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Explosives Investigator

Department of Defense
Pentagon Force Protection Agency

Summary

This position is located with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Law Enforcement Directorate, Pentagon Police Division, Hazardous Device Branch. The incumbent is responsible for the daily transportation and physical protection of government property, such as: explosives, explosive evidence, and other hazardous materials and responds to emergency incidents involving EID, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and other terrorist acts.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/09/2025 to 12/15/2025
Salary
$69,923 to - $131,826 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Pentagon, Arlington, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
IMP-12840864-26-FM
Control number
851809400

Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Conducts investigations of post-­blast scenes, and technical investigative guidance and expert advice in support of investigations involving criminal violations of Federal explosives laws while on the Pentagon Reservation or DoD leased facilities.
  • Assists in locating explosives and booby traps.
  • Identifies the presence of additional hazardous materials which may present a threat to agent, officer, or to public safety.
  • Provides any requested sworn testimony or affidavits during all phases of explosives and arson investigations.
  • Serves as a training liaison within the Agency as well as with other state and local bomb squads, explosives-detecting canine units, military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units, federal agencies, and professional associations; compiles and reports technical data on explosive devices and incidents; develops Agency-wide and Pentagon Facilities specific emergency response plans for bomb threats, actual improvised explosive devices, and bombing crime scenes; develops and promulgates bomb threat awareness and safety programs for potentially affected personnel, particularly the Pentagon Facilities workforce.
  • Serves as a liaison with other law enforcement, public safety officers and fire service personnel and provides technical investigative assistance and expert advice in support of investigations involving criminal violations of Federal explosives and arson laws.
  • Conducts destructive, incendiary device and explosives determinations for PFP A and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and providing expertise for other agencies.



Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • This position is subject to the DoD Priority Placement Program
  • The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required with favorable adjudication by a determining authority.
  • This position may require up to 30% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
  • The incumbent is required to pass a pre-employment and yearly physical examination for this position.
  • The incumbent is required to wear protective equipment, i.e., bomb suit, heavy ballistic vest, helmet, SCBA, tyvek suits and respirators, while working in hazardous areas.
  • The incumbent must possess and maintain a valid U.S. state driver's license.

Qualifications

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED

  1. The employee assigned to this position is designated as a MISSION ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEE. Mission essential employees may be required to report for, or remain at, work in dismissal or closure situations due to adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, or other emergency situations ( e.g., building closure due to power outage) causing disruptions of government operations, and are required to maintain contact with their supervisor during any dismissal or closure situation unless specifically excused by their supervisor.
  2. The incumbent may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime. This position requires the employee to work rotating shifts, weekends, overtime, holidays and will be subject to call 24 hours a day.
  3. This position shall require the employee to carry a firearm. The employee must meet requirements of "Lautenberg Agreement" which outline rules regarding carrying of firearms. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(9)).
  4. The employee must obtain and maintain a Hazardous Materials Technician certification. Paragraph 4.1.2, of the National Standards for Bomb Squads, requires that all individuals attend Hazardous Materials Technician training before the individual is allowed to attend HDS, OSHA, Code 29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6)(iii) shall receive eight hours ofrefresher training annually on the items specified in paragraph (e)(2) and/or (e)(4) of this section. Paragraph 4.1.1, FBI Hazardous Devices School (HDS) is required for initial certification. An HDS graduate is also required to attend recertification every three years.

At the GS-09

You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
  1. Responding to emergency incidents involving explosives and hazardous materials; and
  2. Compiling information to assist in formulating a threat assessment for explosive response plans; and
  3. Assisting explosives investigators to conduct investigations.

OR

Education:
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 related.

OR

A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience.

At the GS-11

You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
  1. Analyzing data from different sources when assessing explosives and criminal incidents; and
  2. Conducting explosive searches for the detection of explosive hazards; and
  3. Responding and assisting in emergencies involving hazardous devices.

OR

Education:
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 related.

OR

A combination of doctoral education and specialized experience.

At the GS-12

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:
  1. Responding to emergencies involving hazardous devices or explosive ordnance for mitigation; and
  2. Performing investigations on suspected hazardous materials; and
  3. Performing removal operations of suspected Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) and other hazardous devices; and
  4. Rendering safe procedures for suspected hazardous materials and improvised explosive devices.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: 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.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: 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.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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

Probationary Periods: 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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants (DODI 1400.25, volume 300). http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position may requires an online USA Hire Competency Based Assessment. The USA Hire online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD-3145-4) dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference.

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