Job Posting
Fingerprint Specialist, 10-DPD-150-ALN
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Beltsville, MD
Salary: 89,034.00 - 140,199.00 USD /year
Benefits: Eligibility for employee benefits depends on your type of appointment and your tour of duty (work schedule). Generally, you must be hired on a permanent basis and have a regular full or part-time work schedule to be entitled to:
- Federal Employees Retirement System
- Thrift Savings Plan
- Federal Employees Health Benefits
- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Federal Long Term Care Insurance
For additional information on benefits, please refer to the OPM website:
http://www.opm.gov/insure/new_emply/index.asp? MainQuestion1d-1
Employee may be eligible to receive performance and incentive awards and may participate in various forms of employee development and training. Employees are eligible for services at a health unit. All Federal facilities are smoke-free and maintain building security/maintenance 24 hours a day.
Final Filing Date: Monday, March 22, 2010
Duties: This position is located in the Office of Science and Technology, Laboratory Services Division, Forensic Science Laboratory-Beltsville, MD.
The incumbent serves as a fingerprint specialist who is responsible for conducting examinations and advising on routine, significant and/or complex forensic fingerprint cases in support of enforcement programs. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is ranked as one of the top 15 places to work in the Federal government and one of the top law enforcement agencies. ATF is looking for energetic, innovative, solution-oriented professionals to help the ATF team succeed in our responsibilities to reduce violent crime and protect the public.The incumbent functions as a final technical authority in fingerprint examinations, providing expert advice and assistance to ATF officials, other federal agencies, state and local government organizations, private laboratories and industry on forensic evidence, analytical methodology and instrumentation. Performs the most difficult fingerprint examinations without technical guidance, using scientifically sound and applicable procedures. Examinations include developing latent fingerprints and the examination and comparison of fingerprints, both visible and latent. Trains, coaches and guides other fingerprint specialists and technicians in their technical duties and evaluates the analytical work of peers and lower graded fingerprint specialists or technicians. Provides court testimony on the basis of laboratory examinations. Advises prosecutors on the appropriate approach to use in presenting scientific testimony. Assists the prosecutor in the preparation of questions. Advises and assists special agents at crime scenes where expertise will help the investigation. Sets priorities and guidelines for the collection, preservation and transmittal of scientific evidence. Evaluates new technology and scientific equipment for adoption or acquisition by Laboratory Services. Conducts training related to specialty areas. Designs curriculum, prepares lesson plans, instructs and evaluates students. Represents the laboratory on fingerprint examination related issues in regional meetings, negotiations with government officials, members of industry, ranking law enforcement officials and professional organizations/associations. Prepares laboratory reports and documents that are suitable for external analysis and which may be accepted for publication in professional journals and scientific publications. Initiates and leads the development of new or modified analytical procedures to improve the methods used in forensic evidence analysis.
Requirements:
- Must successfully complete a background security investigation.
- Must serve a one year probationary period.
Qualifications Required:
Specialized experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the Pay Band 3 level, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) or Pay Band (PD-2) level by the closing date of this announcement.
Specialized experience for this position is experience analyzing complex fingerprint cases and imperfect and partial latent fingerprint impressions that contain only the minimum number of points necessary to make an identification, and conducting methods development projects to improve latent fingerprint examination capabilities.
To qualify, you must meet all qualification requirements described in this announcement by the closing date.
How You Will Be Evaluated:
You will be rated on your qualifications as evidenced by the education, experience and training you report relative to this position which demonstrates that you possess the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Paid or unpaid experience will be considered. An automated score will be calculated based on your responses to the Vacancy Specific Questions which correlate with the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) listed below:
- Knowledge of the principles, theories and practices associated with fingerprint examinations and the evidentiary value of conclusions in order to serve as a recognized expert in court cases and make oral presentations or examination findings at these proceedings.
- Ability to master the principles, theories and practices associated with fingerprint examinations and their evidentiary value.
- Ability to learn the properties and evidentiary value of a variety of physical evidence and of laws on admissibility of scientific evidence.
- Ability to establish and maintain work relationships with management and other customers within/outside of the laboratory.
