Entry Level Technical Operations Officer - TSOFO/Technical Operations Office West

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U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens (Public), Competitive Status and Excepted Service candidates. Note, current career United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service and United States Postal Inspection Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission Employees will not be considered or selected from this vacancy announcement.

Overview

Telework eligibleYes—as determined by the agency policy.Remote jobNoRelocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $56,715 - $90,190 per year Pay scale & grade GG 7 - 9 Promotion potential 13 Work scheduleFull-timeTravel Required50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.Appointment typePermanentSupervisory statusNoFederal service typeThis job is in the Excepted Service Represented by a unionNoDrug testYesSecurity clearanceTop SecretFinancial disclosure requiredNoAnnouncement numberEX 27-22B-13111722-DRControl number891946300

Occupations and job series

• 1801 General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, And Compliance Series

Summary

The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Entry Level Technical Operations Officer position in the Office of Investigations, Office of Investigations, Technical and Sensitive Operations Field Office/Technical Operations West, in Federal Way (Seattle), WA. The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge of the theories, principles, practices, and techniques required to install and operate various types of electronic surveillance equipment.

Duties

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Bring your skills and voice to our team!

The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience.

This position is being advertised at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-7 or GS-9 grade level. The salary range for this position is $56,715 - $90,190, salary figure includes locality pay. Career ladder potential to GS-13 is at the manager's discretion and based on successful performance in the position.

Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations.

At the GS-7 equivalent level:

• Plans, coordinates, and conducts installations of electronic equipment for the purpose of collecting evidence.
• Assists in development and fabrication of specialized electronic equipment for the purpose of collecting electronic evidence.
• Assists with the preparation of investigative reports relating to the installation of electronic surveillance equipment.
• Maintains electronic surveillance equipment through scheduled maintenance and repair.

At the GS-9 equivalent level:

• Plans, coordinates, and conducts installations of electronic equipment for the purpose of collecting evidence.
• Provides guidance to agents in the field in relation to the applicability and feasibility of electronic surveillance.
• Assists in development and fabrication of specialized electronic equipment for the purpose of collecting electronic evidence.
• As requested, prepares investigative reports relating to the installation of electronic surveillance equipment.
• Prepares and presents electronic surveillance training to agents in the field.
• Maintains electronic surveillance equipment through scheduled maintenance and repair.
• Reviews media to allow for a clear and organized product to field agents.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation
• Must be able to obtain and maintain Top Secret security clearance
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card
• May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period

Qualifications

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on Friday, November 20, 2026, will be considered.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

You must meet ALL of the minimum qualifications listed below.

• At least one year of qualifying electronic or technical surveillance obtained within the preceding five years in a law enforcement agency, military, intelligence, defense/government contractor, or comparable professional investigative environment (or) have 2 years of experience working with electrical and mechanical devices.
• Have basic knowledge of electricity
• Have basic knowledge of electronics
• Ability to work near energized electrical circuits
• Ability to operate an aerial lift truck, boom or scissor lift
• Must be willing to administer CPR and First Aid
• Must have received a "Meets Expectations" rating, or equivalent, on the applicant's two most recent employment performance appraisals. Applicants MUST submit copies of their two most recent performance appraisals. If either of the two most recent performance appraisals is not available, the applicant MUST submit a written statement explaining the reason the appraisal is unavailable.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Work can be sedentary to demanding. Periodically required to perform work that requires regular and recurring periods of prolonged standing, bending, and stretching. Requires climbing ladders, lifting up to 50 pounds, crawling, working in cramped and dimly lit spaces, and running.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work may subject the employee to harsh environments such as extreme heat and cold. Also, the employee may be exposed to dirt, dust or other debris.

Applicants that do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Your resume MUST clearly demonstrate how your experience, knowledge, and/or skills meet EACH evaluation factor. Your resume must contain sufficient detail for the evaluator to determine that you meet the requirement. Do not assume that your job title, position, or employer alone demonstrates that you meet an evaluation factor.

Failure to demonstrate that you meet ALL of the evaluation factors will result in a score of zero (0), an ineligible status, and you will NOT be referred for further consideration.

Include specific duties, responsibilities, and major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements in your resume.

1. Knowledge of covert/overt electronic surveillance devices and how those devices are implemented in the field; knowledge pertains to video, audio, telephone intercept, tracking, and radio communication devices.
2. Knowledge of federal rules of evidence and relevant constitutional and statutory laws as they relate to electronic surveillance.
3. Ability to conduct site surveys and coordinate logistics to affect the best possible operational plan in respect to electronic surveillance installs.
4. Demonstrate how to complete a complex electronic surveillance install.
5. Ability to explain troubleshooting techniques on a variety of electronic surveillance systems.
6. Ability to brief personnel and management both orally and in writing about electronic surveillance and radio communication.

Education

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Applicants can verify accreditation here: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation.

Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education:
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities. For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

Additional information

Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the USPS OIG. We offer a broad array of benefits programs:

As a result of the passage of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (PSRA), USPS employees (including USPS OIG) and retirees will transition from the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program effective January 1, 2025. Detailed information about eligibility and enrollment will be provided upon hiring. For more information, visit the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program website at https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/pshb/.

We offer Health, Dental, Vision, Life and Long-Term Care Insurances with Flexible Spending options as well.For more information about these programs visit: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/Federal-Employees/

Retirement and Thrift Savings. For more information about these programs see https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/ and tsp.gov/.

Flexible Work Schedules. USPS OIG offers a range of family-friendly flexibilities including flexible work schedules, telework and employee assistance programs.

Leave and Holidays. In addition to eleven (11) paid holidays each year, you will earn thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave and thirteen (13) to twenty-six (26) paid vacation days each year depending on your years of service.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Non-Exempt (Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; Exempt employees are not).

This agency provides Reasonable Accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please send an email to jobs@uspsoig.gov. The decision on granting an accommodation request will be made on a case-by-case basis.

For further information, please refer to our website at: https://www.uspsoig.gov/frequently-asked-questions

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position.

You will no longer be considered for this position if you:

• Receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor
• Fail to attach all required documentation
• Submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit
• If your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position
• If you fail to qualify on the interview

Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.

Applicants for this position may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. During interviews, applicants may not use any AI tool or virtual assistant (such as ChatGPT) to help them answer questions, except for accessibility tools used as part of a reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the hiring process.

Required Documents

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You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX 27-22B-13111722-DR, by closing date Friday, November 20, 2026.

1. RESUME - IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. Your resume MUST reflect that you have experience, knowledge, and/or skills in each of the Evaluation Factors. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?

Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process)

3. PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS (FY 2024 and 2025) - Required, dated within the last 15 months with Coaching and Review Phase comments and must have received at least a met expectations rating. This is required from all applicants including USPS, OIG and private sector employees. If a PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL is not available, you must submit a separate statement with the reason a performance appraisal is not available. (Upload as "Performance Appraisal"). NOTE: An SF50 IS NOT acceptable as a performance appraisal.

4. SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)

5. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:

• Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificate" or "License" document.
• Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference. You must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility, including your VA letter, SF-15 (https://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/), and all required documents related to your SF15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at archives.gov/veterans/military-service- records and can download a copy of their VA letter from Download VA Benefit Letters | Veterans Affairs. If applicable, you are required to submit each veterans' preference document in the application packages. Please name these files as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document."

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.

How to Apply

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To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, Friday, November 20, 2026, to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
• You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
• You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
• To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.

Agency contact information

Vacancy Inquiries Email jobs@uspsoig.gov Address OI - DAIGI 2 - Technical and Sensitive Operations Field Office
1735 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.