The position of Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Science and Technology directs the activities of ATF Laboratory Services and Financial Investigative Services. Laboratory Services consists of the Quality Programs Office, the (3) Forensic Science Laboratories, and the Fire Research Laboratory. Financial Investigative Services provides forensic auditing support to ATFs mission. The position is located in Beltsville, MD.
The position of Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Science and Technology directs the activities of ATF Laboratory Services and Financial Investigative Services. Laboratory Services consists of the Quality Programs Office, the (3) Forensic Science Laboratories, and the Fire Research Laboratory. Financial Investigative Services provides forensic auditing support to ATFs mission. The position is located in Beltsville, MD.
Applications will be accepted from all groups of qualified individuals within the civil service.
The position of Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Science and Technology directs the activities of ATF Laboratory Services and Financial Investigative Services. Laboratory Services consists of the Quality Programs Office, the (3) Forensic Science Laboratories, and the Fire Research Laboratory. This position is located in Beltsville, MD
1. You must be a United States Citizen or National.
2. Veterans' preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
3. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
4. You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check for the security level designated for this position.
5. You may also be subject to post-employment conflict of interest restrictions under 18 USC 207 (c).
6. You will be required to undergo a drug screening and obtain favorable results prior to being appointed.
7. You may be subject to a one-year probationary period effective from the date in which you are appointed.
8. This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) upon entry, and annually thereafter in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
9. You must meet all minimum qualifications to be deemed eligible. Only experience obtained by closing date of this announcement will be considered.
As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, applicants must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications.
The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the the Executive Core Qualifications(ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application must not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided)
**Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (TQ) related to this position within your resume - Resumes over the 2-page limit will be deemed ineligible and will not receive further consideration. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Deputy Assistant Director (Forensics). Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess.
EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.
ECQ1- Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Involves demonstrating knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ2- Driving Efficiency: Involves demonstrating the ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ3- Merit and Competence: Involves demonstrating knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ4- Leading People: Involves demonstrating the ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
ECQ5- Achieving Results: Involves demonstrating the ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application.
MTQ1: Demonstrated success leading multi-site forensic laboratory systems, national scientific programs, or large-scale technical enterprises operating under rigorous international quality/accreditation frameworks (e.g., ISO/IEC 17025)
MTQ2: Proven experience directing advanced scientific research, technology assessment, method validation, or digital infrastructure overhauls (e.g., AI integration, advanced telemetry, data analytics) within a forensic or law enforcement environment.
MTQ3: Extensive leadership experience managing complex investigative support programs, such as forensic financial auditing, forensic intelligence systems, or engineering/scientific support to criminal investigations.
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will first be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications. A rating and ranking panel of senior executives will review your application and evaluate your qualifications for this position. It will determine the extent to which your professional and volunteer experience, education and training, and awards or professional recognition indicate you possess the required executive and technical experience. Candidates determined to be highly qualified will undergo at least one interview. Prior to selection, candidates will undergo a reference check.
Note: All applicants must thoroughly address the Mandatory Technical Qualifications. Current and former SES members, and other applicants who have already been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB), are not required to address the Executive Core Qualifications. However, they must provide documentation of certification in the form of a SF-50 showing career SES status or an OPM issued SES qualification certificate.
It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation to prove you possess the required specialized experience for this position. IF YOU OMIT ANY OF THE REQUIRED INFORMATION, YOU RUN THE RISK OF BEING FOUND INELIGIBLE FOR THE POSITION.
RESUME- ALL APPLICANTS:
To reduce possible disqualification due to a lack of verifiable information, you should include all six of the following elements for every job entry listed in your employment history.
If any element is omitted, the HR Specialist may be unable to determine your eligibility, resulting in your removal from consideration with an ineligible rating:
Applicants who fail to submit all required information and documents will not receive consideration for the position.Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. It is also your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are readable. If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants must contact us prior to the closing date to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete.
Important Compliance Rules: Two-Page Absolute Limit: Resumes must be limited to two pages or less. USAJobs will only allow candidates to upload 2-page resumes. However, any resumes in excess of 2-pages will result in immediate disqualification. Most Recent Submission Counts: Only the most recent resume submitted under the "Resume" document type will be evaluated for rating and qualification determinations. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/04/2026 to be considered. The application process is as follows:
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
Our evaluation will be based on the information you supply. You should expect that we will verify performance, suitability, and security information and take that information into account in making employment offers.
You can check the status of your application anytime by accessing the USAJOBS online application system at http://www.usajobs.gov.You will need to provide your USAJOBS User ID and Password to access the Track your Online Job Application feature. You may also click on the link provided to access additional information on USAJobs.
All applicants will be notified at four (4) stages in the hiring process:
(1) upon receipt of your application;
(2) after your qualifications have been assessed;
(3) whether or not you've been referred to the Selecting Official; and
(4) whether or not you've been selected for the position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
