Do you desire to protect American interests and secure our Nation while building a meaningful and rewarding career?  If so, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling.  DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism, secure borders, enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace and ensure resilience to disasters.  The vitality and magnitude of this mission is achieved by a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations.  Make an impact; join DHS.

Securing Travel, Protecting People – At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life.  In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America’s transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. For additional information about our agency please:
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This Training Instructor position is located in the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program (NEDCTP), Canine Training and Evaluation Branch, Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service (OLE/FAMS), Office of Security Services and Assessments (OSSA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  If selected for this position, you will serve as a Regional Training Instructor/Evaluator and subject matter expert on training issues related to explosives detection canine teams assigned to various field locations, and within multiple modes of transportation.  In this capacity, you will evaluate explosives detection canine teams in their operational performance and training methods.  You will identify problems and initiate corrective measures to resolve performance and training issues in accordance with the training principles of the NEDCTP’s Canine Training and Evaluation Branch, and you will monitor all NEDCTP canine teams to ensure that canines are being properly cared for and maintained.

Typical assignments include:

• Serving as a troubleshooter regarding canine and/or handler performance issues.  Recognizing canine and/or handler behavioral issues and recommending alternative methods to correct deficiencies in both the canine and/or the handler.  Reviewing and assessing performance on 3 levels:  Handler, Canine, and Team.
• Working with explosives training aids, accountable for the security of and the proper handling of all explosives training aids.  Additionally, performing inventory of explosives training aids. Exercising caution and follow all policies and procedures regarding the safe handling of explosives.
• Coordinating with all NEDCTP canine teams to evaluate performance or conduct training exercises as necessary.
• Assessing onsite conditions to create realistic training scenarios, i.e., observing, evaluating, and reviewing the effectiveness of each canine team in the operational environment and developing a variety of scenarios to measure team performance.
• Providing comprehensive written reports detailing the effectiveness and/or deficiencies of each canine team under training/evaluation.  Communicating effectively with management, handler, and canine to perform the mission.  Assisting in conducting annual certification evaluations, re-evaluations and training missions for all NEDCTP canine teams.
• Providing detailed in-briefings and out-briefings to handler teams and other stakeholders as necessary.

To qualify for the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the SV-H Pay Band or GS-12 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.  Such experience includes:

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including:  health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.  Other benefits may include:  flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers.  DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities.  For more information, go to www.dhs.gov/careers and select “benefits.”

OTHER INFORMATION:

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Position requires frequent travel.
• You will be required to work with various hazardous chemicals including explosives.
• Physical Demands: You must be physically able to work outdoors, often under adverse weather conditions.  May have to lift dogs (up to 80 lbs.) or supplies.  Work requires walking, bending, and standing.
• Work Environment:  The work environment involves high risks with regular and recurring exposure to weather extremes and to potentially dangerous situations with aggressive dogs.  For example, works closely with potentially dangerous animals, where safety precautions cannot eliminate the danger.  Incumbent is subject to scratches, bites, unpleasant odors, and loud barking noises.
• Hazardous duty pay may apply to this position under limited circumstances and in accordance with policy provisions.

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code; therefore, employment with TSA does not confer the “Competitive Status” that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies.  The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies.  Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: http://www.opm.gov.

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.  To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

Moving and relocation expenses will not be paid for this recruitment.