Correctional Officer (Senior Officer Specialist)

Justia; Alabama; On-site; USD 52,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Government, Bureau of Prisons, is seeking Corrections Officers to promote humane, secure environments and public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into communities. The role spans GL-05 to GL-08 levels with education and experience-based progression and locality pay considerations.

Qualifications include a 4-year bachelor’s degree and progressively responsible experience; graduate study in criminal justice or related fields strengthens eligibility.

Qualifications

• GL-05: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• GL-06: 9 semester hours or 14 quarter hours of graduate level education in criminal justice or related field.
• GL-07: One full academic year of graduate education in related field.
• GL-08: No substitution of education for specialized experience.

Responsibilities

• Follow and apply rules, procedures, or regulations.
• Use sound judgment in decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Maintain composure and take appropriate action in emergencies or stressful situations.
• Ability to meet and deal with people of differing backgrounds.
• Ability to persuade and influence ideas.
• Lead, supervise, and instruct others.
• Demonstrate sympathetic attitude toward welfare of others.
• Reason soundly and think of practical solutions to problems.
• Make decisions quickly, especially under stress.
• Remain calm during emergencies.

Skills

Follow procedures

Judgment

Communication

Diversity awareness

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate study in justice or related field

Graduate year of study

No educational substitution

Job description

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

SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GL-05/01 $51,632 to highest GL-08/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA $98,113. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at www.opm.gov and search pay tables.

ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION: A 15%-50% Recruitment Incentive will be paid to the Selectee(s) who meets the criteria for recruitment bonuses. For more information, visit BOP Incentives. Retention Incentives may be authorized upon completion of the recruitment service agreement period.

Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA):There is an 8.64% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for FDC Honolulu, HI, and a 2.49% for MDC Guaynabo, PR. See COLA and Locality Pay Rates in Nonforeign Areas for more information.

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: 9 semester hours or 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.

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.

General experience is defined as progressively responsible work that demonstrates the ability to:

• Follow and apply rules, procedures, or regulations.
• Use sound judgment in decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Maintain composure and take appropriate action in emergency or stressful situations.
• 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.
• 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 workflow 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:

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.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2027.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.

See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.