Clarification from the agency

This Merit Promotion position is open to Current Federal Employees and Former Federal Employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA, 30% disabled).

The Supervisory Police Officer is responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and management of all facets of police operations activities at NZP and SCBI.  The incumbent of this position personally and through subordinate supervisors manages the National Zoological Park Police and physical security program for the NZP and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

In this position, you will:

• Lead teams, sets short and long-term goals, and align unit priorities with department objectives. 
• Supervise staff, coordinate operations, and foster collaboration across units. Duties include mentoring personnel, managing resources, ensuring policy compliance, and representing the department in community and interagency efforts. 
• Oversee operations, lead large teams, and manage emergencies, citizen complaints, and security.
• Interpret policies, guide staff, and implement creative solutions to improve performance. 
• Oversee and conduct criminal investigations, prepare charging documents, and interview victims, witnesses, and suspects to gather evidence.
• Enforce laws, manage diverse operations, and ensure public safety through crowd control and emergency response. 
• Interpret regulations, detain suspects, and maintain order while working with diverse populations.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.

Must have completed certified law enforcement training through a state or federally accredited police academy or possess equivalent training that meets established legal standards and agency protocols. Applicants MUST provide training certificates and/or transcripts to verify completion of certified law enforcement training through a state or federally accredited police academy or equivalent. Failure to submit training certificates and/or transcripts will result in loss of consideration. 

Employment is subject to successful completion of a pre-employment requirements process that may consist of: structured interview, drug test, laboratory screening, medical evaluation, and background investigation.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

Specialized Experience:  Experience 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.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the NZ-08/GS-08 level in the Federal Service.  For this position specialized experience is defined as:

1. coordinating and supervising Police Operations,
2. supplying data for estimating budgetary requirements particularly for uniforms, equipment, supplies, etc.; 
3. providing recommendations to the Commanding Officer regarding staffing requirements, performance standards, new policies, procedures and instructions for a more efficient police service;
4. rating and reviewing performance of police personnel; and
5. promoting high morale and maintaining discipline.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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 directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Investigation of Fitness

A character investigation may be conducted on applicants selected for employment. The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government. Such investigations will be conducted under the security requirements of the hiring agency.

Medical Requirements

The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice. Agencies may establish additional, job-related physical or medical requirements provided that the specific position(s) involves the arduous or hazardous duties to which the physical requirements relate.

Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.

How you will be evaluated

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

The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

1. Management
2. Leadership
3. Investigation
4. Patrol

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

• Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
• Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• People with Disabilities

Your application package should include the following documents:

Next steps