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Nurse (Registered Nurse)

Department of Justice
Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
10/20/2025 to 11/10/2025
Salary
$59,878 to - $86,164 per year
Pay scale & grade
GL 07 - 09
Location
Atlanta, GA
4 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
10
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
ATL-2026-0006
Control number
848429600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• BOP Employees nationwide • DOJ Surplus and Displaced (CTAP) Employees in the local commuting area. • Duty Location: FCI Atlanta, GA

Duties

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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.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP): 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:

  • 1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
  • 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  • 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.

Basic Requirements:

Education: A graduate or higher level degree, bachelor’s degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program is required. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) applicants MUST provide a transcript in order to be considered under S.A.A.

Degree from Foreign Nursing School: Official certification from the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools.

AND

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-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.

Specialized experience examples per grade level:

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.

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.

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


The representative rate for this position is $80,653 per annum ($38.65 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

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.

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office. On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered. The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score of 68 must be obtained. Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score. Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.

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.

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.  If your selections are not supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

If you applied to more than one grade level, BE ADVISED that you may be selected at ANY grade level for which you applied and are found qualified (i.e., if the job is announced at the 9/11 grade levels and you apply for the GS/GL-9 and the GS-11,and you are found qualified at BOTH grade levels, you may be selected at either grade level).

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

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.

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