DOJ Pathways Recent Graduate Program - Bureau of Prisons (Psychology Postdoctoral Trainee)

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

Duties

As a member of an interdisciplinary team with at least two hours per week of supervision by a licensed, doctoral level psychologist, provides professional psychological services within his/her specialty area.

Specific services might include, but are not limited to: diagnostics or assessments, therapy or treatment, research or program evaluation, and in-service training.

Aids staff in formulating programs for inmates and/or staff.

Conducts and/or aids in staff training and consults with staff at all levels regarding treatment, training, and research within his/her specialty area.

Keeps abreast of new trends and techniques, develops and improves professional skills, and maintains contact with the academic and professional community.

Assists in administrative functions of the department as they relate to his/her specialty area.

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

Salary

• $73,939 - $96,116/year

Conditions of Employment

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

RECENT GRADUATES PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs.  To learn more, visit: Students & Recent Graduates (opm.gov)

Qualifications

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

Basic Requirements:

Satisfactory completion of all the requirements for the doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical psychology is required.

NOTE: Applicants may have received this degree in either clinical or counseling psychology.

INTERNS: Applicants currently enrolled in a Clinical Psychology Internship, may apply to this vacancy announcement within 9 months of completion. These applicants must provide a letter, signed by the Internship Program Coordinator, as proof of anticipated completion of the program within the next 9 months.

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS: Applicants currently enrolled in a PH.D. or equivalent program must be within 9 months of completing the required program. Applicants MUST submit a copy of their unofficial transcript documenting current enrollment in a Ph.D. program, AND upload an official letter from the Registrar office or Dean validating current enrollment and your program projected completion date.

Failure to submit any of these required documents may result in loss of consideration for this position. Additionally, if selected, applicants must also provide an official transcript documenting completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent degree to the institution's Human Resource Office prior to entry on duty.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

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. Other Information 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. MOBILITY STATEMENT: A mobility statement is required for this position. You must agree to relocate anywhere at the convenience of the Bureau of Prisons upon completion of your training. SALARY RANGE: Salaries listed are for the Rest of the U.S. (RUS) salary area. See current pay tables for the locality area for which you are applying at Salaries & Wages (opm.gov) Duty Locations: FCC Butner (Butner, NC) FMC Rochester (Rochester, MN) USMCFP Springfield (Springfield, MO) FCC Terre Haute (Terre Haute, IN) FCC Allenwood (Allenwood, PA) FCI Danbury (Danbury, CT) FMC Devens (Devens, MA) FMC Fort Worth (Fort Worth, TX FCI Seagoville, (Seagoville, TX) FCC Coleman (Coleman, FL) FCC Tucson (Tucson, AZ) Special Conditions of Employment Section: The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency. 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. 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 of 68 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. Conversion to the Competitive Service: Participants may be converted to a permanent position (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the program. To be eligible for conversion, Recent Graduates must have: (1) Successfully completed at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program, (2) Demonstrated successful job performance, (3) met the qualifications for the position that the Recent Graduate will be converted. Conditions of Employment: Upon conversion into a permanent position, the participant must attend and successfully complete the Introduction to Correctional Techniques, a 3-week training course in Glynco, GA. Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate. Required Documents

Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration.  If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc.  Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.

•  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, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit:
    • A completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" AND all required documentation identified on the SF-15. 
    • NOTE: A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain the Veteran’s Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation. For a copy of the most current SF-15, Click Here.
  • If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information: (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) and the character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and (3) any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
• Resume: Resume (includes name and contact information) limited to 2 pages showing relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.)
• To receive credit for experience contained in an application, the experience must be documented:
  • Reflecting start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
  • Include the number of hours worked per week.
• College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
  • NOTE:  If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.
• SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.

For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my resume?

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

How to Apply

You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.

Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.

We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. USAJOBS Help Center - How to add a resume to your profile

Claiming Veterans Preference? If yes, you MUST claim preference on-line during the application process and upload documentation to support preference claimed. Failure to claim Veterans Preference or provide supporting documentation may result in you not receiving appropriate consideration during the assessment process.

Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.

Supporting documentation for announcements with an application limitation MUST be uploaded the same day you apply, as these positions may close earlier than stated in the announcement.

Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.

If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants. 

Contact for Assistance in Applying On-Line:
DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
E-Mail: BOP-HRM-HRSC-ConsolidatedStaffingUnit-S@bop.gov
Phone: 972-352-4200

Benefits Health and life insurance coverage for Federal employees depends on the type of appointment. Students hired under the Recent Graduates Program may be entitled to these benefits. If eligible, employees serving on temporary appointments will receive the same government contribution as full-time permanent employees. Temporary employees are not eligible for coverage under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program. Participants hired under the Recent Graduates Program are generally ineligible for retirement coverage. Applicants hired under the Recent Graduates Program on appointments for 90 days or more are eligible to earn annual and sick leave. As provided in 5 U.S.C. 6303(b), employees whose appointments are limited to less than 90 days may be eligible for annual leave if they have previously served for a continuous period of 90 days under successive appointments.