CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR

About the role

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service (FPS), Office of Professional Responsibility, Office of Internal Investigations in Alexandria, VA; Lakewood, Colorado. Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

What you will do

• DHS is hiring for law enforcement jobs that have an exciting opportunity!
• Once onboarded, you may be assigned for up to one year to support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.
• The law enforcement component of the D.C. Task Force is a partnership of over 20 federal and local agencies working together to make D.C. the safest city in America.
• Once the assignment ends, you'll transition back to support the DHS.
• Visit the D.C. Task Force page for more information.
• The primary purpose of this position is utilizing a full range of investigative and enforcement capabilities and authorities, to deter, identify, interdict, and investigate suspected major offenses or violations of Federal law, rules, and/ or regulations.
• The incumbent will conduct multiple levels or stages of highly complex and sensitive criminal and administrative investigations that require extensive coordination and planning.
• As a CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR, GS-1811-13, your typical work assignments may include the following: Plans and coordinates all investigative matters in accordance with Federal laws and regulations as well as agency policies.
• Plans and conducts investigations to determine violations of the Federal laws, rules, and/or regulations.
• Interviews subjects, complainants, victims, and third-party witnesses.
• Secures evidence from internal/external sources to determine nature and extent of violation.
• Serves as case agent for interagency investigation and may lead teams of criminal investigators and other law enforcement officers involved in the investigations.
• All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received.
• This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.
• View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see***).
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required One-year probationary period may be required.
• Must meet Time-In-Grade requirements.
• This position requires a valid Motor Vehicle License.
• A pre-employment drug test will be required.
• This position is subject to random drug testing.
• This position requires a pre-employment physical.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• License required: Yes This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.
• Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level.
• Essential Personnel Designation: This position may be designated as essential personnel.
• Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of unscheduled leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding.
• Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. § 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752,as applicable).
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• This position may be designated as emergency personnel and must be able to serve during continuity of operations.

Education

Not Applicable

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

To preview the application questionnaire, click: *** Interviews are required for this position.

Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

(Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

After DHS Headquarters completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared.

There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

Documents you must provide

• Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
• The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center Your responses to the job questionnaire. *** Are you a current or former Federal employee?
• Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases or accessions.
• You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility.
• The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable.
• If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification.
• This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions.
• View more veterans' information.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)?
• Submit the following: A copy of your agency notice, A copy of your most recent performance rating, and A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee?
• Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), Agency, Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
• Are you applying under special hiring authorities as a military spouse?
• Provide a copy of your: Marriage certificate, and Your spouse's PCS orders or a completed SF-15 with supporting documentation.
• Are you applying under Schedule A hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities?
• Provide evidence of your intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefit.
• Information on documentation can be found here.
• If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews.

We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. We expect to make a job offer with 60 days after the deadline for applications.

If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment. Note: If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner.

Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed. DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: *** The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707.

Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.

To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty.

False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.

To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Top Secret as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive High-Risk position.

This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.