Why is it Great to Work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons?

Do your Career Justice and consider a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).  In addition to being regarded as a family and career-oriented agency, the BOP offers a broad range of exciting career opportunities in a work environment that promotes integrity, diversity, and professional development.  With over 35,000 highly motivated individuals, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is one of the most unique agencies in the United States Department of Justice where each employee’s day-to-day performance makes a difference.

Will the Federal Bureau of Prisons Pay for me to Move?

Reimbursement IS NOT authorized for travel and transportation for this position.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution.  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.

What are the Major Duties of this Position?

In the Education Department at a federal correctional facility, incumbent provides integrated programs in educational training to inmates, and will be primarily required to teach Literacy, General Educational Development (GED), and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL). Incumbent plans and conducts an individualized instructional program based on assessment data, knowledge of teaching strategies, learning styles, and availability of resources. Selects appropriate individualized teaching techniques, and select, order and use a wide diversity of instructional materials based on student needs and abilities. Designs, develops and implements curricula to meet the diverse learning needs of inmates.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staffs correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

How Do I Qualify for this Position?

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

Basic Requirements:

A. Degree – Included or was supplemented by supervised student teaching and at least one course in each of the following areas: general psychology, human development, history and/or philosophy of education, and teaching methods at the learning level of the position to be filled, i.e., elementary or secondary learning level.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience – Applicants who have completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s degree but who do not meet the specific course requirements shown above meet minimum qualification requirements if they have completed at least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience at the elementary or secondary school level as appropriate to the position to be filled.

Professional teaching experience is defined as full and primary responsibility for the instruction of assigned students under general supervision in a recognized or accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparation and presentation of lessons and the evaluation of students’ progress throughout the learning period, including a determination of the students’ success or failure according to established criteria.

NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you MUST provide transcripts to receive consideration.  The education MUST be from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

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

Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

OR

C. Teacher certification or licensure in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

NOTE: If you are using the above to qualify, you MUST submit proof of certification or license for verification. Your documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Applicants who meet the Basic Requirements as described above qualify for the GL-5 level.

AND

In addition to having the above Basic Requirements, applicants must also meet the following:

Education

GL-07: One year of graduate level education OR Superior Academic Achievement.

NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you MUST provide transcripts to receive consideration.  The education MUST be from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) applicants MUST provide a transcript in order to be considered under S.A.A.

OR

Experience

GL-07: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the specific qualifications to perform successfully the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

GL-07

• Experience teaching and maintaining full and primary responsibility for the instruction of assigned students throughout the academic year.
• Experience in the preparation and presentation of lessons and the evaluation of students’ progress.
• Experience in maintaining student records.
• Experience in following standardized curricula to meet the needs of the students.

OR

Combination of Education & Experience

GL-07: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required to next lower grade may be combined with experience. This experience must have equipped you with the specific qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above.

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.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).  The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.  If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:  1)this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy.  To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria.  You must provide proof of eligibility with your application of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.  Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at:  Click Here

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.  If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:  1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy.  To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria.  You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.  Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at:  Click Here

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ’s Category Rating and Selection Procedures.  Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement.  If you are qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses provided to the online assessment questionnaire.  Your application will then be placed in one of three categories:  Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration.  Candidates within the Best Qualified category who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume.  Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under “How You Will Be Evaluated”, veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest qualified category (i.e. Best Qualified).
To preview questions please click here.

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.  The link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to federal employees:
Click Here

OTHER INFORMATION:

Your application must describe your work and experience, in your own words.  Plagiarism will not be tolerated.  Plagiarism is reproducing someone else’s work and submitting it as your own or allowing another person to alter or revise your work and submit it as their own.

The Department of Justice provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.  If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the hiring/servicing personnel office.  The decision of granting a reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.  Selection will be made without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as race, color, religion, national origin, age, physical disability, marital and/or parental status, membership in an employee organization, sex, or sexual orientation.  The Bureau of Prisons is an equal opportunity employer.

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.

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

This position has been identified as test designated.  Incumbents will be subject to urinalysis testing under the BOP Drug Free Workplace Plan.

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