Chaplain
- Full Time, onsite
- Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
- Prisons - Nationwide, United States of America
Provides a full pastoral ministry to inmates of all faith groups which includes opportunities for their public and private worship on Sundays and other such holy days as are appropriate within each faith group.
Assists in maintaining and conducting a well-rounded program of religious instruction including classes, correspondence, work and discussion groups.
Maintains a close working relationship with other departments within the institution for the purpose of inmate treatment and rehabilitation, as well as for the purpose of coordinating activities within the framework of the correctional institution.
Maintains close ties with own denomination ensuring current religious endorsement and attends meetings called by the denomination in order to maintain this standing.
Supervises contract workers and volunteers who provide religious activities for the inmate population.
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.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship is Required.
- See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
- Selective Service Requirement: http://www.sss.gov
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1)this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at:
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at:
Qualifications
To be considered for the position, you must meet the following basic qualification requirements:
Education:
(1) Bachelor’s Degree: An applicant must possess an earned baccalaureate degree with no less than 120 semester hours from a qualifying educational institution.
AND
(2) Graduate Theological Degree: An applicant must also possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent theological educational qualifications. Equivalent educational qualifications means a conferred degree comprised of no less than 72 semester hours of graduate coursework including:
- 20 semester hours in pastoral ministry.
- 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion.
- 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including the study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written.
- 12 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions.
Formal Supervised Ministry Training: If the Master’s degree program does not indicate formal supervised ministry experience, applicants must have documentation of completing formal training in supervised ministry (e.g. Clinical Pastoral Education [CPE], field theological education program, or professional ministry internship, etc.).
AND
Experience:
Professional Ministry Experience: Applicants must have at least 4,160 hours of pastoral/spiritual leadership experience. This is equivalent to two years of full-time formal religious leadership experience compatible with the duties of a religious ministry provider in the applicant’s religious organization and relevant to professional chaplaincy. This experience must be gained while in a relationship with the endorsing religious organization. Four units of CPE may satisfy up to one year of the requirement of pastoral and spiritual leadership 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 and then click on "Find a Form".
AND
Religious Credentials:
Applicants will be ordained clergy or members of ecclesiastically recognized religious institutes of vowed men or women. In lieu of professional ordination credentials, adequate documentation of the applicant’s recognized religious and ministerial roles in their respective faith communities is required.
AND
In some cases, specific religious representation is needed. In those specific cases the applicant MUST possesses one of the listed Selective Placement Factors. In these specific cases, if you do not possess the Selective Factor, you will be found ineligible. When specific religious representation is not needed, Selected Placement Factors will not be used to evaluate your qualifications.
Selective Placement Factor:
- Buddhist: The applicant must be of a Buddhist community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Buddhist faith.
- Catholic: The applicant must be of a Catholic community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Catholic faith.
- Islamic: The applicant must be of an Islamic community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Islamic faith.
- Jewish: The applicant must be of a Jewish community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Jewish faith.
NOTE: ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION MUST BE UPLOADED AT THE TIME YOU APPLY.
If applicable, 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.
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, .
Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: .
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.
Additional information
All Chaplain applicants can be considered at any age. Age waivers are not needed for:
- Applicants with prior federal law enforcement coverage.
- Applicants who have been endorsed by the Catholic, Islamic or Jewish faiths.
All others over the age of 36 require an approved age waiver prior to entry on duty.
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.
LENGTH OF ELIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. This announcement will EXPIRE on the listed closing date at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement.
SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GS-012/01 @ $88,621 to highest GS-12/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA @ $144,031. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at and search pay tables.
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 of 68 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.
- Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .
ADDITIONAL SALARY INFORMATION:
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is authorized at:
- FDC Honolulu, HI - 8.64%
- MDC Guaynabo, PR - 2.49%
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship is Required.
- See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
- Selective Service Requirement: http://www.sss.gov
Qualifications
To be considered for the position, you must meet the following basic qualification requirements:
Education:
(1) Bachelor’s Degree: An applicant must possess an earned baccalaureate degree with no less than 120 semester hours from a qualifying educational institution.
AND
(2) Graduate Theological Degree: An applicant must also possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent theological educational qualifications. Equivalent educational qualifications means a conferred degree comprised of no less than 72 semester hours of graduate coursework including:
- 20 semester hours in pastoral ministry.
- 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion.
- 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including the study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written.
- 12 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions.
Formal Supervised Ministry Training: If the Master’s degree program does not indicate formal supervised ministry experience, applicants must have documentation of completing formal training in supervised ministry (e.g. Clinical Pastoral Education [CPE], field theological education program, or professional ministry internship, etc.).
AND
Experience:
Professional Ministry Experience: Applicants must have at least 4,160 hours of pastoral/spiritual leadership experience. This is equivalent to two years of full-time formal religious leadership experience compatible with the duties of a religious ministry provider in the applicant’s religious organization and relevant to professional chaplaincy. This experience must be gained while in a relationship with the endorsing religious organization. Four units of CPE may satisfy up to one year of the requirement of pastoral and spiritual leadership 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 and then click on "Find a Form".
AND
Religious Credentials:
Applicants will be ordained clergy or members of ecclesiastically recognized religious institutes of vowed men or women. In lieu of professional ordination credentials, adequate documentation of the applicant’s recognized religious and ministerial roles in their respective faith communities is required.
AND
In some cases, specific religious representation is needed. In those specific cases the applicant MUST possesses one of the listed Selective Placement Factors. In these specific cases, if you do not possess the Selective Factor, you will be found ineligible. When specific religious representation is not needed, Selected Placement Factors will not be used to evaluate your qualifications.
Selective Placement Factor:
- Buddhist: The applicant must be of a Buddhist community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Buddhist faith.
- Catholic: The applicant must be of a Catholic community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Catholic faith.
- Islamic: The applicant must be of an Islamic community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Islamic faith.
- Jewish: The applicant must be of a Jewish community and have a minimum of 2 years of formal ministry experience in the Jewish faith.
NOTE: ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION MUST BE UPLOADED AT THE TIME YOU APPLY.
If applicable, 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.
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, .
Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: .
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.
Additional information
All Chaplain applicants can be considered at any age. Age waivers are not needed for:
- Applicants with prior federal law enforcement coverage.
- Applicants who have been endorsed by the Catholic, Islamic or Jewish faiths.
All others over the age of 36 require an approved age waiver prior to entry on duty.
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.
LENGTH OF ELIBILITY: Eligible applicants will remain on the inventory until the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
NOTE: This announcement is posted on a yearly cycle. This announcement will EXPIRE on the listed closing date at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In order to receive consideration for the next cycle, applicants MUST reapply to the new vacancy announcement.
SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this announcement reflects Rest of US GS-012/01 @ $88,621 to highest GS-12/10 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA @ $144,031. See current pay scales for locality area for which you are applying at and search pay tables.
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 of 68 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.