- Visual acuity to distinguish fine detail, shapes and colors is required.
- Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and facts, both orally and in writing.
- Your self-determined rating, narrative responses, resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed and all responses provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by your resume. Failure to support your response choices may have a direct impact on your ability to be referred for consideration.
Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military designated campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans in hiring from competitive lists of eligibles. Preference does not have as its goal the placement of a veteran in every vacant Federal job, however; preference does provide a uniform method by which special consideration is given to qualified veterans seeking Federal employment. When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on their application or resume.
To be entitled to preference, a veteran must have been discharged under honorable conditions. Discharge status is documented on Member Copy 4 of the DD-214. If the appropriate copy of the DD-214 is not submitted and the discharge status is not confirmed, the candidate will not receive credit for their claimed veterans' preference.
If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well-qualified for the position. To be well- qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. The determination of whether or not the applicant meets the well-qualified definition will be made prior to veteran preference points being added. CTAP/ICTAP eligible's must submit one of the following as proof for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
Other Information:
Subject to a 5-year periodic investigation
Travel and relocation expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
How to apply: This job is filled through a 3-step on-line application process. (Apply here)
STEP ONE - (Online Resume- USAJOBS)
You must create a user account and at least one Federal resume at USAJOBS. Information you provide in USAJOBS is general information completed by all applicants. The information you provide and your Federal resume will become part of your application and will automatically be transferred to CareerConnector when you apply online. If you have an existing USAJOBS account, simply login and select the resume you wish to include with your application package for this announcement.
STEP TWO - (Vacancy Specific Questions - CareerConnector)
In CareerConnector, you will answer vacancy specific questions necessary to evaluate your qualifications for the job to which you are applying. When completed, the information you provided at USAJOBS and the answers to the CareerConnector questions will become your application package.
STEP THREE - (Supporting Documentation)
You may upload supporting documentation in one of two ways:
- Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, you will be prompted to upload your document(s) to your application package. You will be given the choice to either upload the document as part of the application process, or you can select a document that you've already loaded on USAJOBS, or simply fax supporting documentation, which will provide you the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted to the appropriate vacancy announcement. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet.
- You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you have located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online". Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select "Upload" in order to add a document to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation that the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g. DD-214) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. It is also your responsibility to ensure all documents are received on time and the materials are readable.
If applying on-line poses a hardship to any applicant, please contact us at the telephone number listed on this announcement. Applicants MUST CONTACT US PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE to speak to someone who can provide assistance for on-line submission. Requests for extensions will not be granted.
Paper applications submitted without prior approval from the agency point of contact may be handled as incomplete.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your contact information changes after the closing date of this vacancy announcement, update your profile information in MYUSAJOBS as well as contact the Human Resources Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement to ensure you can be contacted throughout the selection process.
Required Documents:
Prior to selection, the candidate may be required to provide an original copy of any supporting/validating documentation as well as other documentation to verify eligibility. If claiming 5 points, applicants must submit Member Copy 4 of their DD-214.
If claiming 10 points, applicants must submit Member Copy 4 of their DD-214 and an SF-15 along with the documentation specified on the reverse side of the form. If the SF-15 is not submitted, the documentation required by the form verifying the service connected disability (e.g. letter from the VA confirming the disability) must be submitted in order to receive 10-point preference consideration. If you are claiming derived preference (relative of the veteran), you must submit Member Copy 4 of the DD-214, the SF-15 and the supporting documentation specified on the reverse side of the form. All candidates must submit all other required application materials as specified in this vacancy announcement.
Agency Contact Info:
Angela Northcutt
Phone: 202-648-8556
Fax: 000-000-0000
TDD: 202-648-9915
Email:
Angela.Northcutt@atf.gov
NOTE: crime-scene-investigator.net is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions in employment notices on this web site. Often, employers change final filing dates, change duties and/or requirements, or close employment openings without notice. If you are interested in a job posted on this site be sure to contact the employer to see if changes in the filing date or job announcement have been made. Employers can also provide more information about open positions that does not appear in the announcements on these pages.
Posted: February 16, 2010
