Department: Department of Justice
Location(s): Charlotte, North Carolina, Sterling, Virginia
Salary Range: $108810 - $158322 Per Year
Job Summary: Serving as a Technical surveillance specialist (electronics specialist) in the Technical Operations Branch of the Special Operations Division (SOD). As such, he/she is an expert in the conduct of electronic/technical surveillance and is responsible for coordinating all technical activities relating to law enforcement clandestine technologies and operations at the ATF Headquarters program level and provides support to ATF field divisions and field offices.
Major Duties:
Qualifications: To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) by the closing dated 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 includes: Requires significant expertise and a professional knowledge of the theories, principles, practices, techniques, uses, and operation of electronic/technical surveillance equipment, and demonstrated experience indicating use of complex ES investigative techniques. Must possess demonstrated experience in technical support and use of ES equipment; AND Working knowledge of electronic equipment design, development, evaluation, testing, installation, operation, and maintenance; AND Designing and analyzing circuits; determining design feasibility, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, and collecting performance data; AND Analyzing and diagnosing faults in the operational configuration of electronic systems and equipment and ability to interpret circuit wiring and ability to troubleshoot various systems. NOTE: Applicants with documented technical surveillance, basic technical operator certifications, training in and/or experience with the application of electronic surveillance technologies in a law enforcement environment are highly desirable. The selectee is required to adhere to the policy and training requirements in ATF O 3260.2A Certified Technical Operator Program to remain in good standing as a Technical Surveillance Specialist and is also is required to obtain and continue to maintain a Contracting Officers Representative (COR) certification to serve as a COR. Position requires moderate to heavy lifting, climbing high ladders and antenna towers, reaching locations via an aerial lift (e.g. bucket truck), bending, crouching, etc. These activities occur over prolonged periods of time during the installation, repair, and removal of surveillance systems in field environments. Installation, maintenance, and repair activities often take place outdoors or in isolated areas. May frequently be required to work outdoors under a variety of climatic conditions. AUO is a category of premium pay that generally applies when you are responsible for recognizing, without supervision, circumstances that require you to remain on duty to complete specific work assignments on a routine, ongoing basis. AUO pay is a substitute form of payment for irregular, unscheduled overtime work and is paid annually instead of hourly. AUO pay is determined as a percentage, not less than 10% no more than 25% of the rate of your annual adjusted rate of pay and is fixed by law or administrative action for the position. 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.
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 03/20/2026 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.
Application Deadline: 2026-03-20