Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
Summary
Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
• THIS IS A DIRECT HIRE ANNOUNCEMENT OPEN TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS.
• THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SERVES AS A PUBLIC NOTICE FOR DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY.
• PLEASE REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS IN THE HOW TO APPLY SECTION IN ORDER TO APPLY.
• DUTY LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED DURING SELECTION.
• Up to $34,371.00 Recruitment Incentive
Registered Nurse provides direct patient care services in accordance with legal, ethical and institution standards. Provides nursing care of a general nature to inmates in the institution hospital/clinic, and may be provided to patients in specific areas, e.g., psychiatric, operating room, orthopedics, geriatrics, etc.
Develops a nursing assessment for each patient, to include planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care. May assess and identify high risk symptoms/behaviors in patients, to include suicidal risk, homicidal risk and risk for verbal and/or physical abuse. Completes nutritional screening as part of the assessment and refers patient to a dietitian for a nutritional assessment if necessary. Monitors, evaluates and revises the plan of care as needed. May also assess and document the discharge planning needs of a patient. Delegates and coordinates care based on assessments.
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 is performed on a regular and recurring basis.
Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): 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:
Be rated well-qualified for the position based on the competencies listed above; and submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified is defined as having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies clearly exceeding the minimum qualification requirements for the vacancy.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Licensure:
Applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination. In addition, they must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
NOTE:ALL applicants MUST electronically upload proof of current, active, full and unrestricted license or registration for verification at the time you apply.
All qualified referred candidates will undergo a credentialing process. 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.
AND
In addition to the Basic Requirements:
Education/Work Experience:
The work experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. At the GS-09 and above grade level, many positions may require experience in a specialty area of nursing.
GS-05: To qualify at the GS-05 (or equivalent) grade level, applicants must meet one of the following qualification requirements:
Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing with no experience; or
Possession of a diploma or associate degree in professional nursing and one full year of professional nursing experience.
GS-07: In addition to the above Basic Requirements, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement provision;
Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and at least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level);
Possession of a diploma or associate degree in professional nursing and two full years of professional nursing experience; or
Completion of at least one full year of graduate education in a professional nursing educational program.
GS-09: In addition to the above requirements, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
Possession of a master's degree in professional nursing; or
At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, or bachelor's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program.
GS-10: In addition to the above requirements, applicants must meet the following requirement:
At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree or master's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program.
Specialized experience examples per grade level:
GS-05:
Experience communicating with and providing nursing services to patients.
Experience applying professional nursing concepts, principles, practices and nursing standards.
Experience operating medical equipment.
GS-07:
Experience implementing established protocols and standing orders for handling patients.
Experience providing care to patients whose conditions are characterized by extremely complex health care needs.
Experience recognizing life threatening emergencies and initiating immediate care until assistance is obtained.
GS-09:
Experience in human behavior and the ability to communicate with and provide nursing services to patients.
Experience in the techniques and the operational mechanics of medical equipment.
Experience with accurately transcribing physician's orders, performing health assessments and accurately documenting in patient's medical record.
Experience with pharmacology of a wide variety of drugs, dosages, routes of administration, therapeutic action, drug interactions, and adverse reactions.
GS-10:
Experience in professional nursing concepts, principles, practices and nursing standards as related to medical, surgical, and mental health nursing.
Experience in the recognition of life-threatening emergencies and in initiating immediate care until assistance is obtained.
Experience in nursing theories and practices needed to plan and provide care to patients whose conditions are characterized by extremely complex health care needs.
Experience using critical thinking skills and establishing priorities of care when dealing with multiple patients having varying degrees of care requirements.
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.
S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum.
Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies
In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.
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
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION PREFERENCES:
In this announcement, you will be required to select at leastone but not more than three preferred duty locations. These preferences help us understand your interest, but they cannot be guaranteed. Final duty assignments are determined by the Bureau's staffing needs, availability of positions, and funding. You may receive a final offer for a location outside your stated preferences. By applying, you acknowledge that you may be offered employment at a duty station outside of your preferred duty locations within the Bureau of Prisons and its nationwide mission requirements. To explore available BOP institutions and offices, please visit BOP Locations.
LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY:
Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the announcement.
NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. The announcement will EXPIRE on the listed closing date of 09/30/2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement.
SALARY RANGE:
The salary listed includes Special Salary Rates. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying. To view the current locality tables, visit OPM and search pay tables.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT SECTION:
Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.
All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.
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.
Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.
Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:
A 30% Recruitment Incentive will be paid to selectee(s) who meets the criteria for recruitment bonuses. For more information, visit BOP Incentives.
10% Retention Incentive may be authorized upon completion of the recruitment service agreement period.
Contact the institution of interest for specific information.
Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA):
There is an 8.64% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for FDC Honolulu, HI, and a 2.49% for MDC Guaynabo, PR. See COLA and Locality Pay Rates in Nonforeign Areas for more information.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
NOTE: This announcement establishes an open continuous public notice. Given our continuous demand for Registered Nurses, applications are routinely reviewed and referred on an ongoing basis for the duration of the recruitment period.
