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Lead Correctional Officer

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Justice Services (OJS), Mescalero Detention Center, in Mescalero NM.

This position is being advertised concurrently with Announcement Number ST-25-12730546-CAWV-SM which is open to status candidates and other eligibles and applies Merit Promotion procedures. Status applicants who wish to be considered under both Merit Promotion and Competitive Examining procedures must apply directly to each announcement.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/08/2025 to 05/30/2025
Salary
$59,018 to - $75,622 per year
Pay scale & grade
GL 8
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Mescalero, NM
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
DE-25-12676685-CAWV-SM
Control number
836643100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• United States Citizens • Indian Preference Eligibles (must submit a BIA Form 4432)

Duties

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  • Incumbent is responsible for leading a team of Corrections Officers ensuring daily operations of a correctional facility. Serve as the Lead Correctional Officer. Your duties will include, but are not limited to:
  • Performs the full range of duties and responsibilities for detention/correctional, protection, control and accountability of inmates.
  • Responsible maintaining the security of the facility as well as the custody and humane treatment of inmates,
  • Coordinate and supervise inmate services, activities, and programs,
  • Supervise inmate movement, maintain discipline, and prevent the introduction of contraband into the facility.
  • Initiate and participate in searching the inmate, inmate housing units/cells or inmate work areas to prevent the introduction of contraband.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472). Form BIA -4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference.
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit
  • You may be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • Incumbent is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 4 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.
  • Medical requirement.
  • Drug Testing. This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • This position has been approved for Primary Law Enforcement Coverage,
  • Subject to rotating shifts.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards).

GL-08:To qualify at the GL-8 level, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade or equivalent providing guidance to lower level correctional officers in the operation of a correctional and/or detention facility; enforcing rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct; and exercising sound judgement in making instantaneous decisions affecting life; well-being, civil liberties and property. Experience may have been gained in work such as serving as a lead as a police officer, mental health counselor in a residential facility; or detention officer.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The duties of a correctional officer, on any shift involves unusual mental and nervous pressure. It requires arduous physical exertion including prolonged walking, standing, and sitting while transporting, lifting of moderately heavy to light objects, restraining of offenders in emergencies and participating in escape and walk-away hunts. Incumbent must be physically capable of performing efficiently the duties of the position and be free from such defects or disease as may constitute employment hazards to themselves or others.

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE LIMIT: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: The duties of this position require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints is required. Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required to perform duties satisfactorily. Near vision, corrective lenses permitted, must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters. Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to himself/herself, or others is disqualifying.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Upon selection, employees holding primary law enforcement positions must reside within 50 miles of their duty station unless a waiver is approved by the OJS Director or Assistant Director. A failure to comply may result in removal from a primary law enforcement position.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472).

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2025 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Mescalero, New Mexico. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GL 08 .

The closing date has been extended.


TELEWORK: Indian Affairs has determined that the duties of the position is not suitable for telework.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated 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 or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp .

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position described above. Qualified candidates will then be further evaluated to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education in relation to the competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position as demonstrated by your responses to the assessment questions.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If your responses to the assessment questions cannot be supported by your resume, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your experience. Qualified applicants will be evaluated, rated and referred to the selecting official under category rating procedures, and placed in one of the following categories:

BEST QUALIFIED: Applicants possess all of the job related competencies identified above.

WELL QUALIFIED: Applicants possess a majority of the job related competencies.

QUALIFIED: Applicants meet the basic eligibility and minimum qualification requirements but do not meet the definition of Best Qualified or Well Qualified.


DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.

Qualified Indian preference candidates will be referred to the hiring manager in order of veterans' preference.

You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12676685. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.

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