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Forensic Anthropologist

Department of Defense
Department of Defense - Agency Wide
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Summary

The mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel from our Nation's past conflicts to their families and our Nation. DPAA personnel research, investigate, recover and identify remains of DoD personnel unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Iraq conflicts and Persian Gulf War.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/06/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 6, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational, as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$107,501 - $139,753 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DE-12989754-26-AMO
Control number
874497900

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Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Serves as a forensic anthropologist providing professional, scientific leadership to a team engaged in forensic and biological anthropological studies and investigations leading to establish the medico-legal identity of skeletal remains
  • Plans and directs investigations and archaeological excavations designed to achieve casualty resolution
  • Performs professional anthropological laboratory examinations to current laboratory standards and in keeping with published best practices
  • Process and analyze skeletal remains or portions of remains to determine ancestry, age, sex, stature, trauma, surgical intervention, and other physical characteristics and anomalies in support of forensic identification
  • Serves as a professional Scientific Recovery Expert providing professional and scientific leadership to DPAA and OSW organizations
  • Provides expert advice and scientific guidance to DPAA teams engaged in all the phases of archaeological testing and excavation (Phase I, II and III) of military aircraft crash sites, ground losses, and burial
  • Provides quality control services and control reviews to DPAA of identification determinations completed by laboratory teams

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • Selections from this notice are subject to provisions of the DOD Priority Placement Program for displaced employees.
  • May be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime
  • This position may require up to 20% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
  • The incumbent is required to pass a pre-employment physical examination and an annual physical examination to successfully perform field and laboratory work.
  • The employee must pass a series of laboratory competency tests in the area of forensic anthropology within 90 days of employment IAW DPAA Laboratory manual and accreditation standards
  • The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance
  • Employee must meet the graduate degree qualification requirements established by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, as referenced in the National Historic Preservation Act .

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below.

The General Anthropology Series 0190 Series has individual occupational requirements which apply to all positions. To qualify, applicants must meet the following Basic Requirements:
  1. Degree: appropriate field of anthropology.

    OR

  2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in an appropriate field of anthropology, or related course work, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    OR

  3. Experience: four years of appropriate experience in anthropology performing research, museum work, or similar professional-level work.


You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates specialized experience in: Possesses foundational professional knowledge of forensic anthropology and archaeology to perform standard laboratory examinations, participate in field recovery operations, and draft basic case reports under general guidance.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.
Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages
. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-4) dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-3) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-2) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference.

Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-1) to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies 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 ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing an online application, you may request an alternative application. Please send an email to the following address for information on how to obtain an alternative application: whs.job.application.assistance@mail.mil

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). If after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the following quality categories: The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.
Well Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies listed above.
Best Qualified = Meets the minimum experience requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies listed above.

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 may require a Subject Matter Expert (SME) Panel Assessment.

Your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the SME Panel Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Forensic Anthropology
  • Oral Communication
  • Remains Analysis
  • Writing

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Department of Defense - Agency Wide

The Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of War in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities. OSW includes the immediate offices of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of War, Under Secretaries of War, Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Assistant Secretaries of War, General Counsel, Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Assistants to the Secretary of War, Director of Administration and Management, and such other staff offices as the Secretary establishes to assist in carrying out assigned responsibilities.

Agency contact information

Washington HQ Services
Email
whs.job.application.assistance@mail.mil
Address
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Human Resources Directorate
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350
US

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