This position is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System Law Enforcement Branch. As a Land Management Law Enforcement Officer you will be a fully commissioned uniformed law enforcement officer with delegated authority to enforce laws and regulations related to the Service and the Refuge System lands, resources, employees, and the public.

Duties

Investigates areas where acts of criminal activity, theft, vandalism or offenses of the criminal laws and regulations of the United States that relate to the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) have occurred. Prepares investigation reports by documenting findings and facts, obtaining witness statements and copies of official records, and including pertinent correspondence, maps, historical information, exhibits, and photographs. Carries out activities to deter illegal or potentially harmful activities to the natural resources or visitors to the refuge and designs and provides training in law enforcement skills and practices to prevent and/or detect illegal activities. Develops and maintains liaison with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to share in the resources in order to provide additional protection of people and property on the NWRS. Responsible for the field based training and/or evaluation of newly hired refuge law enforcement officers in a variety of law enforcement, compliance, and resource protection methods and procedures in accordance with the Service FTEP. Instructs and evaluates the trainees in planning, directing, and conducting apprehensions and investigations of violators of the Federal criminal laws on national wildlife refuges related to resources, property, employees, and users. Maintains performance records and evaluates daily work performance through application of Service designated Standard Evaluation Guidelines. Educates the officer trainees in developing working relationships, maintaining liaison, and coordinating law enforcement activities with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies, and other Service law enforcement staff. May be assigned to multi-agency task forces to perform special law enforcement activities, e.g. eradication of marijuana gardens, crowd control, and archeological/cultural, vegetation/timber, arson, and drug investigations.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Time-in-Grade requirements apply to status candidates
• Drug testing position and medical requirements required
• Must qualify and maintain (annual/semiannual) firearms qualification.
• LMWFA Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) eligibles may apply

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 08/28/2023 will be considered. You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill one of the following qualification requirements: Specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level. Examples of specialized experience include: work performed investigating violations of laws and regulations on a wildlife refuge, including laws pertaining to poaching, illegal hunting, or similar wildlife-related activities; preparing investigative case files according to standard operating procedures to ensure they meet legal requirements; reviewing law enforcement regulations, policies or procedures to recommend improvements or clarifications; and delivering presentations or informal talks to the public about the laws, regulations and policies of a wildlife refuge.; OR A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of a LL.M. degree, if related. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position, examples of qualifying fields to include law enforcement/police science, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources; OR A combination of education and experience as listed above. 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. The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures: Current appointees: Note: You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA. ?Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency. ?Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND ?Must have performed at an acceptable level. Former appointees:?Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency, ?Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years;?Must apply for position within 2 years after separation. ?Must have been separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND ?Must have performed at an acceptable level. The salary will be based upon duty station and locality pay once selected. Locality tables may be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2020/general-schedule/. Additional vacancies may be filled during this vacancy announcement. Career Transition Assistance Program Plan (CTAP): This program applies to employees who have been or may be involuntarily separated (e.g. reduction in force, declining to relocate/transfer outside their local commuting area) from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal or Removal Notice; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; or Removal and most recent performance appraisal.). For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ This vacancy will utilize a multiple hurdle assessment process to determine the qualifications of applicants. The first hurdle will consist of applicants completing an occupational questionnaire related to the major duties and competencies of the position. The second hurdle will consist of applicant resumes being reviewed by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel for related position competencies against a pre-determined rating schedule. This process will determine the final rating of the applicant for possible referral to the hiring official for hiring consideration.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s) and grade point average or class ranking. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Division of Human Resources Division of Human Resources 134 Union Blvd Suite 220 Lakewood, CO 80228 US
• Name: Human Resources Staffing Division
• Phone: 833-512-0482
• Email: [email protected]