Entry Level Fbi Forensic Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

This position advertised has been exempted from the federal civilian hiring freeze.
Current FBI employees are ineligible to apply if serving under the same conditions as that for which is advertised, including:

• Appointing organization (FBI)
• Type of position (full-time, part-time, etc.)
• Same or higher grade
• Duty location (city or state)
• Type of appointment (permanent, temporary, etc.)

Job Opening: 66756
Opening Date: August 10, 2026
Closing Date: August 24, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET)
Job Title PHYSICAL SECURITY SPECIALIST (NUCLEAR), GS-12/13 Full Performance Level GS-13 Division Laboratory Unit Scientific Response & Analysis Unit (SRAU) Location Quantico, VA Working Hours 8:00AM - 4:30PM Job Type Full Time/Permanent Who May Apply All U.S. Citizens Number of Positions Available 1 Questions Email: rlwhite@fbi.gov Salary GS-12: $102,415.00 - $133,142.00
GS-13: $121,785.00 - $158,322.00
Additional selections may be made from this announcement to fill positions within the same division when the position includes substantially the same duties, responsibilities, and qualifications.
JOB SUMMARY
The mission of the SRAU is to provide scientific, technical and forensic support of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal and intelligence investigations involving the actual or threatened use of any hazardous material, including weapons of mass destruction.
KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret-SCI clearance
• Must be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance
• Some travel may be extensive and may be to sites outside the United States.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work performed in an office environment is primarily sedentary. On-site activities may require the wearing of protective gear, such as breathing equipment and protective suits, while engaging in active physical activity to include long periods of standing, stooping, bending, carrying of heavy objects, and collection and processing of evidence in a hazardous materials environment.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
A portion of the work is performed in offices and classrooms. A percentage of work is also performed at the site of an investigation, where there is potential for exposure to materials requiring protective measures depending upon the known or potential nature of the hazards, such as terrorists releasing nuclear or radioactive materials, lethal chemicals, or biological agents. These investigative sites may require wearing fully protective garments and careful adherence to precautionary techniques and operating procedures. Some work may also be conducted in confined spaces, thereby creating additional hazards.
MAJOR DUTIES:
GS-12:

• Facilitate the implementation of operational strategies and contingency plans in response to various scenarios involving radiologically contaminated evidence and/or crime scenes.
• Support forensic teams and the FBI's crime scene manager at the incident site, providing guidance and recommendations to help advance investigative efforts.
• Attend SRAU meetings and other national and regional conferences, to keep abreast of current and future developments in nuclear/radiological threat matters.
• Support nationwide training efforts and provide specialized guidance regarding evidence recovery operations involving radiological materials.

GS-13:
In addition to the above, the individual selected for the position will:

• Implement operational strategies and contingency plans during various scenarios surrounding radiologically contaminated evidence and/or crime scenes, and advise on the potential threat of nuclear/radiological materials and its safe acquisition for forensic evidence.
• Advise and consult supervisors and FBI managers on nuclear operations, nuclear emergency preparedness, and the radiological protocols utilized during events that may adversely affect public health and safety.
• Develop, monitor and manage nationwide training efforts supporting evidence recovery operations involving radiological materials.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATIONS
Please ensure that your specialized experience and requirements are clearly identifiable in your resume. Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
If you are found minimally qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
The competencies will be used in a Structured Resume Review to objectively evaluate applicant resumes. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.
Competencies:

• Problem Solving/Judgement
• Hazardous Materials (Radiological/Nuclear Material)
• Physical Requirements
• Risk Management (Operations)
• Collaboration

Specialized Experience (SE):
GS-12: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. SE is defined as follows:

• Consulting and assessing crime scenes containing radiological materials or involving nuclear-related components and/or operations.
• Coordinating with entities outside of the FBI for response, recovery and analysis of nuclear/weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents.
• Establishing, developing and maintaining professional networks with scientific, technical and investigative personnel.

GS-13:
In addition to the above, the individual selected for this position will be:

• Utilizing protocols to respond to various WMD incidents and crime scenes.

HOW TO APPLY
For detailed instructions related to applying, uploading documents, withdrawing an application or updating your application, please review instructions on How to Apply . If applying online is a hardship, please use the contact information listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date for assistance.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
To apply to this position, interested applicants must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:

1. Utilizing the Resume Builder, outline your relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Uploaded resumes will not be reviewed or used for qualification purposes.
2. Other supporting documents:
   • College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement
   • Former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG). Actions such as promotion, within grade increase, or reassignment actions must be submitted as your most recent SF 50.
   • Most recent Performance Appraisal; not applicable to current FBI employees
     Veterans: DD 214; Disabled Veterans: DD 214, SF-15, and VA letter dated 1991 or later
   • Memorandum for Record (MFR): Work performed outside assigned duties (that would not normally be documented on an SF-50, i. e., back-up duties), has to be documented in detail by an immediate supervisor in order to receive full credit for amount of time worked in that position. If no documentation is furnished no credit will be given for time worked in that position. The following notations must be specified in the documentation:
     • Percent of time worked in the particular position (cannot conflict with main duties.
     • The month/year work began
       Frequency worked (i.e., daily, monthly, etc.)
     • Specific duties performed

Attach the Memorandum for Record to your application in the "Cover Letters and Attachments" section of My Career Tools on the Careers Home page. Please upload the attachment as type "Other."
While applicants might see these documents in their profile, HR Specialists may be unable to access them. Therefore, all applicants MUST upload another copy to ensure that staffing units can review the complete application.
Please note: Failure to provide the necessary and relevant information required by this vacancy announcement may disqualify you from consideration. Incomplete applications will not be supplemented with additional requests for information; your application will be evaluated solely on the information you submit. You must complete the application process and submit all required documents by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement's closing date.
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The FBI is in the Executive Branch of the federal government. It is one of the components of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The FBI is the principle investigative arm of the DOJ. All FBI positions are in the excepted service.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens and consent to a complete background investigation, urinalysis, and polygraph. You must be suitable for Federal employment; as determined by a background investigation.
• Positions with fitness for duty requirements or those that require international travel may require proof of certain vaccinations.
• Management may select any grade for which this position has been announced.
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher-level duties.
  If you are selected, you will be required to serve a two-year probationary period. Probationary employees are precluded from being considered for all job opportunities until 12-months of their 24-month probationary period has concluded. Probationary Employees may be considered for competitive vacancies that are advertised within their respective division or field office after serving 90 days within the FBI.

Veterans' Preference
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume and application. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency.
Nepotism
Nepotism is the act of favoring relatives in the hiring process and is prohibited by law. Public officials are prohibited from hiring or promoting relatives or relatives of officials in their chain of command, as well as actively or indirectly endorse a relative's appointment or promotion. During the hiring process, all selected candidates and FBI hiring managers will be required to certify they are not related to anyone involved in the hiring process.
Reasonable Accommodation
The FBI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs (OEEOA) Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Program by email at REASONABLE_ACCOMMODA@fbi.gov, phone at 202-324-2158, or fax at 202-324-3976. This email address is for reasonable accommodation requests only. Do not send applications or unrelated inquiries to this address, as they will not be considered.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The FBI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for this vacancy. Unless explicitly authorized by law, selection will be made without regard to, and there will be no discrimination because of, color, race, religion, national origin, marital status, parental status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age (40 or over), sex, pregnancy and related conditions, or on the basis of personal favoritism, or any other non-merit factors.
Benefits
The Bureau matches your dedication with a commitment to professional growth, a supportive work environment, and a robust benefits package that prioritizes you. As a member of our team, you'll enjoy comprehensive health and life insurance benefits, paid vacation, sick leave, and federal holidays. For more details about benefits available to all federal employees, visit the Office of Personnel Management's website .
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