Correctional Officer – Direct Hire

JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS (DOJ); Aliceville (AL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bureau of Prisons seeks dedicated Corrections Officers to supervise inmates, maintain facility security, and support inmate rehabilitation. You will enforce rules, manage inmate accountability, and respond to emergencies while upholding public safety and institutional integrity.

This position requires meeting education and experience standards (bachelor's degree; GL-05 to GL-08), passing background checks, medical and training requirements, and readiness to work long hours, shifts, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• U.S. citizenship is required and Selective Service compliance may apply.
• Salary ranges and locality adjustments vary by location and grade.

Responsibilities

• Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates and guidance to lower-graded Correctional Officers.
• Enforces rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and conduct.
• Maintains institution security and participates in emergencies, post orders and staff communications.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

Open & closing dates: 10/01/2025 to 09/30/2026

Salary

$49,739 to – $94,537 per year The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GL-05/01 @ $49,739 to highest GL-08/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA @ $94,537.

Pay Scale & Grade

GL 05 – 08

Locations

• Aliceville, AL
• Maxwell AFB, AL
• Talladega, AL
• Forrest City, AR
• Phoenix, AZ
• Safford, AZ
• Tucson, AZ
• Atwater, CA
• Herlong Sierra Ordnance Depot, CA
• Lompoc, CA
• Long Beach, CA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Mendota, CA
• San Diego, CA
• Victorville, CA
• Florence, CO
• Littleton, CO
• Danbury, CT
• Coleman, FL
• Marianna, FL
• Miami, FL
• Miami-Dade County, FL
• Tallahassee, FL
• Atlanta, GA
• Jesup, GA
• Honolulu, HI
• Chicago, IL
• Greenville, IL
• Marion, IL
• Pekin, IL
• Thomson, IL
• Terre Haute, IN
• Leavenworth, KS
• Ashland, KY
• Inez, KY
• Lexington, KY
• Manchester, KY
• Pine Knot, KY
• Oakdale, LA
• Pollock, LA
• Fort Devens, MA
• Cumberland, MD
• Milan, MI
• Duluth, MN
• Rochester, MN
• Sandstone, MN
• Waseca, MN
• Springfield, MO
• Yazoo City, MS
• Butner Federal Correctional Complex, NC
• Berlin, NH
• Fairton, NJ
• Fort Dix, NJ
• Kings, NY
• Otisville, NY
• Ray Brook, NY
• Elkton, OH
• El Reno, OK
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Sheridan, OR
• Gregg Township, PA
• Kelly Township, PA
• Lewis Run, PA
• Loretto, PA
• Minersville, PA
• Philadelphia, PA
• Waymart, PA
• Guaynabo, PR
• Bennettsville, SC
• Edgefield, SC
• Estill, SC
• Salters, SC
• Yankton, SD
• Memphis, TN
• Bastrop, TX
• Beaumont, TX
• Big Spring, TX
• Bryan, TX
• Federal Medical Center Carswell, TX
• Fort Worth, TX
• Houston, TX
• La Tuna, TX
• Seagoville, TX
• Texarkana, TX
• Three Rivers, TX
• Jonesville, VA
• Prince George, VA
• Seatac, WA
• Grand Marsh, WI
• Alderson, WV
• Beaver, WV
• Bruceton Mills, WV
• Glenville, WV
• Morgantown, WV
• Welch, WV

Remote Job

No

Telework Eligible

No

Travel Required

Occasional travel – Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.

Relocation Expenses Reimbursed

No

Appointment Type

Permanent

Work Schedule

Full-time – Full Promotion Potential GL-08/10 highest $94,537, San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

08

Job Family (Series)

0007 Correctional Officer

Supervisory Status

No

Security Clearance

Other

Drug Test

Yes

Bargaining Unit Status

No

Announcement Number

DHA-2026-0001

Control Number

847129100

This job is open to

The public

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

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

THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE ANNOUNCEMENT OPEN TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SERVES AS A PUBLIC NOTICE FOR DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY. PLEASE REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS IN THE HOW TO APPLY SECTION IN ORDER TO APPLY.

Duties

Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates and guidance to lower-graded Correctional Officers. Incumbent is concerned with maintenance of institution security contributing to the health and welfare of the inmates and the promotion of good public relations.

Enforces rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct to ensure judicial sanctions are carried out and inmates remain in custody. From time to time, may be authorized to carry firearms and to use physical force, including deadly force, to maintain control of inmates.

