Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Public Affairs Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
#FLETC-Surge

Summary

"The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), through strategic partnerships, prepares the federal law enforcement community to safeguard America's people, property, and institutions." We are a unique inter-agency organization preparing the next generation of law enforcement officers to meet our Nation's most pressing security challenges." Click here to learn more.

An incentive may be authorized but is not guaranteed.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 07/15/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 15, 2026
Location
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$61,722 - $116,362 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 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
No
Security clearance
Not Required
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
FLETC-DO/OPA-26-12994311
Control number
875001000

Duties

Help

Serving as a Public Affairs Specialist GS-1035-9/11/12 makes you a valuable member of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) team and mission. This position is located in the Director's Office (DO), within the Office of Public Affairs (OPA), and located in Glynco, GA.

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as public affairs specialist, ensuring that publicity and marketing programs enhance FLETC's
image in government and business arenas.


Typical duties include:

  • Advises FLETC personnel and others directly involved with activity operations on handling problems and incidents related to the organization's programs.
  • Communicates with a broad spectrum of individuals nationwide to coordinate, negotiate, and execute marketing strategies, including senior law enforcement, training, and legal officials in the Federal, state and local governments, vendor and contractrepresentatives, media marketing personnel, and all levels of management at various agencies in government and the private sector.
  • Planning, coordinating, and conducting tours of the FLETC facilities.
  • Drafting articles, press releases, and speeches for the FLETC Director and other senior level officials for specialized trade publics.
  • Assists with the implementation of professional marketing strategies to market FLETC training programs.
  • Using and maintaining FLETC Official Social Media platforms to communicate FLETC mission and training to stakeholders.
  • Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with print and broadcast media representatives in disseminating information or answering inquiries about the FLETC's operations or activities.
View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • Current and former federal employees within the General Schedule (GS) must meet the time-in-grade requirements outlined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.
  • Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).
  • Must possess and maintain a valid state issued driver's license to conduct official government business.
  • You will be required to establish direct deposit for payroll purposes.
  • This position is eligible for situational telework-only based on agency policy. This is not a remote position.
  • Occasional travel may be required
  • Overtime may be required.
  • Weekends and federal holidays may be required.
  • This position is Emergency Essential and required to sustain FLETC’s operations under all conditions, e.g., in the event of a localized emergency situation, such as inclement weather, interruptions to power, or dismissal.
  • Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license to conduct official government business.

Qualifications

A resume must be no more than two pages. If an applicant's resume exceeds two pages, the USAJOBS database will not allow the application to be submitted. For additional assistance, please visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements

Specialized Experience and/or Education: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following:

  • One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service using a variety of messaging campaigns to collect, assemble, prepare, and disseminate information to convey agency policies, programs, and actions to internal and external audiences; OR
  • Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if directly to the work of the position to be filled; OR
  • An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate level education. Only graduate education beyond the first 18 semester hours will be combined with the specialized experience.

Specialized Experience and/or Education: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one of the following:

  • One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service planning and implementing communications strategies that convey organizational policies, programs, and actions to internal and external audiences; OR
  • Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if directly to the work of the position to be filled; OR
  • An equivalent combination of graduate education and specialized experience. Only graduate education in excess of the first 36 semester hours may be combined with the specialized experience.
If qualifying for this position based on education, you must submit college transcripts; copies are acceptable.

Specialized Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service, evaluating a public affairs program's effectiveness; writing comprehensive materials for an organization to increase understanding by the general public; and maintaining working relationships with members of the news media, and internal and external personnel.

NOTE: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 grade level. The specialized experience is required in order to be considered for the position.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Time-in-grade: Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

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.

Re-employed annuitants' annual salaries will be reduced by the amount of their retirement annuity and by further cost of living increases. FERS retirees receiving a FERS annuity supplement must also be aware that, like social security benefits, their FERS annuity supplement is subject to an earnings test and may be reduced if the salary earned is more than the social security exempt amount of earnings. Additional information is available on OPM's website or by contacting OPM.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Education

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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

You must submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution listing the college/university, degree confirmation date(s) and applicable courses for the position you are applying to.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Additional information

An incentive may be authorized but is not guaranteed.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) is not authorized.

This position may be filled at the GS-9 or GS-11 level. If selection is made at the GS-9 or GS-11 level, promotion to the GS-11 or GS-12 level may occur without further competition.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and FLETC policy, FLETC is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at FLETC are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, FLETC requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for suitability as a condition of placement in this position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Physical Demands: The work is generally sedentary and does not require unusual physical effort.

Work Environment: Most of the work is performed in an office setting, although there may be occasional travel. In addition, position requires physical presence on-Center to conduct guided tours of FLETC sites; plan, coordinate, and conduct significant events; attend to media during visits, and complete articles with photographs and interviews.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to fletc-jobinfo@fletc.dhs.gov.

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.

A resume must be no more than two pages. If an applicant's resume exceeds two pages, the USAJOBS database will not allow the application to be submitted.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If met, we will use multiple assessments to determine the degree to which your experience, education, and training demonstrate the following competencies needed to perform this job:

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process, including the application, Subject Matter Experts (SME) Structured Resume Review and Writing Sample.

SME Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened). Applicants passing the resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

Writing Sample: In the event you pass the SME Structured Resume Review, you will be contacted to submit a writing sample, instructions will be givin at that time via email. DO NOT SUBMIT your own writing sample as it will not be reviewed.

Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12994311

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

After FLETC completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.

Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. FLETC is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the FLETC Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Agency contact information

Michele Bell

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.fletc.gov/careers

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.