Practical Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse)

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

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

Clarification from the agency

• THIS IS A DELEGATED EXAMINING ANNOUNCEMENT OPEN TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS. • Duty Location: FMC Devens, MA

Duties

Provides a range of standard patient care under the guidance of a Supervisory Clinical Nurse.


Assists with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.


Provides first aid and assists with providing emergency medical care to inmates injured in fights and/or accidents.


Administers and documents medications accurately according to policy/procedure and physician orders.


Assigned to rotating shifts and patient care units.


Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution.

The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is Required.
• See Special Conditions of Employment Section.
• Selective Service Requirement:

Career Transition Programs ( CTAP or ICTAP ): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

• 1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
• 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
• 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility:
  • A copy of the agency notice (i.e., separation notice or agency RIF letter),
  • Most recent performance appraisal, and
  • Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
  • See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP or ICTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here:

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.



Basic Requirements:



Licensure: Candidates must be currently licensed to practice as practical or vocational nurses in a State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, or must have applied for a license to practice. Applications of candidates possessing a license must be accompanied by a certified or photostatic copy of the license, a notarized statement attesting to the fact, or a citation of the license number and State issuing it.


NOTE:ALL applicants MUST submit proof of current, active and unrestricted license for verification. Your documentation MUST be uploaded at the time you apply.



AND



Additional Requirements:



Education/Training:



GL-06 and GL-07:


There is no substitution of education for specialized experience.



OR



Experience:



GL-06 and GL-07:


You must have at least one year of nursing experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. Qualifying experience includes nursing care work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other supervised medical, nursing, or patient care facility that provided a practical knowledge of human body structure and sterile techniques and procedures, performing such duties as:



GL-06:

• • Experience providing pre-and post-operative patient care.
  • Experience administering medication, observing, recording, and reporting changes in behavior of patients.
  • Experience providing reassurance and encouragement to patients.
  • Experience setting up and operating medical equipment.
  • Experience assisting surgeons and registered nurses in operating room activities, including passing instruments, maintaining sterile conditions, and draping and positioning patients.

GL-07:

• • Experience providing pre-and post-operative patient care.
  • Experience administering treatments and/or medications, EKG’s, etc., and observing, recording, and reporting changes in behavior of mentally ill patients.
  • Experience providing reassurance and encouragement to mentally ill patients.
  • Experience assisting surgeons and registered nurses in operating room activities, including passing instruments, maintaining sterile conditions, and draping and positioning patients.
  • Experience setting up and operating special medical equipment and apparatus.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable .

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for original appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution. If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.


Qualified Preference Eligible Veterans may be exempt from meeting the maximum age. Please refer to the Required Documents Section for the appropriate documentation to submit to validate veteran eligibility.



Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.

All applicants are subject to, and must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements in relation to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques", three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.


Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

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.

Benefits

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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Based upon your responses to the assessment questions during the application process, your application will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified . Applications will be reviewed from the top quality category. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are found qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to the responses you provided on the online assessment.

NOTE: Candidates within the top quality category and who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.


If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume. Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under "How You Will Be Evaluated", veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). As noted above, an agency may not select a non-preference eligible in lieu of a preference eligible in the same category unless there are grounds for a passover and the agency has complied with the passover procedures at 5 U.S.C. § 3318(b).

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

GL-06 and GL-07:

• Ability to communicate orally.
• Ability to perform nursing procedures and nursing protocol.
• Ability to recognize, report and record changes on patient's physical and emotional condition.
• Ability to assist in the development of a patient care plan to meet the needs of assigned patients.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

Failure to provide legible required documents and/or follow the prescribed format often results in removal from consideration. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD-214, or Transcripts.

• Veterans' Preference Documentation:
• • Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
  • DD-214: Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
  • SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit:
  • • A completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" AND all required documentation identified on the SF-15 .
    • NOTE: A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain the Veteran’s Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation. For a copy of the most current SF-15, Click Here .
  • If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information: (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) and the character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and (3) any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
• Resume (limited to 2 pages) must include your name, contact information, and relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee’s position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, MOU, etc.). If providing a memorandum, it must follow the format below AND clearly cite the duties performed.
• To receive credit for experience, your resume and/or any satisfactory evidence must include:
• • Start date and end date in month/year format (MM/YYYY) AND
  • Number of hours worked per week.
• College transcript: includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree, and Date Awarded (if applicable).
• • NOTE : If you are selected, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day.
• SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.
• Proof of ICTAP/CTAP eligibility , Click Here, if applicable.

For more help, visit USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my resume?

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

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

You must apply through the online application system at Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.

Limit your resume to 2 pages. If the only resume(s) received is/are longer than two pages, your application is ineligible for further consideration. Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.

We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. USAJOBS Help Center - How to add a resume to your profile

Claiming Veterans Preference? If yes, you MUST claim preference on-line during the application process and upload documentation to support preference claimed. Failure to claim Veterans Preference or provide supporting documentation may result in you not receiving appropriate consideration during the assessment process.

Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation.

Supporting documentation for announcements with an application limitation MUST be uploaded the same day you apply, as these positions may close earlier than stated in the announcement.

Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.

If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants.

Contact for Assistance in Applying On-Line:
DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
E-Mail: View email address on jobs.institutedata.com
Phone: View phone number on jobs.institutedata.com

Agency contact information

CSU

Phone

View phone number on jobs.institutedata.com

Email

View email address on jobs.institutedata.com

Address

JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75051
United States

Next steps

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the application process has been completed.

Applicants will be notified via e-mail, to the e-mail address registered in USAJOBS. The referral certificate or list of eligibles will then be issued to the selecting official for further consideration.

The Human Resource Office may then contact you for an interview if they wish. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants referred on a certificate of eligibles may receive an Inquiry as to Availability (Optional Form – 5) via e-mail, mail or a telephone inquiry from the local Human Resource Department. Applicants MUST complete the OF-5 form and return it to the Human Resource Management Office.

Applicants MUST also telephone the Human Resource Department during normal business hours to schedule an interview. Failure to either return the form or contact the Human Resource Department will result in a loss of consideration for the position.

Overview

Accepting applications

Posted yesterday · Apply by 06/15/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 15, 2026

Location

Fort Devens, MA

1 vacancy

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

No

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Salary

$60,000 - $81,917 per year

Pay scale & grade

GL 06 - 07

Promotion potential

07

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0620 Practical Nurse

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

Yes

Security clearance

Other

Announcement number

DEV-2026-0067

Control number

871207300