Criminal Investigator

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees serving under a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service; applicants with reinstatement eligibility; applicants eligible for appointment under special appointing authorities; special selection priority consideration under either the Career Transition Assistance Program or Interagency Transition Assistance Program for well-qualified displaced or surplus candidates

If selected for this position, you will be responsible for planning, directing and conducting complex investigations of suspected fraud, waste, and abuse, and mismanagement in programs of DOT, as well as a variety of proactive investigations, including fraud prevention and detection surveys. You will determine the scope and depth of the investigation, analyze and evaluate evidence; and on the basis of findings, prepare investigative reports. Investigations require frequent travel and may occasionally require undercover and surveillance work. Investigations will typically involve violations of the Department's programs and regulations with respect to contract and grant fraud, illegal transportation of hazardous materials, aviation safety, and motor carrier safety. Results of investigations may form the basis for criminal or civil prosecution by the Department of Justice; withholding funds from a state or grantee; administrative personnel actions by DOT; or changes in practices and/or procedures by DOT.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizen.
• Pre-employment drug testing and physical examination are required.
• You must meet the specialized experience to qualify.
• Successful completion of a background security investigation.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state DL to operate a motor vehicle.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Selectee must relocate and fully reside within 60 miles from the regional office by the official start date.

(continued under 'Other Information')

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience includes:

• Securing facts and developing evidence in support of ongoing investigations
• Conducting interviews,
• gathering, reviewing and discerning evidence for use in charging defendants criminally
• preparing fact-based written summaries in fraud and/or safety cases, with defendants having been charged or civil fines or penalties having been levied.

To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience includes:

• Conducting interviews,
• gathering, reviewing and discerning evidence for use in charging defendants criminally
• preparing fact-based written summaries in fraud and/or safety cases, with defendants having been charged or civil fines or penalties having been levied.
• Securing facts and developing evidence – independent of supervisor or prosecutor direction
• Consistent record of defendants charged criminally or civil adjudications based upon lone or individual fraud cases or primarily as the lead in multiple fraud investigations.

NOTE: All applicants who do not currently, or have in the past worked as a GS-1811 Criminal Investigator in a federal OIG office must clearly demonstrate in their on-line application, possession of the experience. Applicants who fail to clearly and specifically address this factor in their on-line application will not receive further consideration for the announcement.

Applicants must meet qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Definition of Competencies

Technical Competence: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with,
understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems, weighs relevance and accuracy of information, generates and evaluates alternative
solutions; makes recommendations.

Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even
in uncertain situations; to accomplish organizational goals; causes changes.

Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling, communicates information (for example facts, ideas or messages) in
a succinct and organized manner, produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases to determine how you move forward in the hiring process.

• Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants who do not respond to the application questions may be rated ineligible.
• Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents). Applicants who do not respond to the application questions may be rated ineligible.

Federal employees must meet Time-In-Grade (TIG) requirements for merit promotion consideration.  TIG is the 52-week requirement Federal employees in competitive service, General Schedule (GS) positions at GS-5 and above must serve before they are eligible for promotion to the next grade level. TIG requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Supporting documents may either be uploaded or faxed to 571-258-4052. The requested information MUST be received by fax within 48 hours prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement (not including Saturdays, Sundays or government holidays).

NOTE: If you exaggerate or falsify your experience, education and/or your responses to questions, your ratings are subject to change or you may be removed from employment consideration.

Applicants who fail to submit all the required documentation listed below, in addition to their resumes, will be considered ineligible for further consideration for this announcement.

• Include any supporting documents that don't fit within another category or are listed in the job announcement.
• Your DD-214 or Statement of Service shows if you qualify for Veterans' Preference, the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 or the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heros Act. We prefer the member 4 copy of your DD-214.
• If you qualify under the Schedule A appointing authority, include a disability letter.
• Include a performance appraisal as proof of federal employment.
• Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.
• A separation notification used to determine employment eligibility.
• Your SF-15 shows if you qualify for 10-point Veterans' Preference.
• Your SF-50 shows a federal position you've held, grade level and duty location. Your SF-50 can support position changes, conversions or separation for employment eligibility.
• Transcripts may support your qualifications for a federal job and can include high school, college or other schools.

Resume (required) - Your resume must sufficiently describe how your experience fully meets the specialized experience requirements as stated in this announcement for each grade level(s) you are applying (see "Qualifications" section). **Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your qualifications. Your resume must also support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. We cannot assume you have performed the experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. Resume must contain all of the following for each experience/position listed: job title, name of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year format), hours worked per week, detailed description of duties performed, and if a Federal position, series and grade or equivalent. We will not access web pages linked on your resume to determine your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information.

For additional information see:

• What to include in your resume
• Resume Writing

Transcript(s), if required for the position. See educational requirements section for more information. 

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL -Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation (documented within the last 18 months of employment) and 2) a list of any awards (e.g., superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last three years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is unavailable and indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at a satisfactory or above level.

Merit Promotion - All current Federal employees must submit a recent SF-50 documenting proof of competitive status, tenure, current grade level and full performance level of the position held.  All reinstatement eligibles/former Federal employees must submit a SF-50 documenting proof of competitive status, tenure, grade level and full performance level of the position.  

DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50, current SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50. Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks’ time-in-grade requirements. 

Non-competitive eligibles - If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse or any documentation as applicable. 

DD-214 and/or Vet Letter/SF-15 or VEOA - To receive consideration, all veterans must submit a copy of their DD-214 (copy Member #4). If you are claiming XP/CP/CPS preference, you must submit your SF-15 (revised 12/04) and Vet letter. If you are a current service member, in lieu of a DD-214, you may submit a statement from your military personnel center certifying the nature and dates of your service and expected date of separation.

SCHEDULE A - To receive consideration, you must submit your certification from a licensed medical professional (MD); or any agency that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on the licensed MD letterhead and must have a signature or it's invalid.

CTAP / ICTAP - Displaced federal employees may be eligible for CTAP or ICTAP priority consideration. To learn more about your rights, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition. To receive priority consideration, you must be evaluated as well-qualified for this vacancy. This means you must: meet all minimum qualifications for the position and score at least 80 on the assessment.

Required Documentation - You must submit all of the following documents with your application package:

Performance Appraisal: Your most recent, dated within the last 2 years. Proof of Eligibility: Your agency-issued eligibility letter or Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice showing your official or proposed separation date. Separation SF-50: Your separation or termination SF-50 displaying your job series, grade, duty location, and effective date. Proof of Full Performance Level (FPL): A promotion or highest-grade-held SF-50 that matches the FPL of this vacancy.

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