Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Correctional Officer - Recruitment Incentive - Direct Hire
Department of Justice · Multiple Locations
- Salary
- $44,902 - $98,113 per year
- Pay grade
- GL-4 to 8
- Schedule
- Full-time
- Appointment
- Permanent
- Opened
- Oct 1, 2026
- Closes
- Sep 30, 2027
- Remote
- No
- Telework eligible
- No
- Openings
- Many
- Security clearance
- Other
- Promotion potential
- 8
- Announcement
- DHA-27-0001
Who may apply: Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) · Open to the public
Applications are submitted on USAJOBS.gov, not on Careers.org. Always confirm details in the official announcement.
Summary
Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.
Duties
- Provides supervision, care and correctional treatment of inmates. Incumbent is 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.
Qualifications
NOTE: GL-04 applications are not being evaluated at this time. Please ensure your application reflects an eligible grade level if you wish to receive consideration. To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements: Education: GL-04: Successfully completed education above the high school level in any field may be substituted for general experience at the rate of 30 semester hours for one year of experience. 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: 9 semester hours or 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-04: At least 2 years of full-time general experience, one year of which is equivalent to the GL-03 level in the Federal service. General experience is defined as progressively responsible work that demonstrates the ability to: Follow and apply rules, procedures, or regulations. Use sound judgment in decision-making. Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Maintain composure and take appropriate action in emergency or stressful situations. 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. For examples of qualifying general experience, please refer to the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section of this announcement. GL-06: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. 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 in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade. 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 o…
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.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, 4:25 AM EST.