Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Law Enforcement Officer

Department of the Interior
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Office of Justice Services - District 1

Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, District 1-Fort Totten Agency in Belcourt, North Dakota; Fort Totten, North Dakota; Fort Yates, North Dakota; Lower Brule, South Dakota.

This position is also open under Merit Promotion announcement ST-27-13088261-CAWV-SQ. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): May be authorized.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$58,771 - $99,774 per year
Pay scale & grade
GL 7 - 11
Promotion potential
11
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High 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-27-13088263-CAWV-SQ
Control number
888411000

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof of Indian Preference.

Duties

Help

As Law Enforcement Officer, GL-1801, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to:

  • Investigating criminal activities, such as assault, homicide, robbery, vandalism, illegal possession of drugs/firearms, public intoxication, traffic incidents, and other activities.
  • Enforcing Federal and Tribal laws applicable to Indian Country
  • Collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, including state, tribal, and other federal agencies, on cases and other law enforcement activities of mutual interest
  • Apprehending violators of Federal, Tribal and/or State criminal laws
  • Applying for and executing search and arrest warrants
  • Testifying and presenting evidence to grand juries in cases involving felony violations
  • Training and developing lower graded law enforcement officers.
The duties listed are demonstrative of this position at the full performance GS-11 level. Selection at the lower level, will allow for the opportunity to learn and perform these duties by receiving training to develop in the position.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated
  • A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
  • Selectee is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 4 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.
  • Selectees must pass a pre-employment medical examination and may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if they are maintaining the fitness standards for this position.
  • Drug Testing. This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • You must meet the qualifications and be certified to carry a firearm. You will need to maintain firearm proficiency.
  • This position has been approved for Primary Law Enforcement Coverage.
  • There is a residency requirement for all applicants to live within 50 miles of their assigned duty station unless written prior approval is obtained by the Director. This is a condition of home-to-work vehicle authorization.
  • You must successfully complete mandatory basic / advanced training as a condition of employment. Annual training is required to maintain qualifications in accordance with BIA OJS standards and policies.
  • Applicant shall not possess any Brady/Giglio violations or concerns.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards)

GL-07: To qualify at the GL-07 level you must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GL-05 grade level performing ALL of the following: 1) Assisting in conducting preliminary investigations; 2) Participating in traffic, boundary, trail, and/or hunting patrols to enforce federal laws; and 3) Executing arrest warrants OR;

Education: (1) Successful completion of one full year of graduate level education (18 semester or 27 quarter hours) OR;

Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.): S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, -or- (3) honor society membership. 1. Class standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class based on completed courses.2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum as recorded on their official transcript, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 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 2 years of the curriculum. 3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society - Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor society. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. OR;A combination of education and experience that totals 100% of the requirement above.

GL-09:To qualify at the GL-09 level you must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GL-07 grade level performing ALL of the following: 1) Requesting and presenting justifications for arrest warrants; 2) Conducting investigations of criminal activities; 3) Prosecuting and apprehending violators of law to ensure the protection and safe use of facilities and resources; and 4) Maintaining the lifespan of evidence from collection to proper disposal, upon completion of cases. OR;

Education: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree or a LL. B or J.D., in a related field of study OR a combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement. OR;

A combination of experience and education that totals 100% of the requirement above.

GS-11:To qualify at the GS-11 level you must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GL-09 grade level performing ALL of the following: 1) Investigating criminal activities to include locating and securing crime and collecting evidence; 2) Issuing citations and filing criminal complaints; 3) Collaborating with other law enforcement officers and agencies via the exchange of information and coordinated activities of mutual interest, as related to criminal cases; 4) Contacting and informing public land users of procedures, laws, and regulations to gain compliance; and 5) Providing feedback to bureau supervisors and employees on law enforcement protection issues. OR;

Education: 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or a L.L.M. in a related field of study OR a combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement. OR;

A combination of experience and education that totals 100% of the requirement above.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

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.

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.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows 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

The full performance level of this position is GL-11. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed.

The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your [probationary period -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see USA Jobs What are bargaining units?

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.

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 10/30/2026 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position.

Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including USA Hire. These assessments measure the critical competencies required to successfully perform the job.

  • Arrest
  • Attention to Detail
  • Criminal Investigation
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Forensics
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Written Communication

If you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your qualifications will be conducted to determine if you are qualified for this job. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles.

  • Best Qualified: Applicants that possess all of the job related competencies identified as important for successful job performance.
  • Well Qualified: Applicants that possess a majority (i.e., more than half but not all) of the job related competencies needed for successful job performance.
  • Qualified: Applicants meet the basic eligibility and minimum qualification requirements but do not meet the definition of Best Qualified or Well Qualified as described above.
Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information, please visit: https://www.bia.gov/jobs.
REVIEW BEFORE YOU SUBMIT: You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13088263.

Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs

BIA's mission is to enhance the quality of life, to promote economic opportunity, and to carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives.

Indian Affairs (IA) provides services to 575 federally recognized tribes with a population of about 2.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. While the role of IA has changed significantly in the last three decades in response to a greater emphasis on Indian self-governance and self-determination, Tribes still look to IA for a broad spectrum of programs such as social services, law enforcement and detention services, administration of Tribal courts, natural resources management, economic development, implementation of land and water claim settlements, housing improvement, disaster relief, and the replacement and maintenance of schools, roads, and bridges.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Email
BIA_HR_RESTON@BIA.GOV
Address
AS-IA Human Resources
12220 Sunrise Valley Dr., Room 4047
Reston, VA 20191
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.bia.gov/

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.