Criminal Investigator - Special Agent

About the role

The Office of the Inspector General is one of the best places to work in the Department of Justice and is one of the premier inspector general offices in federal government. The Investigations Division (INV) investigates alleged criminal violations and misconduct that govern DOJ employees, operations, grantees, and contractors.

Annually INV receives more than 13,000 complaints, opens approximately 250 investigations, and makes an average of over 90 arrests.

What you will do

• This position falls under the direction of the Investigations Division.
• If you are selected as a Criminal Investigator, your responsibilities would include, but would not be limited to assisting and/or individually performing the following duties: Organize, plan, and conduct the investigation of major and/or sensitive criminal activity, which can be complex and sensitive in nature.
• Apprehend, arrest, detain and interview all subjects suspected of violations of Federal, State, and local laws.
• Testifies at hearings and trials and secures search warrants through processing of affidavit.
• Gather information at a crime scene and, document interrelationships of facts, relevance of evidence and validity of allegations involving criminal activity.
• Prepare and/or review reports of investigations to ensure they are prepared in a clear, concise, logical and impartial manner for submission to the appropriate law enforcement, attorneys or prosecutors office.
• Perform surveillance of sites and suspects and/or perform sensitive undercover assignments to obtain evidence, establish probable cause or link multiple suspects and events to criminal activity.

Education

2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree or a LL.B or J.D., in a related field of study OR a combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement. OR A combination of experience and education that totals 100% of the requirement above.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment questionnaire.

If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. **Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify.

For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.** 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, see *** For foreign education, see: ***

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 and a review of your application by a panel of subject matter experts.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Ability to assist with criminal investigations Ability to communicate investigative findings orally and in writing Ability to assist with executing search warrants, arrests, handling informants, and working/organizing undercover operations and ability to conduct physical and electronic surveillance.

USA Hire Assessment: Applicants will be required to complete a USA Hire Assessment. This assessment is online and measures competencies required to perform in the position. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score of 70 or fail to complete the USA Hire assessment.

Additional information can be found under "How to Apply". Subject Matter Expert (SME) Resume Review: In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. A subject matter expert, or SME, is a person with bona fide expert knowledge about what it takes to successfully perform in a particular job.

The SME(s) will measure potential applicants for the critical competencies. Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications, as well as any required certification(s) applicable to the position. Applicants found to meet the requirements will be eligible to move forward for additional hiring consideration.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: *** If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for further employment consideration.

Documents you must provide

• Resume Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages.
• If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement.
• The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position.
• Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, and social).
• Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
• You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
• SF-50 documentation (if applicable) Must document (most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase, or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action if you are applying as a current or former Federal Employee) you have acquired competitive status, and the highest grade or promotion potential you held.
• CTAP/ICTAP documentation (if applicable) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
• If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.
• To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria.
• You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority.
• Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
• Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: ***
• The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
• If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.
• To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria.
• You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.
• Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: ***
• Veterans' Preference documentation (if applicable) If you are a veteran and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility.
• If you are a veteran and you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.
• For more information on veterans' preference click here.
• Education documentation (if applicable) Degree: Unofficial college transcript (If you are selected, an official transcript will be required before your first day) Schedule A documentation (if applicable) Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department.
• DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes.

What to expect next

We will notify you of your candidate status after each step of the recruitment process (receipt of application, determination of basic qualifications, notice of forward to selecting official, and final selection). We expect to make a tentative job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement and will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

We expect to make a final job offer once all reviews have been completed. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.

Additional information

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). The CTAP/ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for CTAP/ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.

To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria.

You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority.

Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is at: ***

DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: *** As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce.

To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service.

If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under the VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: ***