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Physician Assistant (Regional Mid-Level Practitioner)

Department of Justice
Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/20/2025 to 12/12/2025
Salary
$88,621 to - $115,213 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CO-2026-0031
Control number
850644300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• Current Federal Employees nationwide • Former Federal Employees (Reinstatement Eligible) • Surplus and Displaced (CTAP or ICTAP) Federal Employees in the local commuting area • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) • Current and Former Land Management Eligibles under Public Law 114-47 • Military Spouse under Executive Order 13832 • Duty Location: To be determined within the Western Region.

Duties

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Assists in assessing current system patient care delivery by the Mid-Level Practitioners and any new systems to improve performance of patient care.

Participates in approved Quality Improvement activities throughout the region.

Provides orientation/mentoring for newly hired mid-level practitioners, or in the regional physician’s absence, physicians within their respective region.

Conducts peer review evaluation in clinical issues identified by Program Review, Joint Commission, or other internal/external reviews.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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

Career Transition Programs (CTAP): 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:

  • 1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
  • 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  • 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.

Qualifications

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

Basic Requirements:

Graduation from a physician assistant educational program, accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or its predecessors, at a college, university, or educational institution that is accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Successful completion of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination; must maintain status as a certified physician assistant, including completion of all requirements for Continuing Medical Education (CME)and re-certification.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST electronically upload proof of completion of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination, including completion of all requirements for continuing medical education (CME) and recertification.

AND

Licensure: For ALL grade levels and positions, applicants must possess and electronically upload proof of a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a Physician Assistant from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

All qualified referred candidates will undergo a credentialing process prior to employment with the Bureau of Prisons. This process includes validation of examinations, licensure, education, internship and residency. Please electronically upload these documents along with your required supporting documentation at the time you apply.

Note: Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied.

AND

Additional Requirements:

A minimum of one full year of work experience as a certified physician assistant equivalent to the next lower grade level and completion of an accredited physician assistant educational program.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

  • Ability to identify a medical problem and determine appropriate action to meet the problem, including referral to a physician.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the environment, principles, ethics, and special human relationships in the field of medicine.
  • Knowledge of the medical, biological, and physical sciences related to the applicable area of medicine.
  • Knowledge of and ability to perform specified diagnostic and therapeutic practices and procedures.
  • Ability to work responsibly with physicians and other members of the medical team, and to deal effectively with patients.
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

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.

Additional information

The representative rate for this position is $97,485 per annum ($46.71 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.  All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

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.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office.  On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered.  The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70-minute time period and a passing score must be obtained.  Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score.  Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application.  You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct.
  • the needs and interests of the agency.
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.

NOTE: Health Services Division, Central Office • Washington, DC

NOTE: Pay rates are based on Rest of U.S. but could change depending on the location of the position.

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.

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.  If your selections are not supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Ability to assess a patient’s condition, and to initiate appropriate treatment.
  • Ability to communicate in writing.
  • Knowledge of medical standards and regulations.
  • Ability to relate and deal effectively with physicians, superiors, peers and others.

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