Physical Scientist (Forensic Technician)

This position is located in one of the Forensic Science Laboratories within the Office of Science and Technology, Forensic Sciences Division Laboratory Services Branch, Forensic Science Laboratory-Washington in Beltsville, MD. Serves as a technical expert who is responsible for processing forensic evidence from criminal investigations primarily relating to firearms investigations, processing evidence for fingerprints, swabbing for DNA, test firing weapons and processing other types of evidence.

Duties

• Functions as a technical authority in the Triage Section, responsible for independently processing evidence for fingerprints, swabbing for DNA, test firing weapons, and processing other types of evidence as deemed necessary.
• Processes forensic evidence, primarily firearms and firearms accessories, for fingerprint and DNA collection.
• Recognizes various types of firearms in order to properly and safely handle them and performs test fires of firearms and properly preserves the fired bullets, cartridge cases and shot shells from test firing.
• Writes laboratory reports regarding all processes performed and reviews the reports of other physical scientists for technical accuracy and proper methodology.

Salary

• $85,447 - $111,087/year

Conditions of Employment

The requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Key Requirements:

1. Must be U.S. Citizen or National
2. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
3. May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
4. You must be a current permanent Department of Justice employee with competitive status or a CTAP/RPL eligible candidate.
5. Pass drug screening and subject to random testing.
6. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
7. You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement.

MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process. This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Specialized experience must include all of:

• Processing forensic evidence from criminal investigations primarily relating to firearms investigations; AND
• Utilizing a variety of different techniques, instruments, and methods to analyze and examine forensic evidence to recover DNA and latent prints; AND
• Capturing comparison quality images of friction ridge detail through the use of photography and digital imaging equipment; AND
• Identifying firearm types to properly and safely handle them, and conducting test firing of firearms to preserve test fired specimens.

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

Education Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations from ATF's Human Resources Operations Division. Please click on the following link to read important information. DOJ Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Reasonable Accommodation: ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760 or send an email to reasonableaccommodations@atf.gov. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis. Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Required Documents

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history. Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training, your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations.

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time,
• Your Pay Plan/Series/Grade for all federal positions, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

Resumes must be limited to two pages in length. Applicants with resumes longer than two pages will not be considered. You can only submit one resume; Only the most recent resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes.

Showing relative permanent and volunteer work experience, education, and training. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations.

SF-50: You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action). Do not submit an award SF-50, these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.

CTAP eligibility documentation:

1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation ; or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, or a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement).
2. A copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" noting current position, grade/band level, promotion potential, and duty location.

College Transcripts: You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.

1. Your transcript must come from a nationally accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
2. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education.
3. Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection, these may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.

It is your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are legible. If applying online poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.

Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/ validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. All required materials must be uploaded using the supporting documentation instructions described in the announcement.

Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in elimination of further consideration for this position.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/22/2026 to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

1. Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
2. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
3. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
4. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

NEED HELP? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.