Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Leads a team of Police Officers and other administrative staff.
• Leads and initiates investigative contacts/stops.
• Directs day-to-day lead and non-lead policing assignments.
• Resolves simple, informal complaints of employees and refers more complex complaints to the supervisor.
• Provides information/feedback to the supervisor concerning promotions, reassignment, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs.
• Keeps abreast of policing best practices, the latest policing technology, and the latest criminal and policing laws, rules, and regulations to provide advice and guidance as needed.
• Determines whether situations are criminal or civil and takes appropriate legal steps for each crime committed.
• Conducts investigations, apprehensions/detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States.
• Advises individuals of their (Miranda, Weingarten, Garrity, etc.) rights, and protects the constitutional and civil rights of persons.
• Responds to calls for police assistance, irregularities, and unusual or suspicious circumstances.
• Detains witnesses and apprehends suspects, makes arrests and performs booking procedures.
• Intervenes when necessary to deescalate situations and determines when and how much force must be applied.
• Makes independent decisions and takes/coordinate immediate steps to preserve life and property.
• Provides and/or coordinates staff training during shift briefing or designated training days.
• Leads, initiates and guides staff regarding how to proceed with investigative stops on suspicious and potentially dangerous persons and suspicious vehicles independently.
• Provides on-the-job training in accordance with established procedures and practices.
• Ensures instruction on work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines are met.
• Coaches and mentors current and new police officers to ensure employees obtain the necessary training.
• Prepares lesson plans and critiques instruction and instructional material.
• Coordinates the use of outside guest instructors, VA law enforcement instructors, and/or local outside law enforcement agencies.
• Ensures that staff complies with LETC required training commitments, courses, and timeframes and maintains training materials, and attendance records.
• Ensures training is properly documented in accordance with VA Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) and Office of Security and Law Enforcement (OS&LE) requirements.

Work Schedule: Rotating shifts to include nights, weekends, and holidays.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Police Officer - Instructor/PD14690A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work requires, on a regular and recurring basis, considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as frequent climbing of multiple flights of stairs and carrying items weighing over 50 pounds. It requires stamina, physical agility, dexterity, and the strength to pursue, apprehend or detain.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/22/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirements

Experience:

General Experience (for positions at GS-4 and below): Qualifying general experience includes experience in administrative, clerical, technical, or military work that involved protecting property, equipment, data, or materials; or that involved making judgments based on the application of directions, rules, regulations, or laws.

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience that provided knowledge of a body of basic laws and regulations, law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques and involved responsibility for maintaining order and protecting life and property. Creditable specialized experience may have been gained in work on a police force; through service as a military police officer; in work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments; in performing criminal investigative duties; or in other work that provided the required knowledge and skills.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: administering and coordinating an education and training program for a police department; preparing training schedules, coordinating equipment and room availability; conducting classroom lectures and presentations; developing and presenting training programs; adjusts training curriculum to fit needs; overseeing the initial on-the-job training of newly assigned personnel; evaluating employee performance to identify special or additional training requirements; coordinating with Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; and protecting individuals during any given situation against threats to personal safety when enforcing laws and regulations. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the GS-06 grade/level or equivalent in the Federal service.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license.

Firearm Requirement: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

1. New VA Police Officers/Security Specialist are required to attend an 8-10 week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
2. A medical examination is required. The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, and ability to hear the conversational voice.
3. Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. A psychological examination is required. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position.
4. A character investigation will be conducted on applicants selected for employment. The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government.
5. CONTINUED SERVICE AGREEMENT (CSA) REQUIREMENT:
Before attending training an employee subject to VA's continued service agreement must sign an agreement to continue in service after training is completed. The period of service will be equal to at least three times the length of the training. With a signed agreement, the agency has a right to recover training costs, except pay or other compensation, if the employee voluntarily transfers to another VA, Federal Agency or voluntarily separates from Government service.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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; religions; 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.