Security ClearanceSecret
Duties
Duties listed are at the full performance level GS-13.,Develops, analyzes, and evaluates new or revised law enforcement policy statements and guidelines which often affect other National Forest System resource programs or activities.,Serves as a full member of Forest Supervisors' Management/Leadership Team as a technical advisor on the more complex short-range and long-range problems/issues associated with public safety and law enforcement actions.,Identifies budget needs and develop project work plans for a forest or zone public safety and patrol law enforcement program.,Coordinates and participates in efforts of Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in planning and conducting law enforcement operations on National Forest System lands.,Develops and administers cooperative law enforcement agreements with other Federal, state, county, and local government entities.,Serves as the primary liaison between uniformed law enforcement personnel and the Region's special agent cadre for investigative case work occurring on the unit(s).,Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.,May assist with preliminary investigations or conduct full investigations of misdemeanor crimes and offenses of regulatory and Federal criminal laws affecting National Forest System lands.,Conducts investigations and assists special agents with other complex cases, including working in an undercover capacity and developing informants.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. NOTE: To be eligible for Secondary Law Enforcement Coverage, you must 1) move directly from a federal Primary/Rigorous position; 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary/rigorous position, and 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary/rigorous position. Selective Placement Factor: Must have at least three years of service in positions that have been approved for Rigorous or Primary Law Enforcement retirement coverage. Specialized Experience Requirement: GS-11:Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following: 1. Assisting senior officers by gathering data, reviewing draft law enforcement policies, and summarizing impacts on National Forest System operations to support program planning and decision-making. 2. Supporting multi-jurisdictional enforcement efforts by sharing intelligence, coordinating logistics, and participating in joint patrols with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners. 3. Conducting preliminary investigations of public-use incidents and resource violations, secured and documented crime scenes, collected evidence, interviewed witnesses, and prepared investigative reports, assisted agents with complex cases under guidance. 4. Maintaining investigative records, entered data into tracking systems, monitored trends, and ensured accountability of assigned law enforcement equipment; supported budgeting by tracking routine operational costs. 5. Assisting with public-safety planning for recreation events and high-use areas; identified law-enforcement concerns in field operations, recommended preventive measures, and helped prepare materials for cooperative agreements and search-and-rescue coordination. OR a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position such as Law Enforcement Land Management or Natural Resource Protection. OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. GS-12:Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following: 1. Assisting in developing, reviewing, and recommending updates to law-enforcement policies, guidelines, and operational procedures that supported public-safety and land-management objectives while ensuring consistency with agency directives, regulatory requirements, and program goals. 2. Participating in the evaluation of law-enforcement and public-safety techniques, operational methods, and program needs, providing input for project work plans, identifying resource requirements, and assisting with monitoring program costs to maintain operations within approved budget levels. 3. Coordinating with Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to support planning and execution of enforcement and compliance activities on public lands, contributing to multi-jurisdictional operations, special events planning, and interagency communication to ensure effective public-safety outcomes. 4. Supporting the development and administration of cooperative agreements and interagency partnerships, including gathering operational needs, preparing documentation, serving as a point of contact for district-level coordination, and assisting with recommendations for cooperative funding allocations. 5. Maintaining and monitoring law-enforcement program equipment, case-tracking data, and operational records, ensuring accurate documentation, analyzing data for trends or emerging compliance issues, and using the information to recommend adjustments to patrol or enforcement priorities. GS-13:Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following: 1. Assisting in developing and evaluating law enforcement policies, operational procedures, and program guidelines by reviewing field data, identifying gaps or emerging issues, and offering technical recommendations to improve public safety operations and support resource-protection programs across a forest or zone. 2. Independently conducted criminal and regulatory investigations involving violations of Federal laws on public lands, including crime-scene processing, evidence collection, witness and suspect interviews, case documentation, and preparation of investigative reports used in U.S. Magistrate Court or by senior special agents. Assisted in portions of felony investigations under the technical supervision of a senior criminal investigator. 3. Coordinating patrol operations and investigative activities with Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, supporting the planning and execution of multi-jurisdictional operations, special events, and search-and-rescue missions. Contributed to interagency briefings, shared intelligence, and ensured cohesive enforcement efforts across organizational boundaries. 4. Supporting law-enforcement program administration by assisting in identifying budget needs, managing program equipment inventories, reviewing enforcement data, and analyzing case trends to recommend patrol priorities, preventive strategies, and resource allocations. Ensured accurate and timely entry of investigative and enforcement data into required reporting systems. 5. Providing technical advice, training support, and operational guidance to officers and forest staff, helping interpret policies, apply legal authorities, and address public-safety issues arising from recreation management, timber operations, and other resource activities. Contributed to developing corrective or preventive measures to reduce law-enforcement risks in project planning and field operations. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
There are no educational requirements for this position, education can be used to meet the qualifications for the GS-11 position. See the qualifications section for more information. SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Physical Demands: Due to the physical and vigorous requirements of this position, the incumbent must meet the established medical and physical standards/requirements set forth by USDA as it's considered essential to perform the duties of this position, The work requires a person with good physical health and stamina to work under pressure, along with the ability to lift and carry heavy objects and have the physical agility and dexterity. Ability to operate specialized motorized equipment such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats and snowmobiles may be required. Maximum Entry Age: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for the position. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18 USC Section 1001). Firearms Requirement: The incumbent is required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position so they must meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlines in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. The incumbent must qualify semiannually with all weapons issued by the USDA and maintain proficiency.
Other Information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met. 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 not guaranteed. This position is not eligible for telework. 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 on the OPM Website. This is a non-bargaining unit position. Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Grooming/Attire/Appearance Standards: Hair: Neat, clean, well-groomed, No extreme styles/colors Facial Hair; Trimmed; may require clean-shaven unless exempt. Tattoos: Offensive/inappropriate are banned; visible neck/face/hand tattoos must be covered. Jewelry: Limited to watch, wedding ring, conservative earrings; Facial piercings are prohibited. Hygiene: Maintain high standards, no offensive odor. Uniform: Clean, Pressed, in good repair. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.