Victim Specialist Job

Vacancy No. DESTIMP-13027682-26-VL Department Federal Bureau of Investigation
Salary $93,358.00 to $145,468.00 Grade 11 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/4/2026 Close Date 8/18/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Concord, CAFORTUNA, CAMonterey, CAOakland, CA
Palo Alto, CASan Francisco, CASan Jose, CA


Victim Specialist

Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Summary

Victim Specialists provide information on victimization, crime prevention, legal rights and protections, the criminal justice process, and rereferrals for services. The services provided can include crisis intervention directed toward deescalating a situation, establishing physical and emotional safety, providing concrete/basic needs assessments, identifying emergency needs, and empowering the victim's ability to make choices regarding possible courses of action.

This job is open to

The public

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

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

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.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens.

Duties

  • Provides direct assistance services to persons who have suffered direct physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of a violent crime.
  • Contacts victims, conducts needs assessments and develops an action plan for immediate and on-going services as indicated by the needs assessment.
  • Provides crisis intervention services, which are directed toward de-escalating a situation, establishes physical and emotional safety, and provides concrete/basic needs services, emergency needs and reinforcing the victim's ability to make choices regarding possible courses of action.
  • Ensures FBI Adherence to the Attorney General Guidelines and establishment and adoption of best practices for victim assistance.
  • Maintains involvement either through outreach or membership on multidisciplinary teams, with local agencies that provide services to federal crime victims.
  • Develops and implements trainings and presentations related to victim concerns and coordination with other federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement agencies, health, social services, schools, and advocacy organizations.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Must be able to obtain an SCI clearance.
  • Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid driver's license.
  • Selectee will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 annually.
  • Selectee will be required to complete form FD-887, Request for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
  • Travel will be required for victim assistance, special deployment, and/or conferences/training.
WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is partially office-based, but also requires being present at the scene of crimes, and/or at agencies providing assistance to victims, long hours, and long-term, repeated exposure to the injury and psychological trauma of victims of crime. May be required to be on call 24/7, responding afterhours and on weekends.

Qualifications

GS 11: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. SE is:

  • Collaborated within a law enforcement, prosecutorial, or victim services agency to provide crisis intervention resources to victims who have suffered direct physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of a violent crime.
GS 12: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. SE is:
  • Collaborated within a law enforcement, prosecutorial, or victim services agency to provide crisis intervention resources to victims who have suffered direct physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of a violent crime.
  • Maintained relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and victim assistance organizations to ensure adequate emergency resources and partner engagement.
  • Assisted with the development and implementation of educational or training activities to speak with groups about issues related to victims of crime.

Education

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

Degree must be in behavioral or social science, or a discipline related to the victim assistance field.

GS 11: Education may be substituted for Specialized Experience if Applicant has a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

GS 12: Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at these grade levels.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

Additional information

To attract and retain highly qualified candidates, selectees may be eligible for a recruitment incentive of up to 20% or, for eligible current federal employees, a relocation incentive of up to 20% may be granted for candidates, based on candidate eligibility, a Continuing Service agreement, and Appropriation of Funds. Eligibility for a relocation incentive requires proof of a change in residence and an assignment at a worksite in a different geographic area greater than or equal to 50 miles from the prior worksite. Employees must sign a written service agreement completing a specified period of employment with the FBI at the new duty station. Recruitment and relocation incentives cannot be combined.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are found minimally qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
The competencies will be used in a Structured Resume Review to objectively evaluate applicant resumes. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.

Competencies:

  • Collaboration
  • Interpersonal Ability
  • Leadership
  • Organizing and Planning
  • Communication
  • Behavior and Social Sciences
  • Flexibility/Adaptability
Basic Requirement

Bachelor's degree (or higher) in behavioral or social science, or a discipline related to the victim assistance field, including but not limited to: Criminal Justice, Social Work, Counseling, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Victimology, Gender and Women Studies.
OR
Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
or
Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Selective Placement Factor: The Victim Services Division requires applicants to possess a minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience in which the applicant is providing direct services to victims of violent crimes, severe trauma, acts of terrorism, and fraud.

In addition to the selective placement factor, please make sure your specialized experience/requirement(s) can be identified in your resume.

Required Documents

  1. Utilizing the Resume Builder, outline your relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Uploaded resumes will not be reviewed or used for qualification purposes.
  2. Other supporting documents (if applicable):
  • College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement.
  • Former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG). Actions such as promotion, within grade increase, or reassignment actions must be submitted as your most recent SF 50.
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal; not applicable to current FBI employees. Veterans: DD 214; Disabled Veterans: DD 214, SF-15, and VA letter dated 1991 or later.
  • Memorandum for Record (MFR): Work performed outside assigned duties (that would not normally be documented on an SF-50, i. e., back-up duties), has to be documented in detail by an immediate supervisor in order to receive full credit for amount of time worked in that position. If no documentation is furnished no credit will be given for time worked in that position. The following notations must be specified in the documentation:
    • Percent of time worked in the particular position (cannot conflict with main duties.
    • The month/year work began
      Frequency worked (i.e., daily, monthly, etc.)
    • Specific duties performed

How to Apply

To apply for the Victim Specialist position, please click here.

Agency contact information

Amy Dunham
Phone
(304) 625-3886
Email
amdunham@fbi.gov
Address
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20535
US

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.

Additional locations

Palo Alto, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Jose, CA

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI's mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. We employ 38,000 people at locations around the globe. In addition to our Headquarters in Washington, D.C., we have 56 Field Offices in major U.S. cities, plus more than 350 satellite offices, called resident agencies, in cities and towns across the nation. In addition, we have more than 60 international offices, called legal attaches (legats), in U.S. embassies worldwide.

Agency contact information

Amy Dunham
Phone
(304) 625-3886
Email
amdunham@fbi.gov
Address
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20535
US