Criminal Investigator Job

Vacancy No. DHA-12751000-25-FM Department Pentagon Force Protection Agency
Salary $101,401.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/17/2025 Close Date 6/27/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Falls Church, VAPentagon, Arlington, VA


Summary

The employee serves as a Criminal Investigator and Special Agent in the performance of criminal investigative and protective duties in support of the PFPA mission. The employee is responsible for conducting a full range of criminal, employee misconduct, protective intelligence investigations, Protective Security Missions, and designated inspections. This position is a GS-12/13, with a FPL of GS-13, positions are in various directorates, divisions, and offices of PFPA.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

Duties

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section 9902(b)(2) of Title 5 U.S. Code.

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.


Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Conducts criminal investigations of violations against persons and property under DoD jurisdiction, adhering to federal laws and directives, and makes arrests, as necessary.
  • Investigates complex cases including threats, theft, computer crimes, and narcotics violations impacting DoD personnel, facilities, and contracts.
  • Prepares detailed investigative reports and briefs officials on findings and progress.
  • Conducts interviews and gathers evidence through records, surveillance, and undercover operations, securing warrants and subpoenas as needed.
  • Processes crime scenes and collects evidence, adhering to applicable regulations and security protocols.
  • Conducts protective services missions and supports major events.
Additional Condition of Employment:
  • The following medical requirements apply to all employees: good near and distant vision, ability to distinguish basic colors, emotional and mental stability, and the ability to hear the conversational voice. In addition, the position requires common physical characteristics and abilities in agility, dexterity, and strength to endure regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, driving, bending, stooping, carrying, or moving heavy or unwieldy objects over 50 pounds, running, climbing, crouching, crawling and kneeling during pursuit possibly in restricted, dark and hot or cold spaces, or defending oneself or others against possible exposure to explosives, chemicals, or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD)

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment
  • Required to participate in the direct deposit program
  • This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
  • This position may be subject to the DoD Priority Placement Program
  • This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance
  • Employees in this position are designated as MISSION ESSENTIAL. Mission essential employees are expected to report for, or remain at, work in dismissal/closure situations due to to adverse weather. natural disasters, or other emergency situations.
  • The incumbent may be required to travel extensively outside the continental United States (OCONUS) in combat zones, as well as outside of the assigned office commuting area.
  • The incumbent must be in a constant state of physical readiness, and must be capable of demonstrating maximum physical exertion without warning.
  • This position requires the incumbent to take and pass annual medical examination.
  • The incumbent must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license from the jurisdiction where he or she resides.
  • As an employee representing PFPA, it is essential that the employee always present a professional appearance (unless the incumbent is performing in authorized under cover operations)
  • The incumbent must meet requirements of "Lautenberg Agreement" which outline rules regarding possessing and carrying of firearms.
  • This position falls under the Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) Act. Incumbent is required to work an additional 2 hours per day (10-hour workday) in order to receive the 25% Availability Pay allowance as this Act specifies
  • This position is identified as a "covered position" under the PFPA Civilian Mobility Program, Regulation 1400.24. Candidates selected for this position on or after April 18,2018 must sign a mobility agreement as a condition of employment.
  • Retention in this position is contingent upon the successful completion of all federal, DoD and Agency directed training requirements.
  • This position is covered under the Federal Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage.
  • The maximum entry age for positions covered under the special Law Enforcement Officer retirement is 37 years old. Individuals who are past the maximum, entry age limit, but previously served in a primary position, may be reinstated.

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume?
at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/

Basic Requirement for the GS-1811 (Criminal Investigator) Series:

The Criminal Investigation occupation has specific medical requirements which apply to all positions. 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. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction; 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 level. Possess emotional and mental stability.

In addition to the Basic Requirement listed above, you must meet the qualification requirement for the grade(s) to which you apply.

You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-11) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in:
  1. Conducting criminal or administrative investigations or protective service operations related to personnel or facilities; and,
  2. Providing guidance to peers involved in investigations or protective service operations; and,
  3. Presenting reports of investigation or special security assessments to internal or external partners.
You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in:
  1. Planning criminal or administrative investigations or protective service operations related to personnel or facilities; and,
  2. Providing technical guidance to officials and peers regarding investigations or protective service operations; and,
  3. Presenting reports of investigation or special security assessments to internal or external partners.

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.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. 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; and,
  • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

Priority consideration programs continue under their current operating procedures.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application. Please view the following link for information on how to obtain an alternative application https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?%20title=Alternate_Application_Information

Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

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.

Review our 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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire and the competencies listed below. The assessment questionnaire link can be found under the 'How To Apply' section.

  • Behavior Detection and Analysis
  • Investigatory Methodology
  • Jurisprudence
  • Oral Communication
  • Physical Evidence
  • Problem Solving
  • Protective Services
  • Writing


YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS. You MUST upload the applicable documents with your application package. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume may be submitted in any format that includes your name and contact information (telephone number and/or email).
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you will not be considered for this vacancy.

2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action", if applicable and optional.
  • DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities, if applicable.
  • Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

Required Documents

DOES THIS POSITION REQUIRE A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE? You are strongly encouraged to provide a copy of your license or certificate in your application package. It is also acceptable to document your license number and the name of the licensing authority in your resume.

ARE YOU A VETERAN CLAIMING SOLE SURVIVORSHIP PREFERENCE OR 5-POINT VETERANS' PREFERENCE?
1. You must provide legible copy/copies of the following: DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as type of discharge and character of service (Honorable, General, etc.) or Statement of Service/Proof of Service (in lieu of a DD-214) from your command or local Personnel Support Detachment (PSD). The Statement of Service/Proof of Service must provide all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.). Veterans should upload their DD-214 once they receive it upon separation.
2. You should also document your complete military service information in the Veterans Preference and Military Service Section of the assessment questionnaire (type of preference, dates of service, date of VA letter, character of service, disability claim and rank and date of retirement if retired).

ARE YOU A DISABLED VETERAN or CLAIMING 10-POINT VETERANS' PREFERENCE?
1. Disabled veterans, veterans, widows, spouses or the mother of a veteran, who are eligible for 10-point veterans' preference, you must provide legible copies of the following: Applicable supporting documents as noted on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). To obtain a copy of SF-15, go to: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified up to and including the full performance level. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement (06/27/2025) to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12751000
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login) all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents are legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.

Washington Headquarters Services provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please view the "Alternate Application" method listed in the "Other Information" section of this announcement. Your requests for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Please visit the following link for more information http://http://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/issuances/admin_inst/

Agency contact information

Washington HQ Services
Address
Pentagon Force Protection Agency
Human Resources Directorate
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Stay informed of changes to your application status by signing up for automatic email alerts at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Applicant/Application/ListApplications?

Washington Headquarters Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

NOTE: "Recruitment, relocation, and retention incentives may be considered".


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.