Careers.org

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Special Agent in Charge

Department of Justice · Seattle, Washington

Salary
$151,661 - $228,000 per year
Pay grade
ES-00
Schedule
Full-time
Appointment
Permanent
Opened
Oct 23, 2026
Closes
Nov 5, 2026
Remote
No
Telework eligible
No
Openings
1
Security clearance
Top Secret
Promotion potential
00
Announcement
27-FO-ST-13100412-DB

Who may apply: Competitive service · Senior executives

Apply on USAJOBS

Applications are submitted on USAJOBS.gov, not on Careers.org. Always confirm details in the official announcement.

Summary

The position of Special Agent in Charge (SAC) manages a major field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and exercises executive responsibility for the primary enforcement of Federal alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson laws and regulations. This position is located in: Office of Field Operations, Region 3, Seattle Field Division, Seattle, WA.

Duties

  • The position of Special Agent in Charge (SAC) manages a major field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and exercises executive responsibility for the primary enforcement of Federal alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson laws and regulations. This position is located within the Office of Field Operations, Seattle Field Division in Seattle, Washington. Plans, directs, implements and evaluates comprehensive law enforcement and regulatory programs in the field division. Incumbent assesses the effectiveness of criminal and regulatory programs and policies in meeting ATF goals. Manages all administrative and program matters, including budget formulation, allocation of human and material resources, implementation of technological solutions, timely and accurate submission of reports, and related matters. The incumbent serves as ATF's representative to other Federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, industry groups, congressional staffs, political and community groups, the media, and the public. He or she coordinates agency requirements and operations with other field special agents in charge and officials at headquarters.

Qualifications

The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. Applicants must show clear evidence of their demonstrated leadership ability by addressing the the Executive Core Qualifications(ECQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) embedded within their resume. The resume-based application must not exceed 2 pages (1-sheet double-sided or 2 sheets one-sided) **Note: Applicants who have completed the SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) and have had their ECQs certified by OPM must provide a copy of their certificate as part of their application. Candidates must still satisfy the MTQs of the position. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (TQ) related to this position within your resume - Resumes over the 2-page limit will be deemed ineligible and will not receive further consideration. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions. You will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required of the position and on the extent your application demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the Special Agent in Charge. Please be sure to give concrete examples of your experience and demonstrate the complexity of the knowledge you possess. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. ECQ1- Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Involves demonstrating knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ2- Driving Efficiency: Involves demonstrating the ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ3- Merit and Competence: Involves demonstrating knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ4- Leading People: Involves demonstrating the ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ5- Achieving Results: Involves demonstrating the ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. For this position, the following Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) have been established and should be addressed within the resume application. MTQ1: Knowledge of federal laws, regulations and policies governing law enforcement and regulatory operations in order to plan, direct, implement and evaluate comprehensive law enforcement and regulatory programs, or high risk tactical operation and critical incidents in a field or Headquarters environment, with particular emphasis on programs related to the enforcement of Federal alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson laws and regulations. MTQ2: Knowledge of the legal procedures applicable to federal law enforcement operations, such as cr…

Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, 8:59 AM EST.