Criminal Investigator

About the job Criminal Investigator
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Requirements Conditions of Employment

• 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
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• Must meet Time-In-Grade requirements.
• A pre-employment drug test will be required.
• 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: Incumbent must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license.
• Pre-employment physical required: Yes
• This is a non-bargaining unit position.
• Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.
• Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
• 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).
• The incumbent of this position is subject to random drug testing.

Qualifications Medical Requirements for the GS-1811 Series: The duties of positions in this series require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints is required. Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily. Near vision, corrective lenses permitted, must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters. Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to himself/herself, or others is disqualifying.
Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below. Minimum Qualifications GS-11: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:

• Conducting interrogations and interviews in order to elicit needed information to follow investigative leads;
• Collecting and assembling facts in criminal investigations in order to bring the investigation to a logical conclusion;
• Evaluating criminal intelligence utilizing criminal investigative techniques; and
• Preparing investigative reports using proper grammar to formulate complete and clear thoughts.

OR Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related, from an accredited college or university that provided the knowledge skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work.
OR A combination of specialized experience (less than one year) and graduate education (beyond 2 years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement.
GS-12: Applicant must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following duties:

• Conducting criminal investigations in accordance with legal statutes, constitutional rights, arrest authority, and other relevant criminal investigative procedures;
• Providing technical guidance to trainee Criminal Investigators and/or other law enforcement personnel on assigned investigations;
• Identifying criminal trends to bring the investigation to a conclusion in order to present to the attorney; and
• Presenting details to management officials and/or juries to provide the facts and conclusion of criminal investigations.

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Only the first five pages of your resume will be used to make an eligibility/qualifications determination. Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification. NOTE: 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, 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.
Drug Test : Must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result before you can be appointed into this position. After appointment, you may be subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
Medical Examination : The person selected for this position must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties. This position may be subject to periodic incumbent examinations in the future.
Training Requirement: Incumbent must successfully complete the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigator Training Program, or its equivalent.
Firearms Requirement : The incumbent must carry firearms and maintain proficiency in their care and use in accordance with FPS policy and standards.
Motor Vehicle Operation : Incumbent must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license. Motor vehicles must be driven and managed in accordance with Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Federal Protective Services (FPS) policies and guidance.
Mobility Agreement: This position may required the incumbent to be reassigned to a different geographic location. Accordingly, the incumbent will be required to sign a mobility agreement, which will remain in effect while assigned to this position as a criminal investigator.
Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. Person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for the position.
Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): Incumbent is subject to work unscheduled duty hours and must be available for unscheduled duty based upon the needs of the agency. Therefore, the incumbent is eligible for Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) of an additional 25% and is subject to the provisions of the LEAP Act of 1994.
Age Requirement : There is a maximum entry age of the day before your 37th birthday (except for veterans preference eligible) for entry into law enforcement officer positions. Applicants who have previously been employed in a Federal law enforcement officer position covered by 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) are not restricted from applying.
Primary/Rigorous Requirement : Experience in primary/rigorous law enforcement position(s), or equivalent experience outside the Federal government, is a mandatory prerequisite (5 CFR 831.902 & 5 CFR 842.802).
Education
If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education : If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit:
Additional information
Note: DHS continues to take necessary steps to keep our workforce safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for a Top Secret/SCI clearance is a condition of placement in this special sensitive position. This review includes 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.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12654 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.
Current or Former Political Appointees : The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Career Transition Assistance Program: This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to:
Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
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