Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Policy Analyst
Apply on USAJOBSThis announcement is sourced from the official USAJOBS API. Federal Job Alerts is not affiliated with OPM, USAJOBS, or any U.S. government agency.
Summary
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/03/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Experience: To qualify for this position at the GS-14 grade level, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Law Enforcement Policy Research and Development: Demonstrated experience independently researching, drafting, revising, and developing formal Federal law enforcement policies, directives, standards, and procedures for agency-wide or organizational implementation, including evaluating operational requirements, legal authorities, and established law enforcement practices. Departmental Policy Development and Integration: Experience serving as a principal author or lead contributor in developing comprehensive law enforcement policy documents, including coordinating substantive reviews, incorporating stakeholder comments, resolving conflicting requirements, and preparing final policy recommendations or directives for senior leadership approval. Legal and Regulatory Policy Analysis: Experience researching and analyzing Federal statutes, constitutional requirements, judicial decisions, Executive Orders, Department of Justice guidance, and applicable regulations to identify legal implications, operational risks, and necessary revisions to existing or proposed law enforcement policies. Policy Evaluation and Compliance: Experience evaluating existing law enforcement policies and programs to identify deficiencies, assess compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and develop written policy revisions, corrective recommendations, or implementation guidance to improve organizational consistency, accountability, and effectiveness. Senior-Level Policy Coordination and Advisory Support: Experience coordinating the development and review of complex law enforcement policies with legal counsel, agency leadership, operational personnel, and interagency stakeholders; preparing policy analyses, decision memoranda, and executive briefings; and presenting recommendations on sensitive or high-visibility law enforcement matters. Applicants must meet all specialized experience statement described above. You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Major Duties
Serves as the principal advisor to the Assistant Director on complex, high-visibility lawenforcement policy matters affecting over 2,000+ DOI law enforcement personnel acrossmultiple bureaus. Leads development, revision, and implementation of Department-wide law enforcement policies, standards, and procedures. Drafts and coordinates revisions to DOI Law Enforcement Policy Manualchapters and related directives. Ensures compliance with Executive Orders, DOJ guidance, Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) standards, constitutional policing requirements, and evolving Federal law enforcement best practices. Conducts legal and operational policy analysis to ensure defensibility, clarity, and enforceability. Coordinates policy review with the Office of the Solicitor, DOJ, and other Federal partners as required. Develops implementation frameworks, transition plans, and bureau compliance guidance. Provides enterprise-level policy integration across law enforcement, detention operations, internal affairs, emergency management, and investigative programs. Identifies policy gaps, conflicting directives, and operational risk areas. Conducts risk assessments related to use of force, detention operations, credentialing, investigative authorities, and interagency operations. Develops mitigation strategies to reduce legal, operational, reputational, and compliance risk. Advises senior leadership on implications of Government Accountability Office(GAO), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Congressional, and external oversight findings. Develops briefing materials and policy options for senior executives, including SES and political leadership. Evaluates bureau-level implementation of DOI law enforcement policies and standards. Designs policy compliance metrics and performance indicators. Reviews bureau operating procedures for alignment with DOI standards. Leads or supports policy-focused reviews, audits, and corrective action initiatives. Develops Law Enforcement & Security Bulletins and interpretive guidance toclarify policy application. Recommends revisions based on trends, incidents, litigation, or emerging threats. Represents OLES on law enforcement policy matters with internal and external stakeholders. Coordinates with DOJ, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureauof Investigation (FBI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC),FLETA, Tribal governments, and other Federal agencies. Participates in interagency working groups on accountable policing, use of force,detention standards, investigative procedures, and national security matters. Analyzes proposed legislation, Executive Orders, regulatory changes, and Administrationinitiatives impacting DOI law enforcement programs. Prepares impact assessments and implementation strategies. Drafts policy responses and recommended courses of action. Ensures DOI law enforcement policies align with statutory authority and Administration priorities. Leads high-priority or sensitive assignments on behalf of the Assistant Director. Examples include: Body-worn camera implementation standards Use-of-force reform initiatives Detention facility standards integration Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons/Women (MMIP/MMIW) policyinitiatives Internal Affairs oversight frameworks Credentialing and training standard modernization
Requirements
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -11/03/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed 2 single-sided pages and resumes longer than 2 pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). Performance Appraisals and Awards: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor dated within the past 18 months. If unavailable, a written explanation is required (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). Performance awards dated within the past 5 years may also be submitted for due weight consideration. Eligibility Documentation: Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s. Veterans Preference Documentation: Veterans eligible under VRA (GS-11 & below only), VEOA, 30% or more Disabled, or Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program must submit the most recent Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions (e.g. DD-214) as listed on the SF15. If you are a Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all documentation as listed on the SF15. You may request a copy of the VA letter from https://www.va.gov/records. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 11/03/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13088452 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.