Criminal Investigator (Special Agent)

Clarification from the agency

These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority for the occupation and is open to all U.S. citizens.

As a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent), you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as a Special Agent for interagency, multi-jurisdictional, international, and/or inter-organizational inquiries and investigations.
• Conduct investigations of marked difficulty and responsibility associated with trade, travel, finance, and immigration for combatting illicit activities associated with individuals, businesses, employers, criminal organizations or criminal conspiracies, and cyber systems and networks.
• Utilize a combined methodology of intelligence, investigative techniques, and legal authorities to conduct investigations and associated activities.
• Apply knowledge of the trends, laws, and investigative case development, independently or in coordination with other law enforcement officers (LEOs) or agencies to accomplish work.
• Prepare written documentation utilizing expert knowledge in support of investigations.

Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations within various offices throughout the country.

You have the opportunity to identify two location preferences within the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) office area of responsibility. Note that multiple duty locations fall within the area of responsibility (AOR) of each SAC office. Please view the duty locations within each SAC AOR here. Your location preferences are NOT guaranteed. The duty locations offered will be based on the needs of the agency. If you decline the duty locations offered during the official job offer, you will be removed from further consideration.

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position. The actual salary range will be based on the applicable locality pay for the selected duty location. Special Salary pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation which may include a polygraph examination.
• If referred for a polygraph, you will be required to travel at your expense to complete the polygraph exam and obtain a favorable result in order to continue in the hiring process.
• You must complete a pre-employment medical examination which may include a psychological evaluation and be found to meet the medical standards for the position.
• This position may require 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 through the duration of the assignment.
• The law enforcement profession carries inherent risks and you may be required to work alone in remote areas throughout the night or at times when you may have limited communication.
• This position requires the selectee to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C. Section 022 (g)(9)).
• You will be required to testify at court. Law enforcement officers and agents must be able to testify without concern of impeachment.
• The date immediately preceding an individual's 37th birthday is the last day for application submission (certain exclusions apply).
• You must have a valid driver's license prior to your final job offer.
• ICE Criminal Investigators may use deadly force when necessary, in accordance with the law and agency policy.
• You will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment Physical Fitness Test (PFT).
• A mandatory component of continued employment is the successful completion of Basic Training, which consists of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Criminal Investigator Training Program and the HSI Special Agent Training Program.
• You will be required to maintain the ability to perform the rigorous physical requirements of the job.
• You will be required to live within 50 miles of your duty station.

Qualifications

Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GL-09 grade level or equivalent performing these duties:

• Conducting or assisting with a broad range of investigations, and developing specialized expertise, in programmatic areas such as narcotics, money laundering, financial crimes, human trafficking, fraud, international trade, network intrusion response, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, counterproliferation or general criminal investigations;
• Reviewing files and performing federal, state, and local law enforcement-related database queries, using law enforcement sensitive and classified databases;
• Assisting and participating in inter-agency partnerships, and in cooperation with other governmental and private sector entities;
• Assisting in planning strategies for the collection and analysis of information to support long-term criminal investigations;
• Conducting interviews and interrogations with cooperative and non-cooperative individuals (e.g., suspects, witnesses, sources, and/or victims) to gather information; and
• Preparation of reports, using acquired practical knowledge, in support of general criminal actions. OR

Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a LL.M., if related. Graduate level education must have been from an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and activities necessary to do the work. OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed graduate education beyond the first full two years and experience as described above that when combined meets 100% of the requirement. Graduate level education must have been from an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess the following:

Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent performing these duties:

• Conducting a broad range of complex investigations, and exercising specialized expertise, in programmatic areas such as narcotics, money laundering, financial crimes, human trafficking, fraud, international trade, network intrusion response, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, counterproliferation or general criminal investigations;
• Reviewing files and performing complex federal, state, and local law enforcement-related database queries, using law enforcement sensitive and classified databases;
• Maintaining, developing, and enhancing inter-agency partnerships, and connections with other governmental and private sector entities;
• Planning and implementing strategies for the collection and analysis of information to support long-term criminal investigations;
• Conducting interviews and interrogations using advanced techniques with a wide variety of individuals (e.g., suspects, witnesses, sources, and/or victims) to gather information; and
• Preparation of reports, using expert knowledge, in support of general criminal actions.

In addition to the above requirements, your resume will be reviewed to determine possession of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

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.

Re-Promotion: Re-promotion may be available to Criminal Investigators up to the GS-13 full performance level, who were selected through external competitive recruitment after July 4, 2025 and previously occupied an 1811 position at a higher, permanent grade level. Re-promotion is limited to federal Criminal Investigators with prior or current GS-1811 series appointments or those qualified under an OPM-approved Interchange Agreement. The earliest eligibility for re-promotion will be 90 days after appointment. Re-promotions will be based on the completion of all administrative and regulatory requirements including satisfactory performance, specialized experience, mandatory training completion, and firearm proficiency.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

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.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required. View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your responses on the application questionnaire for this position. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Applicants' two-page resumes will first be evaluated for minimum qualification requirements as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be further evaluated for possession of the competencies listed below using a structured resume review, a structured interview, or a combination of these two methods.

The competencies needed to perform this job are:

• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Partnering
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• Technical Competence

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating and Veterans Preference will not apply to this vacancy. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are still encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). Staffing Policy View information on veterans' preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well qualified category for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

1. 2-Page Resume Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. Your resume must include relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor.In describing your experience on your resume, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumption regarding your experience. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. (for more information, see the How do I write a resume for a federal Job-Two-Page Resume Limit).
2. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
3. Are you a veteran? Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) or notice form. Those applying for 10-Point preference must fill out the SF-15 and provide documentation that demonstrates preference eligibility. If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
4. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Plan (ICTAP)? If so, submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
5. Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
6. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? 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.

Failure to submit required documents will result in disqualification for this vacancy.

Next steps

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