Clarification from the agency

Current permanent federal employees with competitive status; reinstatement eligibles; Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibles; Farm Service Agency (FSA) county employees; CTAP/RPL/ICTAP and VEOA eligibles; 30 percent or more disabled veterans; military spouses; Interchange Agreement and other miscellaneous authorities; people with disabilities; and Peace Corps and VISTA alumni.

• Directing, managing, and administering a staff of special agents, investigators, investigative analysts, and other investigation support personnel.
• Determining whether incoming allegations have investigative merit and recommending appropriate disposition.
• Analyze allegations, complaints and investigations to identify issues involved and the types of evidence needed to properly address each matter.
• Assisting the senior executives in implementing national and/or Area of Responsibility (AOR) investigative and administrative initiatives in support of organizational programs and operations, analyzing trends to anticipate investigative direction.
• Oversees projects of marked difficulty, responsibility, and sensitivity that require the exercise of tact, utilization of extensive experience, and various human resource skills.
• Reviews and approves investigative reports prepared by his/her investigative staff for the purpose of determining comprehensiveness, sufficiency of evidence, and relevancy of materials presented.
• Formulating an internal strategic plan to promote and updates the organizations strategic plans; utilizes quality management practices, principles, and processes to encourage teamwork.
• Exercises delegated managerial authority to develop and establish annual and multiyear long-range investigations plans/schedules for the work of the Region.
• Manages the coordination, formulation and execution of the regional financial plan.
• Involved in the development of goals and objectives and directs the development of program management data, the provision of expertise, and the preparation of policy papers/recommendations for changes in legislation, and OIG policies and standards.
• Provides professional leadership and administrative direction to Investigations staff.
• Create working relationship with federal, state, and local investigations/law enforcement officials, public and private business and organization representatives, and U.S. Attorney's office for advising and consulting.

Conditions of employment

• You must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state-issued motor vehicle operator's license. You must be able to operate a government-owned or leased vehicle.
• You must be a US citizen.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Selectees must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for a Top Secret (TS) clearance. You must meet initial and periodic suitability determinations based on favorable background investigations and updates.
• Direct deposit: per Public Law 104-134, all federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• You must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• You will be required to complete an OGE-450, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interests.
• Relocation expenses are NOT authorized.
• Designated or random drug testing required. Failure to pass an entrance drug test or subsequent drug tests is grounds for removal.
• You are subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of a one-year probationary period is required, unless previously served.
• Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Frequent travel may be expected. Selected applicants must be able to acquire and maintain a government-issued travel charge card.
• You must pass initial and periodic medical examinations. Failure to meet medical requirements may result in reassignment from the position of criminal investigator or other appropriate action.
• Acknowledgement of career mobility is a condition of employment. You must be available for permanent reassignment to other regional or resident offices as required by the OIG.
• Successful completion of the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center is required.
• You will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications, eligibility requirements, and specialized experience minimums (and time-in-grade restrictions for merit promotion applicants) by the closing date of the announcement.

This position is a primary law enforcement position under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (C) (CSRS and 5 U.S. C 8412 (d) (FERS). You must not have reached your 37th birthday prior to entry into the GS-1811 series, unless you have previous service creditable under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) law enforcement provisions sufficient to enable you to retire at age 57 with 20 years of creditable service. Persons already in covered secondary positions or persons with previous approved service who apply for a primary position cannot be considered if their age at reentry into the primary position exceeds 37 years after subtracting their years of service in covered positions. Applicants must provide evidence of current or previous coverage that would qualify. This age restriction does not apply to those entitled to Veteran's Preference.

You will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification. Applicants are ineligible for this position if, at any time, they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside, or the applicant received a pardon. Refer to the Lautenberg Amendment, titled "Gun Ban for Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence", Pub.L.104-208,[1] 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9).

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below.

THIS POSITION HAS A BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT:

The duties of positions in this series require 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 in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily. Near vision, with or without correction, 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 levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to himself/herself or others is disqualifying.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS BELOW.

Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (one year at the GS-14 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-15 level). Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Restrictions are contained in 5CFR 300, Subpart F. You must include an SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one) that supports meeting this requirement with your application package.

MINIMUM SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR GS-15:
Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 in the federal service or the private sector that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as: Criminal and administrative investigations, from planning and conducting fact-finding, to reporting the results of investigations; performing undercover and surveillance work; conducting investigative interviews; and analyzing investigative facts to arrive at sound conclusions. This experience includes the preparation of comprehensive administrative and technical reports in order to present findings in a clear, logical, impartial, comprehensive, and concise manner. In addition, must have experience conducting liaison activities with other investigative agencies, including Federal, State, and local agencies, and developing new approaches to performing investigative functions, including responses to identified weaknesses and vulnerabilities in on-going operations.

Evidence of one year or more of specialized experience must be clearly documented in your resume.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience, documented in your resume.

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:

• Criminal Investigation
• Leadership
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need only meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

All tentatively eligible applicants will be reviewed by human resources specialists for basic eligibility and further reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts in a structured resume review for technical qualifications. Identified eligible applicants will be referred to the hiring manager and the hiring manager will invite competitive candidates to participate in further consideration through a structured interview.

Note: If after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12946162

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

• Mandatory: Resume that includes 1) Name, address, email and phone number; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.
• Reasonable Accommodation: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency at 202-260-8128. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

The following documents are required based on eligibility. Encrypted or illegible documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents means loss of consideration.

Required for all applicants - Resume including: name, address, contact information;education; relevant work experience including duties, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year); title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Failure to follow format requirements may halt further consideration. Resume must not exceed 2 pages. For resume writing guidance, visit USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a federal resume?

Current and former Federal employees:

• Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing status in the Competitive Service, highest permanent grade or promotion potential, position title, series and grade AND
• Most recent performance appraisal dated within 18 months (not performance plan) with rating of record, signed by supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.

Reinstatement Comp & Non-Comp: Submit copy of separation (removal, resignation, retirement, etc.) SF-50 or equivalent personnel action form reflecting: career/career conditional tenure (Tenure field is 1 or 2); Competitive Service appointment (Position Occupied field is 1), and highest permanent grade or promotion potential held. Submit more than one SF-50 if necessary.

30% or More Disabled Veterans:Submit copies of the latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214) Member 4 or Member 2 copy, with character of service, the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or armed service, and the latest version of the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.

VEOA: Submit copy of last DD-214, Member 4 or Member 2 copy, indicating character of service and discharge type under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty, submit certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.

Certain Military Spouses: Verification of marriage to the service member (i.e., marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage) AND Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders OR verification member was retired or discharged from active duty with 100% disability (armed forces or VA Letter) OR verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate).

Persons with Disabilities/Schedule A: Submit letter of Schedule A employment eligibility from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified to practice medicine by a state, the District of Columbia, or a US territory); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any federal, state, or US territorial agency, or District of Columbia agency, that provides disability benefits. The letter must be on official letterhead of the issuer, must include the signature of the issuer, and the letter must specify applicant eligibility for Schedule A. Visit OPM's website for sample letters. Learn more about Schedule A eligibility.

Current permanent FSA County employees: Submit most recent non-award SF-50 showing your highest permanent grade or promotion potential, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months). Submit more than 1 SF-50 if necessary.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act: Submit SF-50(s) showing eligible appointment(s) for period(s) of more than 24 months with no breaks between appointments of more than 24 months. Include SF-50s for initial hire actions, extensions, conversions and separations for each period. Submit supervisor-signed performance rating(s) showing acceptable performance for each period counted towards eligibility. If documentation does not exist for a period, submit a supervisory statement indicating acceptable performance. If performance documentation for any period is unavailable, provide a reason why the documentation is unavailable and a statement that performance for all periods was acceptable.

Peace Corp/AmeriCorps: USAJOBS Help Center | Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Include copy of Certification of Volunteer Service and latest SF-50s.

Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of successful or equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: Provide documentation which supports your eligibility.

Next steps