Law Enforcement Officer

Summary

The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. The incumbent serves as a basic Law Enforcement Officer trainee and performs tasks related to law enforcement and investigate activities within the Forest Service programs. For additional information about the duties, please contact SM.FS.usfslei@usda.gov.

Duties

Duties listed are at the GL-07 performance level. Patrol public lands, to include recreation areas, timber sale actives, and other resource use activities, to enforce and prevent violations. Detect and enforce criminal law offenses including, but not limited to: timber theft, wildland arson, livestock trespass, archeological resource protection, and drug control laws that affect law enforcement operations. Assists in conducting preliminary investigations of illegal or suspicious activities, including interviewing and interrogating witnesses and suspects to obtain information. Prepares investigative reports, coordinates findings with law enforcement supervisors, and testifies in hearings and trials. Provide support in identifying, arresting, and transporting suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.

Requirements

Must be at least 21 years of age. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National at the time of conversion to a competitive service appointment. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.gov. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license. This is a drug testing designated position. You will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Appointment is based on a negative result. This announcement constitutes 30 days advance notice. This position requires initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. Obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business-related travel. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial 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 trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable) and are required to work nights, weekends, and holidays. Physical Requirement- Position is subject to successful completion of multiple pre-employment physical efficiency battery assessments. Medical requirement- Position is subject to successful completion of pre-employment medical examination. Conditional Offer Suitability Assessment- This authorization for release of information is part of the E.O. 14074. There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here; however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.

Qualifications and evaluation

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below: Attention to Detail Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Self Management Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. If you meet the eligibility requirements of the Recent Graduate program and the minimum qualification requirements of the position, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Qualified individuals with veteran's preference are listed ahead of individuals who do not have veteran's preference. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13052656

Education

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at http://www.ed.gov A certificate program is defined as a post-secondary education, in a qualifying education institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum. While recently graduating from a certificate program may afford you Recent Graduate Program eligibility, it may not be sufficient in terms of qualification standards for the series and/or the grade level. Qualifying career or technical education program is defined as a federally administered educational programs that provide rigorous academic content, technical skill proficiency, and a recognized postsecondary credential to prepare the individual for further education and/or a career in a current or emerging profession; registered Apprenticeship Programs; and federally administered local, state, national, or international volunteer service programs. For additional information, visit Pathways Programs FAQs A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways. You may be non-competitively converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service after the successful completion of one year of continuous service. To be eligible for conversion, you must meet the following: Complete all requirements of the program. Receive a favorable recommendation by supervisor. Meet the qualification standards for the position to which you may be converted. Meet any agency specific requirements as outlined in the Participant Agreement. Perform the job successfully. This position requires 40 hours of formal, interactive training per year. An Individual Development Plan must be completed and approved by your supervisor within 45 days of appointment. A mentor must be assigned within 90 days of appointment. This vacancy is being announced concurrently with vacancy announcement 26-NPT-13052657-FS-HC under merit promotion procedures. Current and former Federal employees may apply to both announcements but should be sure to apply to the Merit Promotion Announcement to avoid losing consideration since different referral criteria apply to each type of announcement.

How to apply

Please view Tips for Applicants - a guide to the Forest Service application process. Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Mountain Time Zone, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement to be entered into the system prior to its closing. Resumes must not exceed two pages. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this. To begin, click "Apply" and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.

Required documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration. Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. If claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted. If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FedsHireVets.

Additional information

This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE. Position(s) will be located at Forest Office within local commuting area of Yreka, California or Challis, Idaho. Final determination of the duty station will be made by the selecting official at the time of the job offer. Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages web page. This is a primary law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Applicants must be 37 years of age or under prior to their appointment date for entry into this position. Applicants who are age 37 or over may subtract any of their prior federal service that is in approved primary/rigorous positions and that is creditable for retirement from their current age to meet this age requirement. Applicants must provide proof of this creditable service prior to appointment. Applicants who are entitled to veteran's preference or who are applying under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act are eligible to request a waiver to the maximum age requirement. In instances where the maximum entry-age is waived, the corresponding mandatory retirement age for these individuals will also be higher because it will be reached after 20 years of coverage under special retirement provisions for the entitlement to an immediate enhanced annuity. Grooming/Attire/Appearance Standards Federal grooming standards typically require employees in law enforcement, uniformed services, and public-facing roles to maintain a neat, clean and professional appearance. Hair: Neat, clean, well-groomed; no extreme styles/colors. Facial Hair: Trimmed; many require clean-shaven unless exempt. Tattoos: Offensive/inappropriate banned; visible neck/face/hand tattoos must be covered. Jewelry: Limited to watch, wedding ring, conservative earrings; facial piercings usually prohibited. Hygiene: Maintain high standards; no offensive odor. Uniform: Clean, pressed, in good repair. PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Recent Graduates are on a trial period for the duration of the program. RECRUITMENT/RELOCATION INCENTIVE: The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/recruitment-relocation-retention-incentives/#url=Fact-Sheets