Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

INTERNET INVESTIGATIVE ANALYST

Consumer Product Safety Commission
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Division of Field Operations is responsible for carrying out investigative, compliance, consumer information & public affairs activities. We encourage voluntary industry compliance, identify product related incidents, investigate injuries or deaths associated with consumer products, and implement public information and education programs. Our goal as an agency is to assure consumer products distributed to the public are safe. We serve as the Commission's front-line to the public.

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/28/2021 to 06/07/2021
Salary
$87,198 - $113,362 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Bethesda, MD
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 25% travel in Local Commuting Area
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
8440CFIWB-2021-0002
Control number
603030400

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

MERIT PROMOTION (MP) VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT - Current Federal employees with competitive status; Former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; Veterans with VOW, VEOA, or 30% disability; Military Spouses. Those eligible under an OPM interchange agreement. Selectee will be a full-time remote worker with a duty station located anywhere within the continental United States.

Duties

Help

The position is required to work remotely full-time from a home office at a duty location within the Continental United States that meet the requirements listed in the vacancy announcement.

As an Internet Investigative Analyst you will:

  • Independently conduct daily internet surveillance to locate suspected recalled and banned products at retail, wholesale and public auction websites. Identify regulatory violations in products being marketed or sold on e-commerce websites, identify emerging hazards and conduct investigations to identify the responsible firm, and possible manufacturer or importer of the product. If recalled/banned products are located on e-commerce firms' websites, send caution letters to the firm and/or seller and conduct additional follow up when directed. Respond to all email questions that are posed by these individuals.
  • Independently plan and perform research and conduct trend analysis of consumer complaint data involving product-related serious injuries and deaths to identify product defect and regulatory violations in products that may pose a substantial product hazard. Identify emerging product safety hazards by researching consumer complaint forums, blogs, retailer reports etc. Make case-specific recommendations to management regarding the need for immediate on-site investigation, establishment inspections or other compliance follow-up regarding specific consumer complaints.
  • Provide expert investigative, research, and analytical support in response to day-to-day requests from Compliance Divisions within EXC in regard to ongoing product defect and regulatory violation investigations and case development.
  • Conduct internet surveillance prior to CPSC recalls being announced to determine the extent to which the product is still being distributed. Assess the recalling firm's readiness to proceed with the terms of the recall, and work closely with staff to monitor progress.
  • Serve as the day-to-day point of contact with on-line retailers and on-line auction sites. Request such firms remove previously recalled or banned products from their sites and verifies the listings have been removed. Work cooperatively with such firms to develop progressively more effective methods of insuring that hazardous products are not being listed for sale.
  • Review investigations and analyze reports for completeness and accuracy. Coordinate, when necessary, if additional investigation or referral to other internal divisions or outside agencies is needed.
  • Work closely with other divisions within EXC to ensure internet compliance with monitored or accepted voluntary corrective action plans and regulated recalls.
  • Initiate independent actions to ensure compliance with CPSC corrective action plans and regulations.
  • Conduct sample collections, recall checks, in-depth investigations, inspections and other investigative duties as assigned.
  • Provide as needed guidance and training to other CPSC investigators, compliance officers, supervisors and managers regarding internet-related matters.
  • Assist other Investigators in the use of pay-per-use private databases.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required.
  • Background Investigation Required.

Must be a U.S. Citizen.

This is a Public Trust Position. Employment in this position requires a background investigation. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the tentative employment offer may be withdrawn.

If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Please see http://www.sss.gov for more information.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to appointment and the appropriate background investigation forms to determine suitability for Federal employment.  False statements or responses on these forms can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

The selectee will be required to complete a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the I-9 Form. We will compare information provided on the I-9 Form to records available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  The system confirms employee’s identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Upon appointment, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450. You will need to provide the information annually.

Depending on your status, this position may require serving a 1-year probationary period.

This position requires that the incumbent to work remotely full-time from their residence. Remote work is a condition of employment. Duty Station must have high-speed internet access capability.

Work is performed primarily at the residence; however, travel to attend meetings/training or conduct an IDI or firm inspection may occur occasionally. Incumbent will be required to transport product samples via personal automobile to local postal or express delivery services for shipment.

The selectee must possess a valid State motor vehicle operator's license. Use of a privately owned motor vehicle is required.

Moderate physical exertion is required such as lifting and carrying (15-50 lbs) as well as intermittent strenuous activity such as climbing ladders, crawling, kneeling and bending.

Qualifications

All applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

GS-12:  1) application of established, complex investigative practices utilizing databases to collect and evaluate information; 2) use of analytical and internet research techniques to identify, analyze, and manipulate data; 3) maintenance of investigative databases and utilization of the database to prepare; AND 4) a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held.  Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone.  If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position within the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no substitution for specialized experience at this grade level. 

Additional information

CPSC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.

Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.

All the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application, by checking reference and through other means, such as the interview process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.

Additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

After the vacancy closes, we will review your application package to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your responses to the questionnaire, resume and supporting documentation will then be reviewed.  Your resume must support your responses to the self-assessment questions or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited to an interview.

ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 90.

Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band.


To preview questions please click here.

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Join the team! Every U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) employee is proud to be a part of a team that works together to assure that the products you use every day are safe.

Check us out on YouTube - Join the Team!

Agency contact information

HR Specialist
Phone
301-504-7925
TDD
301-504-7925
Email
recruitapps@cpsc.gov
Address
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Human Resources Management
4340 East West Highway Room 838
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
United States

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.