Correctional Officer - GS-007-05/06. Correctional Officers are the largest part of the workforce. All BOP institutions routinely have vacancies for this position. Correctional Officers enforce the regulations governing the operation of a correctional institution, serving as both a supervisor and counselor of inmates.

Qualifications: To qualify for a Correctional Officer at the GS-05 grade level, you must have successfully completed at least one of the following:

A full 4-year course of study in any field leading to a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited school or possession of a Bachelor's Degree; or the equivalent of at least 3 years of full-time general experience performing duties such as providing assistance, guidance, and direction to individuals; counseling individuals; responding to emergency situations; supervising or managing; teaching or instructing individuals; or selling products or services (persuasive commissioned sales). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate they have the following KSAs to successfully perform their job as a Correctional Officer: (1) ability to supervise others, (2) ability to communicate verbally, and (3) ability to react in crisis situations.

Examples of occupations where general experience may have been gained: teacher or instructor, counselor, worker with juvenile delinquents, parole/probation worker, welfare/social worker, firefighter, nurse, clergyman, emergency medical technician, air traffic controller, supervisor or manager, persuasive salesperson in commissioned sales (automobile, insurance, etc.), security guard, or children's day care facility worker.

To qualify for a Correctional Officer at the GS-06 grade level, you must have successfully completed at least one of the following:

Nine semester hours or 14 quarter hours of graduate study, from an accredited school, in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Social Science, or another field of study related to the position such as law; or the equivalent of at least 1 year of full-time specialized experience performing duties such as ensuring that individuals confined in a correctional or mental health facility adhere to rules and regulations; responding to domestic disturbances; or apprehending and arresting individuals violating the law. 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, or mental health residential facility worker.

Note: Pertinent unpaid or volunteer experience is acceptable. Qualifying part-time experience that is less than 35 hours per week must be prorated based on a 40-hour full-time work week.

Age Requirement: At time of appointment, applicants must not have reached their 37th birthday unless they previously served in a Federal civilian law enforcement position covered by special civil service retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement.