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Field Staff Law Enforcement Officer

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.


This position is located in El Centro, Palm Springs and Barstow. Information about each location and the surrounding area can be found at El Centro, Palm Springs, Barstow.

We expect to fill 3 vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.


Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/06/2025 to 08/20/2025
Salary
$86,199 to - $112,053 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Locations
Barstow, CA
1 vacancy
El Centro, CA
2 vacancies
Palm Springs, CA
1 vacancy
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
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CAMP-25-12777897-CM
Control number
842660500

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Duties

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  • Patrols public lands and popular recreation sites to promote safety, security, and environmental protection of public lands, public land users, and employees.
  • Issues warnings and citations or makes arrests, and files complaints with the court.
  • Investigate wildland arson, mineral resource theft, and hazardous materials dumping or other pollutants.
  • Maintains liaison with officials of cooperating Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
  • Work closely with State counterparts to protect public safety for large-scale recreational events.
  • Works with other law enforcement agencies to provide security at recreation sites.
  • Locating and eradicating drug-manufacturing laboratories and marijuana fields on public lands.
  • Ensure the humane treatment of wild horses and burros.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. Only the first two pages of the resume will be used to determine eligibility/qualifications.
  • The duties of this position may require you to perform irregular or occasional overtime per week. The position may qualify for Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO)
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work.
  • This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status. The incumbent is required to wear the uniform in accordance with applicable policies and be required to sign a condition of uniform wear statement.
  • If selected for this position, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 within 30 days of reporting to duty. You will be required to provide this information annually.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
  • This is a Bargaining Unit position. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2052, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit.
  • This is a Drug Testing Designated Position. You will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use and pass prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:

  • This position is a Primary law enforcement position. In accordance with Public Law 107-27, applicants must meet age and/or service requirements. The maximum entry age is the date immediately preceding your 37th birthday. Must provide copy of drivers license front and back.
  • Successfully completed the Land Management Police Training (LMPT), Natural Resource Police Training (NRPT), or National Park Ranger Integrated (NPRI) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. MUST provide certificate of completion.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. Only the first two pages of the resume will be used to determine eligibility/qualifications.

To qualify for the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Examples include experience that demonstrates knowledge of law enforcement duties, (identifying violations/crimes; investigating and apprehending suspects; enforcing laws and regulations that relate to public land and resources; preparing investigation reports; participating in search and rescue operations, etc.) in an environment responsible for the management of public lands and its natural resources, which includes participating in incidental natural resource management activities.
OR
Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR a Master of Laws (LL.M.) advanced postgraduate academic degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work, e.g. law enforcement, police administration, criminology or criminal justice.
OR
Combining Education and Experience: equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate education.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

This is a primary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements. 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 loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.

Firearm Requirement: This position authorizes you to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition [Title 18, U.5.C., Section 922(g)(9)]. A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is generally defined under the statute as any offense involving the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim's current or former domestic partner, parent, or guardian. The term "convicted", as defined in the statute, excludes any person whose conviction has been expunged, set aside, or pardoned or any person whose civil rights have been restored unless the pardon, expungement or restoration of civil rights expressly prohibits the possession of firearms or ammunition. Applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the meaning of the referenced statute are not qualified for this position. Applicants under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense.

Must successfully complete 40 hours of in-service training annually.

Must maintain a delegation of law enforcement authority.

All Law Enforcement Rangers who are new to the BLM are required to complete the introduction to Resource Protection Training Program within their first two years of assignment.

All Law Enforcement Rangers will complete the Natural Resource Police Training (NRPT) at the FLETC or an approved equivalent law enforcement training school before they are delegated law enforcement authority. This training must be completed within the first 12 months of appointment.

Successful completion of the BLM's Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP) must occur within one year of receiving delegation of law enforcement authority. Failure to complete the FTEP will result in the loss of law enforcement delegation and/or termination of employment.

Physical Demands: The incumbent must be able to safely utilize firearms, non-lethal weapons, and defensive tactics in the conduct of daily activities. The work requires considerable strenuous physical exertion, e.g., long periods of standing, crawling, walking and running over rough, uneven, rocky surfaces and through wooded or brush areas, performing these activities day or night, when the incumbent may be required to respond immediately from a sedentary activity to an extremely arduous activity.

Work Environment: Work is performed both in an office setting and outdoors with exposure to hazardous and environmentally adverse conditions. Fieldwork is normally performed alone in isolated areas and for extended periods of time. Many investigations occur in isolated areas of the public lands. The remote areas are in high mountains as well as desert areas, canyons, and other types of rough terrain. This type of work involves potentially high risks with personal exposure to dangerous situations, including possible physical attack or other uncontrollable conditions.

Education

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Please see qualifications for education requirements.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number CADE-25-12774282-CM, which is open to all qualified persons. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

This position is considered at full performance level of GS-11.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Criminal Investigation
  • Oral Communication
  • Partnering
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Writing

In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Resume Panel Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

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