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Drug Enforcement Administration

Evidence Custodian

Drug Enforcement Administration See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $58,827 - $84,689/year
  • Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2026 Criminal Law

Job Description

This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Los Angeles Field Division. This position(s) primary purpose is to receive, document, store, and dispose of non-drug evidence, drug evidence, bulk drug evidence, and/or stockpiles for a Field Office.

Duties As an Evidence Custodian, your typical work assignments may include: Receiving seized evidence from Special Agents, Task Force Officers, and Diversion Investigators during normal duty hours, ensuring it is accompanied by the appropriate forms and records items in the appropriate logs and electronic systems. Maintaining strict chain-of-custody records, ensuring all evidence movements are accurately tracked using agency approved evidence management systems and manual documentation as required. Utilizing different types of software to include spreadsheets, databases, word processing, desktop publishing, and other system software to generate specific working documents and forms. Participating in and preparing for required audits and inspections by coordinating with senior official to identify/solicit volunteers to conduct the audit or inspection, retrieving electronic reports, ensuring vault is organized, and providing assistance in locating and reconciling evidence discrepancies Coordinating or confering with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Assistant United States Attorney's office, or vendors on matters related to evidence when needed. Salary
  • $58,827 - $84,689/year
Qualifications For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. Applicants applying for the GS-0303-7 must meet the following requirements: A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-6 grade level. Specialized 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. Qualifying experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Receiving, documenting, storing and disposing of non-drug evidence, drug evidence, and/or bulk drug evidence; 2) Use the Agents Manual, MOU, Notification of Change, Teletype and other documents to control, process and handle evidence; 3) Use judgment in locating and selecting the most appropriate guidelines, references, and procedures for application and in making minor deviations to adapt the guidelines to specific cases. Applicants applying for the GS-0303-8 must meet the following requirements: A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-7 grade level. Specialized 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. Qualifying experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Receiving, documenting, storing and disposing of non-drug evidence, drug evidence, and/or bulk drug evidence; 2) Ensuring evidence integrity and chain of custody compliance of evidence from receipt in the supported office to disposition; 3) Interpreting and adapting existing guidelines, regulations, and other documents issued by headquarters to a variety of evidence control situations, developing information, identifying interrelationships, and taking action consistent with evidence control goals; 4) Identifying appropriate disposal or destruction facility, ensuring compliance with all environmental requirements, prepares/arranges security support. Organizing and overseeing loading, transport, unloading, and witnesses or obtains documentation of witnessing of destruction of evidence at the selected facility. Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. Required Documents All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. Resume - must be no more than two pages in length; resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Resume should include applicants' name, email address, phone number, relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year), work schedule (e.g. part or full-time), the number of hours per week worked/volunteered, job title and description of duties performed. Education/Certification/Licensure when relevant or required for position. See Guidance for Applicants on 2-Page Resume and visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information. Transcripts, if applicable and you are qualifying based on education. See the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles, if applicable: View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Highly-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed below to receive consideration for selection priority. (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable: The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent or higher will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher). To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. To claim 10-point preference, submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) AND all required documentation outlined on the form to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference. To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim. To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge. For all preference claims: DD-214 must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals. If you are currently on active duty and applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement. For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center. 5. Other Qualification Documentation (e.g. certificates, certifications, etc.), if applicable. See the Qualification section of this announcement for more information. How to Apply Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.


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