer System Requirements (
https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the
Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to
Edit My Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement is closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. Your applications will appear on the
Welcome page. Navigate to the job application and click
Track this application to view your application status. The link will take you to the hiring agency application system, which has the most up-to-date status of your application. The
Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each
Application Status means click here.
NEED HELP? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help website which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.
Next steps
You can check the status of your application anytime by accessing the USAJOBS online application system at http://www.usajobs.gov. You will need to provide your USAJOBS User ID and Password to access the Track your Online Job Application feature. You may also click on the link provided to access additional information on USAJobs.
All applicants will be notified at four (4) stages in the hiring process:
(1) upon receipt of your application;
(2) after your qualifications have been assessed;
(3) whether or not you've been referred to the Selecting Official;
(4) whether or not you've been selected for the position.
If your name is sent to the hiring manager, you may be invited for an interview.