Duties

Summary

Why work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons?

You can have a meaningful career with an agency that truly values a diverse workforce. You will find a diverse workforce employed from entry level jobs to senior management positions. We protect public safety by ensuring federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, and provide reentry programming. Employees at correctional facilities perform correctional work regardless of their specific occupation.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Under the general direction of the supervisory chaplain, the incumbent is responsible for the organization, supervision, and administration of religious programs as well as other religious activities that may be designated by proper authority. The incumbent's duties are determined and influenced by a conscientious adherence to the basic principles and theology of the employee's faith tradition. These duties include complete services of care, worship, and instruction called for by the rights, privileges, and obligations of the incumbent's ordination (or its equivalent), and accommodation of religious practices in support of the Constitution's First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement: Click Here

This position is in the excepted service. It is excluded from the provisions of the career transition assistance program, and is subject to a trial period.

Qualifications

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

Education:

All applicants must possess a Bachelor's Degree (any discipline) from an accredited college, and a Master of Divinity degree consisting of 80 hours or equivalent education from an accredited residential seminary or school of theology.

NOTE: ALL applicants MUST submit legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically transferred from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). The education MUST be from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here . Transcripts MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. (If you are selected for this position, you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.)

For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

AND

Experience:

At least two years, or 4,174 hours, of pastoral/spiritual leadership experience in a congregational or specialized ministry setting within the endorsing body after formal ministerial preparation. Clinical Pastoral Education, a valuable training experience for chaplains, may satisfy up to one year, or 2,087 hours, of the requirement of pastoral/spiritual experience.

AND

Ecclesiastical Endorsement:

An Ecclesiastical Endorsement attests to: the applicant's suitability for correctional ministry, support for his or her candidacy, a clear assurance statement that the applicant has no present or past legal or moral barrier to congregational ministry, and an affirmation that the applicant will facilitate inmates of all faiths opportunities to pursue individual religious beliefs and practices. The applicant's relationship to the endorsing body must reflect a minimum two-year association before endorsement.

In order to receive full consideration for this vacancy, you are required to complete and submit the Bureau of Prisons' Ecclesiastical Endorsement Form (BP-A0679).

A copy of this form can be obtained by accessing www.bop.gov or Clicking Here and then click on "Find a Form".

The form must be submitted via mail, upload, or e-mail, and received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit within five working days after the closing date of this announcement.

Recommendation: The form must be e-mailed and received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit within five working days after the closing date of this announcement.

Additionally, all applicants must submit documentation supporting being an Ordained Clergy. Failure to provide these documents will result in no further consideration under this particular vacancy announcement.

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.

Additional information

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for initial appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution.

Applicants over the age of 36 may receive consideration for this position if they fall within one of the following groups:

• Applicants with prior federal law enforcement coverage
• Applicants who are Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans
• Applicants who have been endorsed by the Catholic, Islamic or Jewish faiths

You must ensure you provide the documentation listed in the "Required Documents" section to support your claim. Failure to provide the required documentation may result in not receiving consideration for this position.

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 crimes 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 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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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

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

• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Pastoral Care
• Interpersonal Skills
• Planning and Evaluation

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Veterans must demonstrate 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). Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214 indicating type of discharge); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal).
• If you are currently on active duty, a statement from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information: Name, Rank, Branch of Service, Active Duty time, Projected Separation Date and type of anticipated discharge must be provided.
• If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you SHOULD submit a completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference", and the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim. Documentation to support a disability must reflect the overall evaluation or percentage disability rating. Veterans must also demonstrate 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).
• Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
• In order to receive credit for experience contained in an uploaded 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.
• A 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).
• Copy of Ecclesiastical Endorsement.
• Copy of Ordination Certificate.
• 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, fax transmissions, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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 .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.