Supervisory Firearms Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Enforcement Programs and Services, Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division, Field Response Branch-East and Field Response Branch-Central Branch, Location Negotiable After Selection. This position is responsible for providing criminal case support and industry related technical support and guidance to the Bureau and other Federal law enforcement agencies, States, the firearms and ammunition industry, and the general public.

Duties

• The major duties of the Supervisory Firearms Specialist position include, but are not limited to, the following: Planning, developing, directing, evaluating, and coordinating all matters involving the technical aspects of firearms. Provides authoritative, expert-level technical guidance and interpretation of firearms laws (e.g., the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act) to ATF management and field offices, other Federal or State agencies, foreign governments, domestic or foreign industry to support complex criminal and regulatory investigations. Exercises full supervisory authority over Branch personnel; assigns, reviews, and evaluates work of employees. Designs, implements, and delivers comprehensive instructional programs, advanced tactics, and specialized curricula to cross-jurisdictional law enforcement professionals. Serves as the primary advisor to the Division Chief and Deputy Division Chief on significant issues, policy matters, and operational challenges affecting branch programs and projects. Formulates and submits high-level recommendations and decisions derived from comprehensive analysis of applicable laws and regulations, current budget constraints, long-term strategic plans, and organizational staffing requirements.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-14 grade level, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) by the closing date of this announcement. Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume. Specialized experience must include all of: Conducting complex firearms and criminal enforcement operations; AND Coordinating collaborative operations and/or technical support services by assisting law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels; AND Providing technical support/assistance to ATF counsel for legal determination and expert witness testimony; AND Directing and supervising a team, including assigning tasks, evaluating performance, addressing training, and managing workload; AND Reviewing the work of other FEOs and providing technical guidance on firearms investigations including examination, testing, and classification of evidence in criminal cases; AND Providing training and assistance to ATF field office staff to include Special Agents (SAs), Interstate Nexus Agents, Industry Operations Investigators (IOls), and Intelligence Research Specialists (IRSs). Must be an ATF Certified Firearms Enforcement Officer (FEO) with specialized experience conducting complex firearms and criminal enforcement operations. Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

Requirements

The requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Must be U.S. Citizen or National Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file. May be required to serve a one-year probationary period. You must be a current permanent Department of Justice employee with competitive status or a CTAP/RPL eligible candidate. Pass drug screening and subject to random Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation. You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement. MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process. This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/15/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit My Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement is closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. Your applications will appear on the Welcome page. Navigate to the job application and click Track this application to view your application status. The link will take you to the hiring agency application system, which has the most up-to-date status of your application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means click here. NEED HELP?If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.