Correctional Officer, Sr. jobs in New Jersey

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Duties

Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates. Concerned with maintenance of institution security contributing to the health and welfare of the inmates and the promotion of good public relations.

Enforces rules and regulations governing facility security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct to ensure judicial sanctions are carried out and inmates remain in custody. From time to time, may be authorized to carry firearms and to use physical force, including deadly force, to maintain control of inmates.

During institution emergencies or other periods of heavy workload or limited staff, may be required to work long and irregular hours, unusual shifts, Sundays, holidays and unexpected overtime. Information as to operations and procedures is provided by post orders, BOP program statements, local supplements, custodial manual, internal correspondence and staff meetings. Incumbent must be flexible and have a broad knowledge base to use own initiative in the resolution of problem situations.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

• U. S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement: Go to http://www.sss.gov

Qualifications

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

Education:

GL-05: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

GL-06: Nine (9) semester hours or fourteen (14) quarter hours of graduate level education in a major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to this position.

GL-07: One full academic year of graduate education with major study in criminal justice, social science, or other field related to the position is qualifying for GL-07.

GL-08: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position.

OR

Experience:

GL-05: At least 3 years of full-time general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the GL-04 grade level. This experience must have demonstrated the aptitude for acquiring the qualifications required for correctional work, and, in addition, demonstrate the possession of personal attributes important to the effectiveness of correctional officers, such as:

• Ability to meet and deal with people of differing backgrounds and behavioral patterns.
• Ability to be persuasive in selling and influencing ideas.
• Ability to lead, supervise, and instruct others.
• Sympathetic attitude towards the welfare of others.
• Ability to reason soundly and to think out practical solutions to problems.
• Ability to make decisions and act quickly, particularly under stress.
• Poise and self-confidence, and ability to remain calm during emergency situations.

General experience may have been gained in work such as:

• Social case work in a welfare agency or counseling in other types of organizations.
• Classroom teaching or instructing.
• Responsible rehabilitation work, e.g., in an alcoholic rehabilitation program.
• Supervising planned recreational activities or active participation in community action programs.
• Management or supervisory work in a business or other organization that included directing the work flow and/or direct supervision of others.
• Sales work, other than taking and filling orders as in over-the-counter sales.

GL-06:You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Detention Officer
• Police Officer
• Border Patrol Agent
• State Trooper
• Sheriff
• Park Ranger
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail
• Mental Health Counselor in a Residential Facility

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with instructing inmates with proper housekeeping and sanitation.
• Experience working as a Police Officer responding to domestic disturbances and issuing citations for law violations.
• Experience in investigating crime scenes as a State Trooper.
• Experience as a Mental Health Worker in a Mental Health Lockdown facility.

GL-07: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

Examples of occupations where specialized experience may have been gained:

• Correctional Officer
• Jailer
• Detention Officer
• Deputy Sheriff supervising inmates in a jail.
• Military Corrections (Brig, Internment/Resettlement Specialist, etc.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Providing supervision, care and security of inmates in a correctional environment.
• Experience supervising inmates throughout the institution and providing instructions related to institutional procedures and sanitation.
• Experience with enforcing rules and regulations governing correctional institution security, inmate accountability and inmate conduct.
• Experience with conducting various count procedures of inmates.
• Experience working various correctional posts, assignments (such as Control Room, Rear-gate, Housing Units, etc.).

GL-08: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience must have been gained in a correctional facility with responsibilities in correctional treatment, care, custody, and control of inmates.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

• Experience with assignments made to those areas requiring the maximum skill and expertise in dealing with inmates, the public, and the security of the institution.
• Experience in supervising and instructing inmates regarding proper sanitation, personal hygiene and work habits.
• Experience in maintaining the control and discipline of inmates in such areas as the auditorium, housing units, segregation, recreation areas, dining rooms, etc.
• Experience in having responsibility for the custody and control of inmates who require special handling.

AND

Medical Requirement:

GL-05, GL-06, GL-07 and GL-08: The Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons has established the following medical requirements for Correctional Officer positions:

The duties of these positions involve unusual mental and nervous pressure and require arduous physical exertion involving prolonged walking and standing, restraining of prisoners in emergencies, and participating in escape hunts. Applicants must be physically capable of performing efficiently the duties of these positions and be free from such defects or disease as may constitute employment hazards to themselves or others. The duties of a Correctional Officer are arduous; and sound health as well as physical fitness is required.

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.

AGE REQUIREMENTS:

Although 5 U.S.C. 3307 established a maximum entry age for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution, Applicants can be considered up to age 39. If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age. Refer to the Required Documents Section for the appropriate documentation to submit to validate veteran eligibility.

LENGTH OF ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the announcement.

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 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.

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

Benefits

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 window. Learn more about federal benefits.

ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:

Recruitment Incentives: will be paid to selectee(s) who meet the criteria for a Recruitment Bonus. Retention Incentives may be authorized upon completion of the recruitment service agreement period.25% of Initial Salary or $10,000 (whichever is greater) Recruitment Incentive for all eligible NEW Hire Correctional Officer who must enter on duty no earlier than March 26, 2023, and NO LATER than September 08, 2024:

• All BOP Locations

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Based upon your self-reported responses to the assessment questions during the application process, your application will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Applications will be reviewed from the top-quality category. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are found qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to the responses you provided on the online assessment questionnaire.

NOTE: Candidates within the top-quality category and who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligible.

If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume. Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under "How You Will Be Evaluated", veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest qualified category as defined by category rating procedures.

Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.)

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

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

GL-05, GL-06, GL-07 and GL-08:

• Stress Tolerance
• Writing
• Oral Communication
• Decision Making
• Teamwork

Required Documents

• Veterans' Preference Documentation: 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).
• 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: (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) and the character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and (3) any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
• 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, submit a completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference"; all other required documentation identified on the SF-15, in addition to the veteran's DD-214 described above. A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain: the Veteran’s Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation.
• Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
• Resume: showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
• In order to receive credit for experience contained in a resume, your employment history must be documented in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date and include the number of hours worked per week. Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification.
• College transcript: which includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day).
• SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.

Failure to provide these documents could possibly result in removal from consideration for this vacancy. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts.

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $57,000.00 - $87,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Military leave
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Uniform allowance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Extended hours
• Holidays
• Morning shift
• Night shift
• Overnight shift
• Overtime
• Rotating shift

Ability to Relocate:

• Fort Dix, NJ 08640: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person