During institution emergencies or other periods of heavy workload or limited staff, may be required to work long and irregular hours, unusual shifts, Sundays, holidays and unexpected overtime. Information as to operations and procedures is provided by post orders, BOP program statements, local supplements, custodial manual, internal correspondence and staff meetings. Incumbent must be flexible and have a broad knowledge base to use own initiative in the resolution of problem situations.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement: http://www.sss.gov

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP)

• Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
• Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies;
• Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established category rating criteria.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

Education

GL-05 : Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

GL-06 : Nine (9) semester hours or fourteen (14) quarter hours of graduate level education in a major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to this position.

GL-07 : One full academic year of graduate education with major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to the position is qualifying for GL-07.

GL-08 : There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position.

OR

Experience

GL-05: At least 3 years of full-time general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GL-04 grade level. This experience must have demonstrated the aptitude for acquiring the qualifications required for correctional work, and, in addition, demonstrate the possession of personal attributes important to the effectiveness of correctional officers, such as:

• Ability to meet and deal with people of differing backgrounds and behavioral patterns.
• Ability to be persuasive in selling and influencing ideas.
• Ability to lead, supervise, and instruct others.
• Sympathetic attitude towards the welfare of others.
• Ability to reason soundly and to think out practical solutions to problems.
• Ability to make decisions and act quickly, particularly under stress.
• Poise and self-confidence, and ability to remain calm during emergency situations.

General experience may have been gained in work such as:

• Social case work in a welfare agency or counseling in other types of organizations.
• Classroom teaching or instructing.
• Responsible rehabilitation work, e.g., in an alcoholic rehabilitation program.
• Supervising planned recreational activities or active participation in community action programs.
• Management or supervisory work in a business or other organization that included directing the work flow and/or direct supervision of others.
• Sales work, other than taking and filling orders as in over-the-counter sales.

GL-06: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Detention Officer
• Police Officer
• Border Patrol Agent
• State Trooper
• Sheriff
• Park Ranger
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail
• Mental Health Counselor in a Residential Facility

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with instructing inmates with proper housekeeping and sanitation.
• Experience working as a Police Officer responding to domestic disturbances and issuing citations for law violations.
• Experience in investigating crime scenes as a State Trooper.
• Experience as a Mental Health Worker in a Mental Health Lockdown facility.

GL-07: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Jailer
• Detention Officer
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail.
• Military Corrections (Brig, Internment/Resettlement Specialist, etc.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Providing supervision, care and security of inmates in a correctional environment.
• Experience supervising inmates throughout the institution and providing instructions related to institutional procedures and sanitation.
• Experience with enforcing rules and regulations governing correctional institution security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct.
• Experience with conducting various count procedures of inmates.
• Experience working various correctional posts, assignments (such as Control Room, Rear-gate, Housing Units, etc.).

GL-08 : You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience must have been gained in a correctional facility with responsibilities in correctional treatment, care, custody, and control of inmates.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with assignments made to those areas requiring the maximum skill and expertise in dealing with inmates, the public, and the security of the institution.
• Experience in supervising and instructing inmates regarding proper sanitation, personal hygiene and work habits.
• Experience in maintaining the control and discipline of inmates in such areas as the auditorium, housing units, segregation, recreation areas, dining rooms, etc.
• Experience in having responsibility for the custody and control of inmates who require special handling.

Medical Requirement

GL-05, GL-06, GL-07 and GL-08: The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons has established the following medical requirements for Correctional Officer positions: The duties of these positions involve unusual mental and nervous pressure and require arduous physical exertion involving prolonged walking and standing, restraining of prisoners in emergencies, and participating in escape hunts. Applicants must be physically capable of performing efficiently the duties of these positions, and be free from such defects or disease as may constitute employment hazards to themselves or others. The duties of a Correctional Officer are arduous; and sound health as well as physical fitness is required.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

AGE REQUIREMENTS: Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution, applicants can be considered up to age 39. If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age. Refer to the Required Documents Section for the appropriate documentation to submit to validate veteran eligibility.

LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the announcement.

NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. The announcement will EXPIRE on the listed closing date at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement.

SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GL-05/01 @ $49,739 to highest GL-08/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA @ $94,537. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at www.opm.gov and search pay tables.

Special Conditions of Employment Section: Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.

All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office. On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered. The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score must be obtained. Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score. Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the “Introduction to Correctional Techniques,” three‑week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

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. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.

Benefit

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Is authorized at:

• FDC Honolulu, HI – 8.64%
• MDC Guaynabo, PR – 2.49%

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.

Required documents

• Veterans’ Preference Documentation: Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
• DD-214: Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
• SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran