U.S.

Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Recruitment, Hiring and Staffing Center

At the Frontline Against Violent Crime

SPECIAL AGENT INFORMATIONAL PACKET

BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES

SPECIAL AGENT
Grades 5, 7, and 9

WANT TO BE A SPECIAL AGENT?

The career of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agent is unique and one of the most
challenging in Federal law enforcement. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., ATF has field offices throughout the United
States and its territories. Highly trained special agents are responsible for investigating violations of Federal law relating
to firearms, explosives, arson, and alcohol and tobacco diversion. These investigations involve surveillance, interviewing
suspects and witnesses, making arrests, obtaining and executing search warrants, and searching for physical evidence.
The profession of special agent is exciting and rewarding. Special agents must be tough - both physically and mentally.
They must also be able to handle rigorous training, personal risks, irregular hours and extensive travel. Special agents
are subject to reassignment to any ATF office in the United States.

Please review the enclosed information regarding salary and benefits,

basic requirements and conditions of employment.

Applications for position openings will ONLY be accepted in response to a specific ATF
job notice or vacancy announcement.
For updates on ATF special agent recruitment efforts, please visit our website at
www.atf.gov or contact the ATF Recruitment, Hiring & Staffing Center at 202-648-9100.

ATF is looking for energetic, innovative, solution-oriented professionals to assist the ATF team
in its mission to prevent terrorism, reduce violent crime and protect the public.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
ATF Publication 2310.4
Revised March 2011

POSITION INFORMATION

Position Title and Grade Levels: Criminal Investigator (Special Agent), GL-1811, grades 5, 7, and 9.

Major Duties:

Investigate criminal violations of Federal laws within the enforcement jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Conduct investigations of violations relating to explosives, firearms, arson, and alcohol and tobacco diversion.
Gather and analyze evidence through investigative leads, seizures and arrests, execution of search warrants, and a variety of
other means.
Prepare concise criminal investigative case reports.
Testify for the Federal government in court and before grand juries.

Work Schedule:
ATFs business hours are generally 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. However, a special agents work schedule
and number of hours worked per day or week will vary according to assignments. (For compensation see Law Enforcement
Availability Pay in the Salary and Benefits section of this informational packet.)

Travel: Travel may be considerable, depending upon assignments.

Base Annual Salary Range For Year 2011

SALARY AND BENEFITS

$33,829 (Grade 5, Step 1) to $42,948 (Grade 9, Step 1)

(Salary range excludes locality pay and 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay).
Starting base salary will depend upon grade qualifications (see the basic qualifications section of this informational packet).

Locality Pay: All ATF duty stations qualify for locality pay. Special agents receive an additional percentage of their base
salary, which will vary by duty location. The current range of locality pay is 14.16% to 35.15%.

Law Enforcement Availability Pay: Because of the type of work and additional work hours, special agents receive 25% Law
Enforcement Availability Pay, which is added to locality pay.

Promotion Potential: The full performance level for this position is Grade 13 ($71,674 - $93,175 excluding Law Enforcement
Availability Pay and locality pay).
Note: Promotions are based upon performance and must receive supervisory approval.

Foreign Language Award Program: The Foreign Language Award Program authorizes cash awards for ATF employees who
possess and make substantial use of one or more foreign language(s) in the performance of their official duties. The cash
award is based upon proficiency and substantial usage.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Must be a U.S. citizen

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System, or be exempt from having
to do so under Selective Service law.

Law Enforcement Age Requirement: applicants must be at least 21 years of age and not older than 37 at the time of
appointment in accordance with Public Law 100-238, this position is covered under law enforcement retirement provisions;
therefore, candidates must be appointed before reaching their 37th birthday unless they are a preference eligible veteran OR
presently serve or have previously served in a Federal civilian law enforcement retirement-covered position (after subtracting the
years/months of prior Federal service worked in a primary law enforcement position, applicants must be at least 37 years of
age). The maximum entry age limit was established under the age discrimination prohibitions contained in Section 15 of the
Age Discrimination and Employment Act.

Possess a current and valid automobile operators license.

Complete ATF special agent applicant questionnaire (at time of application).

Take and pass the ATF Special Agent Examination.

Take and pass the ATF Special Agent Applicant Assessment Test.

Take and pass the Pre-employment Physical Task Test which is composed of three elements (1.5 mile run, push-ups and situps), with a minimum score.

Appear for and successfully complete a field panel interview a writing sample will be required.

Be in compliance with ATFs drug policy for special agent applicants (posted at Careers at www.atf.gov ).

Take and pass a medical examination by an authorized government physician and meet medical requirements. Medical
requirements include:
At a minimum, ATF Special Agents must meet uncorrected distance vision of at least 20/100 in each eye, and corrected
distance vision must test 20/20 in one eye and 20/30 in the other. Normal depth perception and peripheral vision are
required as is the ability to distinguish shades of color by plate tests.
Applicants that have undergone Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK); Laser in-situ Keratomileusis (LASIK);
Photorefractive Keratecotomy (PRK); and Radial Keratotomy (RK) must provide proof that they have passed the specific
protocol. The test must be administered by a board-certified opthalmologist who will document the results of the protocol
test and that the test was performed no sooner than the prescribed time after the date of surgery (3 months or one year,
depending on the type of surgery).
Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 30 decibels at 500, 1000, and 2000 HZ levels.
Applicants must be able to perform physically strenuous duties safely.

Weight must be in proportion to height.

Take and pass a drug test.

Take and successfully complete a polygraph examination.

Successfully complete a background investigation for a top secret security clearance.

This position requires the incumbent to carry a firearm and ammunition. Persons who have been convicted of felonies and
certain misdemeanors, including a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (Title 18, U.S.C. section 922 (g) (9)) are not eligible
to possess a firearm or ammunition.

Applicants will be required to sign a geographic mobility agreement acknowledging that if selected, they may be
assigned to any office in the United States, to includeU.S. territories, and are subject to relocation at any time.

Payment of relocation expenses to the first appointment with ATF will not be authorized unless you are a current ATF employee.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
All applicants must take and pass a pre-employment Physical Task Test (PTT). Applicants will be tested one time only in three areas, in the
following order, and with minimal rest between events: 1. Sit-ups (the maximum number performed within 1 minute without stopping). 2. Pushups (the maximum number performed within 1 minute without stopping). 3. One-and-one-half-mile run (the minimum completion time for a 1.5mile run.) To pass, applicants must achieve age and gender-based minimum scores for the 1.5-mile run, sit-ups and push-ups as listed at the
ATF web site, www.atf.gov. The same PTT will be administered again during the first week of the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP)
and must be passed with the same minimum scores. Prior to the completion of CITP each applicant must take and pass the PTT again and
must achieve a higher score based on age and gender-based standards as posted on the ATF web site (http://www.atf.gov/careers/specialagents/training.html).

The ATF National Academy strongly encourages all applicants and new special agent hires to be in top physical condition prior to arriving at the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). The physical demands of the training at FLETC and the ATF National Academy require
repetitive long distance running, repetitive calisthenics, lifting moderate to heavy weights, considerable physical exertion during the prescribed
training regimen and other physical fitness-related activities, and considerable physical exertion while demonstrating a variety of law
enforcement techniques and methods.

The ATF PTT will be administered at each of the 25 ATF Field Division Offices. ATF Field Division Offices are listed on the ATF website at
www.atf.gov.

For additional information on special agent training requirements, visit the Careers section at www.atf.gov (click on Special Agent then ATF
Pre-employment Physical Task Test link).

METHODS OF RECRUITMENT
Applicants must meet basic qualifications (at least) at the GS-5 level to be eligible to take the ATF Special Agent Examination (see the basic
qualifications section of this informational packet).

All applicants must take and pass the ATF Special Agent Examination and the ATF Special Agent Applicant Assessment to be eligible for further
consideration for special agent positions.

Administration of Tests: The test sessions are approximately 4 hours for both tests. The Office of Personnel Management administers and
scores both tests.

Applications for position openings or testing opportunities will only be accepted in response to a specific ATF job notice or vacancy
announcement.

For updates on ATF Special Agent recruitment efforts, please visit the Career Opportunities section of our website at www.atf.gov.

BASIC
QUALIFICATIONS
FOR GRADE 5

A bachelors degree
from an accredited
college or university

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
FOR GRADE 7

A bachelors degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA).

Superior Academic Achievement is based on one of the following:

Class standing applicants must be in the upper third of the

graduating class.

OR

Three years of
general experience,
one of which was
equivalent to at
least the GS-4
level. General
experience is
defined as
progressively
responsible work in
criminal
investigative or law
enforcement fields
that requires
knowledge and
application of laws
relating to criminal
violations;
OR

A combination of
education and
experience.
Education is
credited on the
basis of 30
semester hours or
45 quarter hours of
undergraduate work
which is equivalent
to 9 months of work
experience.
Note: see nonqualifying general
experience section.

Grade point average applicants must have a minimum average

of 2.95 out of a possible 4.0, based on 4 years of education or
based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the
curriculum.

Three point five (3.5) or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the
average of the required courses completed in the major field of
study or the required courses in the major field completed during
the final 2 years of the curriculum.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
FOR GRADE 9

OR

Applicants are required to provide proof of SAA; or

GS-7 requirements may also be met by completion of 1 year of fulltime graduate education (18 semester hours) or

One full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the

GS-5 grade level. Specialized experience is experience in or
related to investigations of criminal violations that provided the
specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the
duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized
experience include:
Leadership or membership on a military intelligence or
criminal investigative team or component in which the principal
duties consisted of security investigations, intelligence
gathering or criminal prosecution.
Analyzing raw investigative data and preparing
comprehensive written investigative reports.
Investigating complex claims involving suspected crimes or
alleged fraud.
Investigating criminal cases requiring the use of recognized
investigative methods that may have included presenting
evidence in court.
Supervising or conducting interrogations that involved eliciting
evidence, data or surveillance information.
Law enforcement work in which 50 percent or more of the time
involved criminal investigations requiring the use of
surveillance, undercover or other criminal detection methods.
Investigating computerized businesses and/or accounting
systems and forming sound conclusions as to related criminal
business practices and compliance with federal laws and
regulations.
Investigative work that required rapid, accurate judgments and
sound decision-making in applying regulations, instructions
and procedures.
Successful completion of formalized programs of in-service
training for any of the above.

A masters degree or
other graduate degree
such as: an LL.B, J.D.
etc.,
OR

Membership in a national honor society as listed in the Association

of College Honor Societies: Booklet of Information (1992-95)
and/or Bairds Manual of American College Fraternities (1991).

Two full years of

progressively higher level
graduate education;

One full year of

specialized experience.
Experience must have
been equivalent to at least
the GS-7 level. The
applicant must have
specific knowledge, skills
and abilities using criminal
investigative techniques to
successfully perform the
duties of the position.
NON-QUALIFYING
GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Work experience as a
uniformed law
enforcement officer,
where the principal duties
consist of investigations
and arrests, involving
traffic violations, minor
felonies, misdemeanors,
and comparable offenses;
or

Work experience in which

the major duties involve
guarding and protecting
property; preventing
crimes, and/or legal
research without the
application of investigative
techniques.