We review all applications to verify they meet the basic qualifications for the position and grade level selected. Qualified candidates are then referred to the selecting official at their preferred locations for further consideration
From that point on the selecting official determines all aspects of the hiring process. If they wish to contact, you for an interview or for selection they will do so directly. Equal consideration will be given to all applications received.
Applications received under Direct Hire public notice may or may not result in a referral or selection.
Applicants will not be rated or ranked. Veteran's Preference does NOT apply.
What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?
The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:
GS-05 and GS-07:
Knowledge of nursing care principles, practices and procedures.
Knowledge of safety principles and infection control in the patient care environment.
Ability to assess patients' needs and coordinate appropriate nursing care plan.
Ability to communicate orally.
Ability to communicate in writing.
GS-09:
Knowledge of nursing care principles, practices and procedures.
Knowledge of safety principles and infection control in the patient care environment.
Ability to assess patients' needs and coordinate appropriate nursing care plan.
Ability to communicate orally.
Knowledge of rehabilitative nursing, pre- and post-operative care.
GS-10:
Knowledge of nursing care principles, practices and procedures.
Knowledge of safety principles and infection control in the patient care environment.
Ability to assess patients' needs and coordinate appropriate nursing care plan.
Knowledge of rehabilitative nursing, pre- and post-operative care.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:
A 30% Recruitment Incentive will be paid to selectee(s) who meets the criteria for recruitment bonuses. For more information, visit BOP Incentives.
10% Retention Incentive may be authorized upon completion of the recruitment service agreement period.
Contact the institution of interest for specific information.
Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA):
There is an 8.64% (of basic pay) Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) authorized for FDC Honolulu, HI, and a 2.49% for MDC Guaynabo, PR. See COLA and Locality Pay Rates in Nonforeign Areas for more information.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.
Veterans' Preference Documentation:
Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
DD-214: Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit:
A completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" AND all required documentation identified on the SF-15. NOTE: A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain the Veteran's Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation. For a copy of the most current SF-15, Click Here.
If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information:
The military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and
The character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and
Any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
Resume (limited to 2 pages) must include your name, contact information, and relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF- 52, MOU, etc.). If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format below AND clearly cite the duties performed.
To receive credit for experience, your resume and/or any satisfactory evidence must include:
Start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
Number of hours worked per week.
College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
NOTE: If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.
SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.
Proof of ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, Click Here, if applicable.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.
Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.
We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume.
Claiming Veterans Preference? If yes, you MUST claim preference on-line during the application process and upload documentation to support preference claimed. Failure to claim Veterans Preference or provide supporting documentation may result in you not receiving appropriate consideration during the assessment process.
Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).
All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on 09/30/2026. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.
Supporting documentation for announcements with an application limitation MUST be uploaded the same day you apply, as these positions may close earlier than stated in the announcement.
Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.
In order to receive consideration for this position as a PHS applicant, ALL required supporting documentation, as specified in this vacancy announcement must be submitted directly to the Consolidated Staffing Unit via email: BOP-HRM-HRSC-Consolidatedstaffingunit-s@bop.gov.
You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ONLINE.
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Once the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the Human Resource Department of the requesting location.
Applicants can contact the Human Resource Department of their preferred locations for questions regarding the applications hiring process. Contact information for the Human Resources Departments can be found at BOP Locations.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.
Veterans' Preference Documentation:
Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
DD-214: Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit:
A completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" AND all required documentation identified on the SF-15. NOTE: A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain the Veteran's Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation. For a copy of the most current SF-15, Click Here.
If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information:
The military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and
The character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and
Any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
Resume (limited to 2 pages) must include your name, contact information, and relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF- 52, MOU, etc.). If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format below AND clearly cite the duties performed.
To receive credit for experience, your resume and/or any satisfactory evidence must include:
Start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
Number of hours worked per week.
College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
NOTE: If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.
SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.
Proof of ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, Click Here, if applicable.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.
Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.
We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume.
Claiming Veterans Preference? If yes, you MUST claim preference on-line during the application process and upload documentation to support preference claimed. Failure to claim Veterans Preference or provide supporting documentation may result in you not receiving appropriate consideration during the assessment process.
Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).
All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on 09/30/2026. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.
Supporting documentation for announcements with an application limitation MUST be uploaded the same day you apply, as these positions may close earlier than stated in the announcement.
Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.
In order to receive consideration for this position as a PHS applicant, ALL required supporting documentation, as specified in this vacancy announcement must be submitted directly to the Consolidated Staffing Unit via email: BOP-HRM-HRSC-Consolidatedstaffingunit-s@bop.gov.
You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ONLINE.
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Once the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the Human Resource Department of the requesting location.
Applicants can contact the Human Resource Department of their preferred locations for questions regarding the applications hiring process. Contact information for the Human Resources Departments can be found at BOP Locations.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
