Supervisory Probation Administrator (Firearms & Safety Branch Chief) Job in Charleston, SC

Vacancy No. 26-DPS-12941922 Department Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Salary $106,437.00 to $197,200.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/6/2026 Close Date 5/27/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Charleston, SC


Summary

This position is in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Office, Training and Safety Division. The Training and Safety Division provides national training programs and sets professional requirements for U.S. probation and pretrial services officers.

This position is designated as a secondary law enforcement position and is eligible for law enforcement officer (LEO) retirement coverage. Non-LEOs are eligible to apply for this position.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open to current employees of the federal judiciary (AO or U.S. Courts) nationwide. Non-LEOs are eligible to apply for this position. This position is not a fully remote position, but is eligible for telework per AO policy. The incumbent of this position is subject to random drug screening and updated background investigations every five years.

Duties

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), Probation and Pretrial Services Office (PPSO), Training and Safety Division is seeking a skilled and self-motivated Supervisory Probation Administrator (Firearms and Safety Branch Chief) to manage and lead the Firearms and Safety Branch (FSB). This position reports to the Training and Safety Division Chief.

The Supervisory Probation Administrator (Firearms and Safety Branch Chief) position is designated as a secondary law enforcement position responsible for providing supervision and oversight of mission-critical policies, procedures, and practices related to training, firearms, safety, and search and seizure for officers at the Federal Probation and Pretrial Academy (FPPA) located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). This position works in collaboration with other division and branch chiefs to advance projects and activities in support of PPSO's mission.

Specialized duties include, but are not limited to:

  1. Managing the daily operations and administrative activities of the FSB.
  2. Supporting the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) for the FPPA and its associated programs.
  3. Providing expert consultation and advisory services regarding the federal probation and pretrial services system's national firearms and safety policies and procedures to the Training and Safety Division Chief, PPSO Chief and Deputy Chief, other AO executives, the Committee on Criminal Law of the Judicial Conference of the United States (JCUS), other JCUS committees, court unit executives, and court staff.
  4. Developing and implementing research-based national firearms, safety, search and seizure, and training programs consistent with the AO Director's authority. This includes addressing use of force, restraints, officer and instructor certifications, training, policies, procedures, and practices related to the daily duties of officers.
Generalized duties include, but are not limited to:
  1. Managing all aspects of staff supervision, including assigning and reviewing work, and completing a full range of personnel actions, such as tracking time and attendance, training and professional development, conducting performance appraisals, and fostering a collaborative team environment.
  2. Overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of firearms, safety, and search and seizure-related curricula.
  3. Serving as a subject matter expert and providing oversight for all firearms and safety-related policies and procedures. This includes analyzing Safety and Information Reporting System (SIRS) data, overseeing firearms and safety office reviews, and providing policy guidance to AO and district court staff.
  4. Conducting comprehensive research and trend analysis to provide data-driven recommendations for the enhancement of national programs such as adult education and strategic curriculum design.
  5. Establishing and managing both short- and long-term goals for the FSB and ensuring the integration of branch initiatives with broader PPSO objectives.
  6. Providing fiscal oversight for FSB expenditures, including the development, justification, and execution of the branch's budget.
  7. Serving as a liaison between PPSO and FLETC.
  8. Collaborating with the Training and Skills Branch Chief to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the FPPA operations.
  9. Representing the interests of the AO and PPSO in high-level engagements with senior leadership across federal law enforcement agencies.
  10. Cultivating and maintaining strategic partnerships with other U.S. probation and pretrial services offices to ensure requests for assistance from other districts are consistently applied.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  1. All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
  2. Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship for competitive status positions or conversion to a competitive status position with the Administrative Office of the US Courts. In instances where non-citizens are considered for hire into temporary or any other position with non competitive status or when it is confirmed by the AO's Human Resources Office that there are no qualified U.S. citizens for a competitive status position (unless prohibited by a law or statue), non-citizens must provide proof of authorization to work in the United States and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at http://ww.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
  3. All new AO employees will be required to complete a FBI fingerprint-based national criminal database and records check and pass a public trust suitability check.
  4. All new AO employees must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment.
  5. You will be required to serve a trial period if selected for a first-time appointment to the Federal government, transferring from another Federal agency, or serving as a first-time supervisor. Failure to successfully complete the trial period may result in termination of employment.
  6. If appointed to a temporary position, management may have the discretion of converting the position to permanent depending upon funding and staffing allocation.
  7. Relocation expenses may be provided, but only if authorized by the Director of the AO.

Qualifications

Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which include interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions.

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience in each of the following:

  1. Developing policy, procedures, or training for firearms, safety, or search and seizure programs.
  2. Providing leadership and administrative oversight of personnel.

Education

The basic qualifications can be met in one of three ways:

  1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. Combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
  3. Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrates that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Additional information

The AO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. If you meet the minimum qualifications for this job, we will evaluate your application package, to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education as they relate to the requirements listed in this vacancy announcement.

You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume and/or narrative responses, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Failure to submit the mandatory narrative responses will result in not receiving full consideration and/or rating credit. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you, withdrawing an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.

Required Documents

For this job announcement the following documents and/or information are required:

  • Resume - Any written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications (two page limit).
  • Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - All applicants outside of the AO must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 to verify current or former Federal employment status.
  • Veterans Preference documentation - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), if applicable Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) and an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 05/27/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click

  • Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, 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 Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12941922

Agency contact information

Heather Tyndall-Best
Phone
(202) 502-3800
Email
heather_best@ao.uscourts.gov
Address
Department of Program Services
One Columbus Circle, NE
Washington, DC 20544
US

Next steps

After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and referral to the hiring official if determined qualified. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

The Administrative Office (AO) of the United States Courts supports, through excellence and innovation, the constitutional and statutory mission of the federal judiciary to provide equal justice under the law as an independent and equal branch of government.

The AO, an agency of the judicial branch of the federal government, is committed to serving and supporting the federal court system of the United States. The AO provides a broad range of legislative, legal, financial, technology, management, administrative and program support services to the Federal courts.

AO positions are classified and paid under a broad-banded system with the exception of positions in the AO Executive Service. Salary is commensurate with experience. Most AO employees are eligible for full federal and judiciary benefits.

The AO is committed to attracting the best and brightest applicants in our support of the third branch of government. We take pride in serving the judicial branch and supporting its mission to provide equal justice under law.

Agency contact information

Heather Tyndall-Best
Phone
(202) 502-3800
Email
heather_best@ao.uscourts.gov
Address
Department of Program Services
One Columbus Circle, NE
Washington, DC 20544
US