Clarification from the agency

Status candidates (current or former Federal employees with career or career-conditional tenure in the competitive service), Former Overseas Employees, CTAP/ICTAP,RPL, VEOA, VRA (GS-11 and below), 30%+ Disabled Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Peace Corps, Vista, Land Management, and Interchange Agreement eligibles.

As a Investigator, GS-1801-9/11, your typical work assignments may include the following:

• Works independently and part of a team to deter, detect, and mitigate insider threat incidents.
• Collects and manages data, information, and evidence consistent with federal laws, guidelines, Executive Orders, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Facilitates ongoing investigations and participates with other law enforcement and intelligence personnel in planning, conducting and supporting investigations into criminal, administrative and security incidents.
• Performs User Activity Monitoring (UAM) and other cyber forensic activities to detect insider threat activities and suspicious behavior.

This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• You will be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• You must be able to obtain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information Security Clearance.
• May be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
• May be required to work in shifts on a rotational basis in support of 24-hour operations.

Qualifications

There are no Individual Occupational Requirements for this series.

Specialized Experience:

You qualify at the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in Federal service, that demonstrates the ability to ability to conduct investigations, interview, fact-find, and collect data; receive and document testimony of individuals who may be fearful, skeptical, or uncooperative during the questioning process of the investigation; understanding insider threat risks and identifying insider threat vulnerabilities and indicators.; OR
• A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related to General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance Series; OR
• A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used to qualify for the GS-09 level.

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

• One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in Federal service, is defined as knowledge of and participation utilizing digital evidence and network data as part of cyber-related investigations and inquiries with internal, interagency, and national implications; evaluates intelligence to determine and identify potential insider threats; Conducting investigations covering a diverse range of complex subjects and allegations, and ranging from simple inquiries to very complex issues resulting in further investigative matters growing from the original investigation; OR
• A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance Series; OR
• A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first two years may be used to qualify for the GS-11 level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Time-in-grade: Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note: Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

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.

Essential Personnel Position - This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR, Part 752, as applicable).

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 based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Investigative methods
• Exercising initiative
• Attention to detail
• Judgment and Problem Solving
• Ability to analyze and evaluate data or evidence
• Ability to partner with or lead others

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the application questionnaire, click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12807598

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

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

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 well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

1. Your resume NOTE: 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. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center
2. Your responses to certifying accuracy of your application package.
3. Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit 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 or accessions.
4. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. 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.
5. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." 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.
6. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit the following:
   • A copy of your agency notice,
   • A copy of your most recent performance rating, and
   • A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
7. 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,
   • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
8. Are you applying under special hiring authorities as a military spouse? Provide a copy of your:
   • Marriage certificate, and
   • Your spouse's PCS orders or a completed SF-15 with supporting documentation.
9. Are you applying under Schedule A hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities? Provide evidence of your intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefit. Information on documentation can be found here.
10. If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

Next steps