Correctional Officer - Recruitment Incentive - Direct Hire

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

Duties

Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates and guidance to lower-graded Correctional Officers. Incumbent is concerned with maintenance of institution security contributing to the health and welfare of the inmates and the promotion of good public relations.

Enforces rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct to ensure judicial sanctions are carried out and inmates remain in custody. From time to time, may be authorized to carry firearms and to use physical force, including deadly force, to maintain control of inmates.

During institution emergencies or other periods of heavy workload or limited staff, may be required to work long and irregular hours, unusual shifts, Sundays, holidays and unexpected overtime. Information as to operations and procedures is provided by post orders, BOP program statements, local supplements, custodial manual, internal correspondence and staff meetings. Incumbent must be flexible and have a broad knowledge base to use own initiative in the resolution of problem situations.

Salary

• $43,693 - $98,113/year

Conditions of Employment

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:

Be rated well-qualified for the position based on the competencies listed above; and submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies clearly exceeding the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy.

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. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Key Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement

Qualifications

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

Education:

GL-04: Successfully completed education above the high school level in any field may be substituted for general experience at the rate of 30 semester hours for one year of experience.

GL-05: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

GL-06: 9 semester hours or 14 quarter hours of graduate level education in a major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to this position.

GL-07: One full academic year of graduate education with major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to the position is qualifying for GL-07.

GL-08: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position.

OR

Experience:

GL-04: At least 2 years of full-time general experience, one year of which is equivalent to the GL-03 level in the Federal service.

General experience is defined as progressively responsible work that demonstrates the ability to:

• Follow and apply rules, procedures, or regulations.
• Use sound judgment in decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Maintain composure and take appropriate action in emergency or stressful situations.

GL-05: At least 3 years of full-time general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GL-04 grade level. This experience must have demonstrated the aptitude for acquiring the qualifications required for correctional work, and, in addition, demonstrate the possession of personal attributes important to the effectiveness of correctional officers, such as:

• Ability to meet and deal with people of differing backgrounds and behavioral patterns.
• Ability to be persuasive in selling and influencing ideas.
• Ability to lead, supervise, and instruct others.
• Sympathetic attitude towards the welfare of others.
• Ability to reason soundly and to think out practical solutions to problems.
• Ability to make decisions and act quickly, particularly under stress.
• Poise and self-confidence, and ability to remain calm during emergency situations.

For examples of qualifying general experience, please refer to the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section of this announcement.

GL-06: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Detention Officer
• Police Officer
• Border Patrol Agent
• State Trooper
• Sheriff
• Park Ranger
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail
• Mental Health Counselor in a Residential Facility

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with instructing inmates with proper housekeeping and sanitation.
• Experience working as a Police Officer responding to domestic disturbances and issuing citations for law violations.
• Experience in investigating crime scenes as a State Trooper.
• Experience as a Mental Health Worker in a Mental Health Lockdown facility.

GL-07: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Jailer
• Detention Officer
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail.
• Military Corrections (Brig, Internment/Resettlement Specialist, etc.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Providing supervision, care and security of inmates in a correctional environment.
• Experience supervising inmates throughout the institution and providing instructions related to institutional procedures and sanitation.
• Experience with enforcing rules and regulations governing correctional institution security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct.
• Experience with conducting various count procedures of inmates.
• Experience working various correctional posts, assignments (such as Control Room, Rear-gate, Housing Units, etc.).

GL-08: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience must have been gained in a correctional facility with responsibilities in correctional treatment, care, custody, and control of inmates.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with assignments made to those areas requiring the maximum skill and expertise in dealing with inmates, the public, and the security of the institution.
• Experience in supervising and instructing inmates regarding proper sanitation, personal hygiene and work habits.
• Experience in maintaining the control and discipline of inmates in such areas as the auditorium, housing units, segregation, recreation areas, dining rooms, etc.
• Experience in having responsibility for the custody and control of inmates who require special handling.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience:
GL-04 Only: Have a combination of education and experience. This experience must have equipped you with the qualifications to perform the major duties of this position as described above.

AND

Medical Requirement:
The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons has established the following medical requirements for Correctional Officer positions:

The duties of these positions involve unusual mental and nervous pressure and require arduous physical exertion involving prolonged walking and standing, restraining of prisoners in emergencies, and participating in escape hunts. Applicants must be physically capable of performing efficiently the duties of these positions and be free from such defects or disease as may constitute employment hazards to themselves or others. The duties of a Correctional Officer are arduous; and sound health as well as physical fitness is required.

If applicable, 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.**

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 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION PREFERENCES: In this announcement, you will be required to select at least one but not more than three preferred duty locations. These preferences help us understand your interest, but they cannot be guaranteed. Final duty assignments are determined by the Bureau's staffing needs, availability of positions, and funding. You may receive a final offer for a location outside your stated preferences. By applying, you acknowledge that you may be offered employment at a duty station outside of your preferred duty locations within the Bureau of Prisons and its nationwide mission requirements. To explore available BOP institutions and offices, please visit BOP Locations. AGE REQUIREMENTS: Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age of 37 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. Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age. Refer to the Required Documents Section for the appropriate documentation to submit to validate veteran eligibility. LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the announcement. NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. The announcement will EXPIRE on the listed closing date of 09/30/2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement. SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects 2026 Special Rate for Rest of U.S. GL-05/01 $51,632 to highest GL-08/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA, $98,113. See OPM's Special Rates website and search the locality area for which you are applying to for more information. 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. All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm. Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required. 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; and
    2. The character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and
    3. Any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
• Resume (limited to 2 pages) must include your name, contact information, and 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, MOU, etc.). If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format below AND clearly cite the duties performed.
• To receive credit for experience, your resume and/or any satisfactory evidence must include:
  • Start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
  • Number of hours worked per week.
• Veterans who provide documentation (such as a DD-214) of honorable active-duty military service, along with a supporting resume, will be credited as meeting the three-year general experience requirement for GL-05 Correctional Officer positions.
• 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.
• Proof of ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, Click Here, if applicable.

For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?

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.

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

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.

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on09/30/2026.

If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants

Benefits ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION: A 15%-50% Recruitment Incentive will be paid to the Selectee(s) who meets the criteria for recruitment bonuses. For more information, visit BOP Incentives. Retention Incentives may be authorized upon completion of the recruitment service agreement period. Contact the institution of interest for specific information. Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA): There is an 8.64% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for FDC Honolulu, HI, and a 2.49% for MDC Guaynabo, PR. See COLA and Locality Pay Rates in Nonforeign Areas for more information.