Criminal Investigator

Full Job Description

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations.

You will qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level. Specialized experience at this level includes: 1.

Presenting evidence that reconstructs events, sequences, and time element to establish relationships, responsibilities, legal liabilities, and conflict. 2.

Utilizing techniques, methods, and equipment in conducting a full life cycle criminal investigation to include drafting and preparing concise, logical reports of investigations and summaries. 3.

Collaborating with other law enforcement agencies for purpose of obtaining their cooperation in furnishing information concerning illegal activities involving violations of criminal law Additional Requirements: Training Requirement: This position requires that you have completed the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA or an approved comparable course: 1) Federal Bureau of Investigation, Basic Special Agent Academy; 2) Drug Enforcement Administration, Basic Special Agent Academy; 3) U.S.

Postal Inspector Basic Inspection Training Program; 4) United States Army Military Police School, CID Special Agent Course; and 5) U.S.

Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Special Investigators Course). Note: Please list it on your resume and a copy of your certificate and/or transcripts is required upon selection.

Firearm Requirement: This position requires you to be authorized to carry a firearm and maintain firearm proficiency. Therefore, it is subject to the Lautenberg Amendment, 18 U.S.C.

Section 922(g) (9) and you will be required to verify that you have not been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Age Requirement: This position is covered by the law enforcement officer retirement provisions, 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) or 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d), and as such is covered by a mandatory age requirement.

There is a maximum entry age of the day before your 37th birthday for original appointment into law enforcement officer positions as defined in 5 U.S.C. 8331(21) or 5 U.S.C. 8401(17).

This age restriction does not apply to those who have prior Federal service in a covered primary law enforcement position, or to qualified Veterans' preference eligible regardless of whether they meet the maximum age requirements identified at 5 U.S.C.

3307. Medical Requirement: This position requires you to maintain physical fitness standards set by the agency.

The duties of Criminal Investigators 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.

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.

Additionally, the duties of this position involve activities under trying conditions, as such, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability.

This position may require the completion of a Medical Examination that will include testing of your vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities by an authorized Government physician.

If a medical examination is required, you must be cleared by the authorized Government physician in order to be determined physically fit to perform the arduous physical exertion required of this position.

This position has been identified as a Testing Designated Position (TDP); therefore, you are subject to drug testing under OIG's Drug-Free Workplace policy.

Refusal to be randomly tested may result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

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. The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date 02/11/2026 of this announcement.

Current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level or equivalent grade band in the federal service.

The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date 02/11/2026 of this announcement.

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.

Major Duties:

The Office of Investigations is responsible for investigating the appropriate criminal and civil justice system those individuals and organizations involved in financial, professional, civil, or criminal misconduct relating to Department of Homeland Security programs and operations.

The position serves as a Criminal Investigator responsible for the most difficult, sensitive and complex investigative matters.

Case assignments involve matters of extreme sensitivity, scope and complexity; a wide range and variety of interrelated activities; a wide number of separate investigative matters that grow from the original assignments; exceptional difficulty in establishing the interrelationships of fact or evidence; and require extensive and critical jurisdictional problems involved in completing the investigations.

Typical assignments include: Analyzing initial allegations and recommends the extent of investigative resources required and the necessity for any collateral support.

Planning, organizing and personally conducting investigations with regard to a wide variety of allegations received by the Office of Inspector General which typically involve extremely complex, difficult or sensitive criminal or administrative investigations of major importance and high level interest and misconduct allegations involving high ranking officials of the Department of Homeland Security.

Coordinating major multi-agent cases or investigations, which involve multiple subjects.

Drafting and preparing concise, logical reports of investigations and summaries, including recommendations for prospective and corrective action for the Office of Investigations.

Maintaining liaison with other law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and national levels for purpose of obtaining their cooperation in furnishing information concerning illegal activities involving violations of criminal law related to DHS personnel in the private sector which could assist in ferreting out violations.