Law Enforcement Specialist (Explosive Detection Canine Handler)

at  US DHS Headquarters

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

GS-11: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that included:

• Working with a canine team to aid in conducting security/vulnerability inspections and incident investigations on the physical and technical security of regulated facilities;
• Assisting with building assessments to identify potential security vulnerabilities; and
• Participating in law enforcement duties to protect property and persons.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise, you will be found ineligible. Only the first five pages of your resume will be used to make this determination.
-OR-
Education: Successfully completed Ph.D.; or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, e.g., LL.M., if related at an accredited college or university in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work.
NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial) to support your claim.
-OR-
Combination of Experience and Education: Combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (less than three years), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.
NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts (official or unofficial), and your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise, you will be found ineligible.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

GS-12: Applicant must demonstrate one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:

• Conducting law enforcement investigations to protect and secure lives and property;
• Providing technical guidance related to the utilization of detection canines in preventing the introduction of explosive and other prohibited items in facilities; and
• Inspecting facilities to evaluate the effectiveness of their security measures.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Only the first five pages of your resume will be used to make this determination.

ALL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. QUALIFICATION CLAIMS WILL BE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION.

NOTE: 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.
Additional Conditions of Employment:
Training: Incumbent must successfully complete the Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP), or equivalent, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the Agency Individual Training Program (AITP), and the Physical Security Training Program (PSTP). Additionally the incumbent must successfully complete the Field Training and Evaluation Program and other in-service training requirements and weapons qualifications for the enforcement of arrest authority as conferred under 1315 authority.
In addition to other law enforcement and physical security training requirements, the incumbent must successfully complete the basic EDCH training course at the designated FPS Canine Academy and any other training or remedial EDC training course established by FPS. The incumbent must satisfactorily complete training and receive formal certification as an EDCT to remain in the position, as well as to be promoted. Maintaining certification as an EDCT is mandatory.
Travel: The incumbent of this position will be required to travel frequently.
Tour of Duty: Must be available for overtime and shift work.
Law Enforcement: The position shall possess law enforcement authority under Title 40 of the United States Code, Section 1315, exercising such authority relating to criminal offenses to provide investigative and law enforcement services to tenant agencies, Federal employees and members of the general public located in/or conducting business in government-owned or leased properties.
Pre-employment Medical Requirements: Prior to appointment, the individual selected for this position must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, such as protecting citizens, making arrest, and responding to situations requiring physical agility and quick and legally sufficient decision making. The incumbent must successfully pass a pre-employment medical examination which includes, but is not limited to vision, hearing, cardiovascular and mobility of extremities. In addition, the incumbent must be medically eligible and otherwise capable of safely wearing and using a negative air-purifying respirator (gas mask) or other respiratory protective equipment. This position may be subject to periodic incumbent examinations in the future.
Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for this position.
Firearms Requirements: The incumbent will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position. Maintaining firearms proficiency is mandatory.
Mobility Agreement: This position may require the incumbent to be reassigned to different geographic locations. Accordingly, the incumbent will be required to sign a mobility agreement, which will remain in effect through the duration of the assignment.
Motor Vehicle Operation: The incumbent must possess a valid automobile driver’s license.

EDUCATION

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11652229 and submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/01/2022.
PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.
To begin the process, click the Apply button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit Application button at the end of the process.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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DUTIES

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service (FPS) Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, Illinois, El Paso, Texas, Eugene, Oregon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New York, New York, and Washington, District of Columbia .The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Law Enforcement Specialist, Explosive Detection Canine Handler (EDCH). The mission of FPS within DHS is to lead the national effort to protect and enhance the resilience of the nations physical and cyber infrastructure.

Duties performed:

• Directing an Explosive Detection Canine (EDC) to perform explosive detection searches of buildings and office areas, vehicles, packages, materials and persons.
• Maintaining home kenneling and ensuring that all home kennel facilities meet safety, security, sanitation and health standards.
• Performing uniformed law enforcement work in the protection of life, property and rights of individual citizens.
• Preserving peace, preventing crimes, arresting offenders and providing police assistance during emergency and/or life threatening situations.
• Implementing the Federal Protective Service process for managing risk to Federal facilities through the conduct of activities designed to ensure that facilities receive regular Facility Security Assessments (FSA).

GS-12: Applicant must demonstrate one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:

• Conducting law enforcement investigations to protect and secure lives and property;
• Providing technical guidance related to the utilization of detection canines in preventing the introduction of explosive and other prohibited items in facilities; and
• Inspecting facilities to evaluate the effectiveness of their security measures