Victim Specialist - Indian Country Locations

Victim Specialists assist people who have suffered direct physical, emotional, psychological, or financial harm. This direct or threatened harm can result from violent crime, crimes against children, domestic and international terrorism, civil rights violations, human trafficking crime, cybercrime, white-collar crime, and/or fraud.

The services provided can include crisis intervention directed toward deescalating a situation, establishing physical and emotional safety, providing concrete/basic needs assessments, identifying emergency needs, and empowering the victim’s ability to make choices regarding possible courses of action.

Beyond offering emotional support, Victim Specialists provide information on victimization, crime prevention, legal rights and protections, the criminal justice process, and referrals for services.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is looking for Victim Specialists; you may select and be considered for our current Victim Specialist vacancies. Locations are listed in the application and you will have the opportunity to choose up to 3 location preferences when you apply.

This posting is targeted towards filling Indian Country areas of responsibility to include the below locations:

• Bemidji, Minnesota
• Flagstaff, Arizona
• Great Falls, Montana
• Lander, Wyoming
• Las Cruces, New Mexico
• Monticello, Utah

Additional selections may be made from this announcement for other Indian Country locations that are not listed above.

This posting will close on April 12, 2023 11:59PM ET.

Questions regarding this opening should be directed to FBI_FOStaffing@fbi.gov

Travel: Mandatory travel is required for this position

Salary & Benefits:

GS-11: $59,319.00 - $77,112.00
GS-12: $71,099.00 - $92,429.00

• NOTE: The salaries listed above are the Base rate of pay for federal employees on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale. A complete list of Pay Tables factoring in locality pay (based on the geographical area) can be found on OPM.gov.

Full Performance Level: GS 13

In order to recruit and retain highly qualified candidates, selectees may be eligible for a $7,500.00 or a 25% recruitment incentive depending on location. To be eligible for a recruitment incentive, proof of change in residency will be required. Prior to receiving a recruitment incentive, an employee must sign a written agreement to complete a 1-2 year service agreement.

Key Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret Clearance
• Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid driver’s license
• Selectee may be required to complete form FD-887, Request for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
• Travel will be required for vicitm assistance, special deployment, and/or conferences/training

Mission Statement

The mission of the FBI is to protect the American People and uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Major Duties

• Provides direct assistance services to persons who have suffered direct or threatened physical, emotional, psychological, or pecuniary harm as a result of violent crime, severe trauma, acts of terrorism, and/or fraud.
• Contacts victims, conducts needs assessment and develops an action plan for immediate and on-going services as indicated by the needs assessment.
• Provides crisis intervention services, which are directed toward de-escalating a situation, establishes physical and emotional safety, and provides concrete/basic needs services, emergency needs and reinforcing the victim’s ability to make choices regarding possible courses of action.
• Maintains involvement either through outreach or membership on multidisciplinary teams, with local agencies that provide services to federal crime victims.
• Develops and implements trainings and presentations related to victim concerns and coordination with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, health, social services, schools, and advocacy organizations.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Please make sure your specialized experience/requirement(s) can be identified in your resume. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the FBI’s Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement and will be compared to your responses to the online assessment questionnaire. High self-assessment in the vacancy questions that is not supported by information in your resume, and/or supporting documents may eliminate you from Most Competitive status.

Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Most Competitive, Competitive, or Least Competitive. Names of candidates in the Most Competitive category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Veterans’ preference will be applied.

All applicants will be rated on the following Competencies:

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Flexibility/Adaptability
• Initiative
• Interpersonal Ability
• Leadership
• Organizing and Planning
• Problem Solving/Judgment

Positive Education Requirement

This position has a specific education requirement; all applicants must verify completion of this basic educational requirement by submitting a copy of their college transcripts by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Basic Requirement

Bachelor's degree (or higher) in behavioral or social science, or a discipline related to the victim assistance field, including but not limited to: Criminal Justice, Social Work, Counseling, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Victimology, Gender and Women Studies.

or

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

or

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Selective Placement Factor: The Victim Services Division requires applicants to possess a minimum of 3 years of full-time work experience in which the applicant is providing direct services to Indian Country victims of violent crimes, severe trauma, acts of terrorism, and fraud. Volunteer work experience may be considered supplemental to the 3 years of full-time, primary experience, but it will not be credited as meeting the selective placement factor.

Specialized Experience (SE):

GS 11: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. SE is:

• Worked within a law enforcement or victim services agency to provide direct victim assistance to include crisis intervention to victims who have suffered direct or threatened physical, emotional, psychological, or financial harm as a result of violent crime.

GS 12: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. SE is:

• Worked within a law enforcement or victim services agency to provide direct victim assistance to include crisis intervention to victims who have suffered direct or threatened physical, emotional, psychological, or financial harm as a result of violent crime.
• In the realm of providing direct victim services, managed competing priorities of short-term projects and longer-term strategies with minimal guidance.
• Provided direct services to victims in specialized populations such as children, elderly, human trafficking, and mass violence.

Education

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

GS 11: Education may be substituted for Specialized Experience if Applicant has a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Degree must be in behavioral or social science, or a discipline related to the victim assistance field.

GS 12: Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at these grade levels.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

How to Apply
For detailed instructions related to applying, uploading documents, withdrawing an application or updating your application, please review instructions on