Duties
At the DEA, our people are agents for change. A unique mission requires special talent. As a DEA Special Agent, you will work as part of an elite criminal investigative team that transforms the power of your talent into action. That action makes a difference for the security and well-being of our nation and the world every day.
- Conducts complex criminal investigations targeting narcotics and drug related activities;
- Prepares comprehensive and succinct criminal investigative reports and prepares and delivers briefings for senior personnel and other Federal, state, and local agencies;
- Identifies and apprehends drug traffickers and arresting individuals engaged in criminal drug activities;
- Gathers and analyzes evidence through investigative leads, seizures, arrests, execution of search warrants, and a variety of other means;
- Testifies on behalf of the Federal government in court or before grand juries.
Additional duties may be assigned based upon an individual's unique knowledge, skills, and/or experience.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U. S. Citizenship is Required.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance. Each applicant will be reviewed individually to agency suitability policy. Upon completion of this review, the DEA will decide, if any additional clearance will be required.
- Must sign a mobility agreement that confirms your understanding and agreement to accept relocation to any location depending on the needs of the DEA.
- This position requires the completion of a pre-employment medical clearance and annual medical examination.
- A full-scope pre-employment polygraph is required. 1811 Applicants who have previously completed and passed a polygraph examination with their current or former agency, may seek reciprocity with the DEA during the hiring process.
- Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/)
- Applicant must be at least 21 years of age and not older than 36 at the time of appointment, unless you are a preference eligible veteran or a current, or previously served in a Federal civilian law enforcement retirement covered position.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
- Successful completion of a trial period is required.
- This position requires that the incumbent possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
- Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.
- Individuals are required to successfully complete a 16- week basic agent training (BAT) course held at the DEA Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
- 1811 applicants who have successfully completed a Federal Criminal Investigation training program through another federal law enforcement agency, may qualify for a 3-week Special Agent Transition Program (FCIT Transcripts must be attached).
Qualifications
For more information on eligibility requirements see:
DEA Employment Eligibility
Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement.
If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application that clearly displays conferred degrees and/or relevant credit hours. An unofficial transcript will be accepted at the time of application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
All applicants must meet one of the basic qualification requirements described below for this position.
For the GS-11 Level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the
GL/GS-09 level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrate your ability in the following:
- Experience working on FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS;
- Developing operational plans and determining investigative priorities of cases;
- Operating undercover, conducting surveillance operations, participating in raids, seizures and arrests etc.;
- Developing and eliciting information from confidential sources;
- Interviewing, and interrogating persons suspected of violations of law;
- Organizing evidence for presentation to prosecution officials and testifying in court; OR;
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Have a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leader to a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or LL.M, if related; OR;
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus
36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM)
Qualifications Standards Handbook.
Education
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 DAPIP | Homepage).
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: Members - NACES
PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One year of graduate education in considered to be the number of credit hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
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.
There are four evaluation phases used to determine the applicants who are Best Qualified for the position.
Applicant Availability: Applicants must be available to complete all phases of the Special Agent applicant process. Failure to successfully complete/pass any of the screening processes will result in the applicant being disqualified and removed from consideration.
Phase 1: Minimum Qualifications and Conditions of Employment
Candidates who meet minimum qualifications based on the initial online questionnaire responses will have their resume and supporting documents reviewed to determine whether they meet the minimum qualification and eligibility requirements of this position. The evaluation team may exclude a candidate from consideration if the candidate's self-ratings are higher than supported by the application materials. Errors or omissions may impact eligibility.
Phase 2: Physical Task Assessment (PTA)
THE PTA IS THE 1ST ASSESSMENT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE to evaluate your present ability to successfully participate in the strenuous physical activities required during basic agent training. You are highly encouraged to view the following PTA video to ensure you fully understand the protocols that are required to pass the PTA.
Phase 3: Proctored Testing
Candidates who successfully complete the PTA will receive an email invitation to schedule an appointment to complete Phase 3 of the recruitment process. Phase 3 requires candidates to complete the Writing Assessment at a proctored testing center. Applicants will select their proctored testing center location from over 600 available locations across the United States. These assessments measure the following competencies: Attention to Detail, Memory, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Decision Making.
Phase 4: Structured Interview
Candidates who pass Phase 3, will be contacted to schedule an appointment to complete Phase 4 of the recruitment process. Phase 4 requires candidates to complete an in-person Structured interview. A panel of interviewers will evaluate candidates on each of the following competencies: Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, Oral Communication.
Candidates who have successfully completed the pre-employment assessments and structured interview will be referred for employment consideration.
Current or former 1811 applicants who have successfully completed a Federal Criminal Investigation training program through another federal law enforcement agency, may be considered for an abbreviated hiring process.
You are highly encouraged to review the Special Agent Test Preparation Guide in order to familiarize yourself with the required phases of the selection process. The guide will give you an opportunity to review some test question examples and provide you with an overview of the assessments you will be required to complete.
Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed ahead of all candidates. Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants. View information on veterans' preference on OPM's Fed Hire Vets website.
Required Documents
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume: showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week worked/volunteered. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must support your answers to the completed online assessment questions.
2. SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), if applicable: SF-50(s) must show the effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, competitive status, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency.
3. Transcripts, if applicable if applicable and you are qualifying based on education: See the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. Federal Criminal Investigation Training (FCIT), if applicable: Transcripts for any FCIT and follow-on academy or in-service training should be submitted in order to be considered for an abbreviated hiring process and condensed 3-week DEA Special Agent Transition Program. Applicants who are unable to provide transcripts or proof of training will be required to complete all phases of the hiring process and a 16-week basic agent training course.
5. Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable:
- To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
- To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference.
- To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim.
- To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge.
- For all preference claims:
- DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals.
- For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
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
Prepare your application in USAJOBS:
To start your application, click Apply and the system will provide guidance on how to attach a resume and any required documents.
During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We'll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won't lose any changes. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.
STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.
STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.
STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions. You may preview the assessments questions here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12727153
STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.
Alternate Application Procedures: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.
Next steps
After all application packages are received, we will review applications and evaluate applicants' qualifications and will refer candidates, as described in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section, to the hiring manager for selection consideration. Candidates who are determined to be minimally qualified must successfully complete a series of pre-employment assessments and interview to determine if the individual attains the skills, knowledge, and ability to successfully carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment must successfully complete a series of pre-employment screenings to include a polygraph examination, medical evaluation, urinalysis drug screening, psychological assessment, and background investigation to determine if they attain the ability to successfully carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position. All Special Agent candidates will be reviewed by a DEA hiring panel.
If an applicant is or was in the 1811 series, as a federal employee and graduated from a Criminal Investigation training program through a federal law enforcement agency, they may be considered for an abbreviated hiring process.
Failure to complete the pre-employment screenings will result in the termination of employment consideration.
Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:
- After applications are received.
- After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
- After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
- If selected, candidates may receive additional notifications regarding the next steps in the hiring process.