Criminal Investigator (Operations Officer)

Summary

This position is in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General serving as a Criminal Investigator (Operations Officer) for Alpha Branch, Investigations Liaison and Special Operations Division, Office of Investigations. This is a secondary law enforcement position. This application will close upon receiving 50 applicants or at 11:59 PM on 24 September 2026, whichever occurs first. Review "How You Will Be Evaluated" regarding the required accomplishment record.

Duties

• Senior criminal investigator (operations officer) involved with agency-wide investigative and enforcement programs.
• Acts as senior intelligence officer, developing and instituting national intelligence law enforcement programs and coordinating and consolidating intelligence from interagency groups, task forces, and fusion centers for further agency dissemination.
• Develops training programs on investigative matters, intelligence collection, trend analysis, methods of detecting fraudulent documents, and similar subjects for presentation to broad audiences of US and foreign law enforcement personnel.
• Serves as advisor and subject matter expert to the senior OIG staff at USDA OIG headquarters and field levels.
• Provides intelligence and investigative input to USDA OIG special agents involved in major antiterror and criminal investigations.
• Participates in USDA or interagency investigations that involve fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of USDA programs, violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and projects to disrupt transnational money laundering and other criminal activities.
• Coordinates agency law enforcement, investigative, and intelligence input from key global regions with special emphasis on complex fraud schemes that directly impact USDA programs and provides consultations with foreign government offices.
• Analyzes, evaluates, and interprets intelligence, data analytics, investigative and enforcement information developed, received, and collected at OIG Headquarters, and provides recommendations regarding a course of action or needed changes.
• Develops policy and procedures used in bringing investigations and other projects to successful conclusions while mitigating potential organizational risks.
• Conducts assessments of ambiguous circumstances for which there are not always directly applicable precedents for comparison.
• Establishes official contacts to coordinate with field personnel, management representatives, and representatives of other agencies for the purpose of negotiating acceptance of, justifying, or defending investigative priorities and policies.
• Represent the agency at meetings, conferences, and in negotiations involving matters of considerable consequence or importance to USDA OIG.

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 secondary law enforcement position under 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 USC 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. This position is under "secondary" law enforcement retirement coverage provisions. This position meets the criteria for the special retirement provisions under both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Transfer Requirement for CSRS: For secondary coverage, an employee must transfer with no break in coverage exceeding 3 days from a primary position to a secondary position OR must be continuously employed in a secondary position since transferring from a primary position with no break in coverage exceeding 3 days. Exception: A break in coverage in secondary positions which begins with an involuntary separation (not for cause) and voluntary breaks in service which began prior to 20 January 1988. Transfer Requirement for FERS: For secondary coverage, an employee while covered under the retirement provisions transfers directly with no break in service exceeding 3 days from a primary/rigorous position to a secondary position AND has completed 3 years of service in a primary/rigorous position, including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, OR must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a qualifying primary/rigorous position. Exception: A break in coverage in secondary positions which begins with an involuntary separation (not for cause). 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-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 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-14: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 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 includes but is not limited to oversight for investigations and enforcement programs, program analysis, and operational support. Examples of specialized experience include: mastery knowledge and skill in applying, laws, and regulations to inspection, investigation, enforcement, and/or compliance work sufficient to develop agencywide policies, procedures, and strategies, and provide expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to agency management and other senior special agents, officers, or inspectors on critical operations or influence the development and modification of significant policies or programs; identifies, reviews, and applies, applicable legislation, judicial rulings, and broad policy statements in the execution of the assigned program; conducting and/or supporting investigations involving the most significant and complex issues in areas of changing and/or conflicting policy or program requirements; work involving planning, organizing, and performing assignments to address the most complex problems or initiatives crossing a range of program areas involving several project efforts or studies that must be coordinated and integrated, resolving critical problems in agency-wide systems, or developing new approaches and techniques for use by others; and maintaining routine personal contacts with senior-level officials from inside and outside the agency, including key officials and top law enforcement personnel from other departments and agencies, representatives of foreign governments, top officials from state, county, local, and tribal governments, and leaders from the law enforcement, criminal justice, legal communities and non-governmental organizations. 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.

Education

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THESE GRADES. How You Will Be Evaluated

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 applicants must submit an accomplishment record which provides written descriptions of at least four prior achievements or special work activities. Each achievement or work activity must include detailed information about the specific actions taken, and the results or outcomes achieved by those actions. The accomplishment record must be two pages or less. There is no specific format; however, it must include the applicant's name and the duty title and vacancy number for the vacancy. The accomplishment record must also include the name and contact information of an individual who can verify the achievements or work activities detailed in the record. Submit the document to the appropriate link with any other supporting documents while completing the application. Tentatively eligible applicants will be reviewed by human resources specialists for basic eligibility, and applicants verified as eligible will be referred to the hiring manager. Competitive candidates may be invited 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/13058839 Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Other Information

Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). You may be required to participate in a multi-phase selection process. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment are conditional on negative results for illegal drug use. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be qualified based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to Financial Disclosure Requirements in 5 CFR 2635 (e) regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have, or who are seeking, business with USDA. This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor. This is not a bargaining unit position. Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans. For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS Hiring Paths. Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for your application to be shared for other, similar vacancies in USDA OIG.