Supervisory Criminal Investigator (Assistant Director)

Summary

This position is located in Law Enforcement and Investigations (LEI), Office of the Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (FS). Assistant Director leading criminal investigators and managing national oversight for complex investigations and liaison programs across multiple federal judicial districts. For additional information about the duties of these positions, please contact [email protected]

Duties

• Duties listed at the full performance level GS-15.
• Provides full scope investigative, training, liaison, homeland security, and physical security support to the LEI Director, ensuring effective national law enforcement oversight and program execution.
• Leads, coordinates, and personally conducts complex, high profile criminal investigations of national significance, applying advanced investigative methods and resolving sensitive, controversial issues.
• Develops, implements, and revises national LEI policies, procedures, training programs, and enforcement guidance; provides authoritative expertise and represent LEI as Acting Deputy Director when required.
• Manages nationwide accountability for LEI weapons, badges, controlled equipment, and classified systems; ensures compliance, prevents misuse, and supports investigations involving employee misconduct or clearance issues.
• Provides senior leadership to investigators, sets program priorities, ensures high-quality investigative work, resolves complex operational issues, and upholds Forest Service EEO, civil rights, and organizational standards.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Medical Requirements - 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, corrective lenses permitted, 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. Due to the requirements of this position, applicants must have prior law enforcement experience that included the following activities: enforcement of criminal laws of the United States through investigation, apprehension, or detection of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against these criminal laws. This experience must be reflected in the resume. NOTE: To be eligible for Secondary Law Enforcement Coverage, you must 1) move directly from a federal Primary/Rigorous position; 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary/rigorous position, and 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary/rigorous position. Selective Placement Factor: Must have at least three years of service in positions that have been approved for Rigorous or Primary Law Enforcement retirement coverage. GS-14: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-13. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following: - Leading nationwide investigative, enforcement, and training programs, including identifying operational gaps, revising policies, and developing national standards and guidance. - Conducting complex, sensitive criminal investigations and managing liaison activities with federal, state, local, and international law-enforcement partners on high-impact or precedent-setting matters. - Providing authoritative policy analysis, legislative input, and responses to senior leadership, Congress, and public-affairs officials, including preparing briefings, proposed regulatory changes, and strategic recommendations. - Overseeing compliance and operational effectiveness through field inspections, guidance to field officers, special analytical studies, and interpretation of regulatory and procedural requirements. - Managing accountable law-enforcement equipment and classified communications systems; ensuring inventory integrity, preventing fraud or misuse, and maintaining security-clearance requirements for sensitive intelligence operations. GS-15:Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-14. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following: - Leading and conducting complex, sensitive, and high-profile criminal investigations involving major national issues, requiring advanced investigative techniques and coordination across multiple jurisdictions. - Developing and implementing national law-enforcement policies, procedures, and training programs; providing authoritative guidance on enforcement, investigative, homeland-security, and physical-security matters. - Serving as Senior liaison to the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Department of Agriculture, senior executives, and multi-level partners, coordinating cross-jurisdictional investigations, security, intelligence, and misconduct actions. - Overseeing national accountability for controlled law-enforcement property (weapons, badges, equipment), ensuring compliance, preventing fraud or misuse, and managing classified systems and sensitive intelligence operations. - Providing senior leadership and supervision for criminal investigators and program staff, setting national priorities, ensuring investigative quality, managing resources, resolving complex issues, and ensuring compliance with civil rights and organizational standards. 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. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement. SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Physical Demands: Due to the physical and vigorous requirements of this position, the incumbent must meet the established medical and physical standards/requirements set forth by USDA as it's considered essential to perform the duties of this position, The work requires a person with good physical health and stamina to work under pressure, along with the ability to lift and carry heavy objects and have the physical agility and dexterity. Ability to operate specialized motorized equipment such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats and snowmobiles may be required. Maximum Entry Age: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for the position. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18 USC Section 1001). Firearms Requirement: The incumbent is required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position so they must meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlines in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. The incumbent must qualify semiannually with all weapons issued by the USDA and maintain proficiency.

Education

There are no educational requirements for this position. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year supervisory probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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 competencies listed below: 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. If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. 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. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13076804 Other Information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the 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 and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guarantee This position is not eligible for telework. The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional Information is available on the OPM Website. This is a non-bargaining unit position. Forest Service daycare facilities may be available. Government Housing not available. Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Grooming/Attire/Appearance Standards: Hair: Neat, clean, well-groomed, No extreme styles/colors. Facial Hair; Trimmed; may require clean-shaven unless exempt. Tattoos: Offensive/inappropriate are banned; visible neck/face/hand tattoos must be covered. Jewelry: Limited to watch, wedding ring, conservative earrings; Facial piercings are prohibited. Hygiene: Maintain high standards, no offensive odor. Uniform: Clean, Pressed, in good repair.