Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens. Subject position(s) will be filled through delegated examining procedures. For definitions of common terms found in this announcement: http://dhsconnect.dhs.gov/org/comp/mgmt/dhshr/hr/Documents/JOA_Common_Definitions.pdf

As a "rigorous/primary" position, this position is covered by the Law Enforcement Retirement System. In accordance with Public Law 100-328 and Departmental Personnel Management Letter 338-2, candidates for law enforcement positions can not have reached their 37th birthday prior to the date of referral on a Certificate of eligible for a federal civilian law enforcement position. In unusual situations, a waiver may be authorized by the USCG Commandant up to age 39. An individual who has passed the maximum entry age limit, but previously served in a covered position, may be eligible for consideration and reinstatement of coverage if he will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered law enforcement service by the time he reaches the mandatory retirement day of 57. See OPM Retirement Handbook for further details. The Maximum Entry Age requirement may be waived for applicants eligible for veterans' preference. (See Maximum Entry-Age Requirements for Veterans' Preference Eligibles.) This position requires a mobility agreement. The selectee will be required to sign a mobility agreement indicating their willingness to accept reassignment to positions in other duty locations as determined by and based on the needs of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The mobility agreement must be signed during pre-appointment and will remain as a condition of employment. The incumbent must carry firearms and maintain proficiency in their care and use. Therefore, the position is subject to the Lautenberg Amendment, 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9) and selectee will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, USC., Section 1001). This position requires successful completion of a pre-employment physical which certifies that you are physically and medically qualified to perform the full duties of the position. Please see the GS-1811 Medical Requirements. Results of a recent (up to one-year old) physical examination must be provided prior to appointment. Determination as to sufficiency of medical record will be made at time of appointment.

You will be responsible for conducting complex and highly sensitive criminal investigations into matters involving felony violations to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ); performing internal affairs investigations into alleged misconduct by CGIS personnel; carrying out investigations into violations of federal laws and statutes under the maritime jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG); and conducting investigations into matters referred by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General to CGIS Headquarters . 

Being a CG civilian makes you a valuable member of the CG team. Typical work assignments include:

• Conducting highly complex criminal investigations usually within established geographical and jurisdictional boundaries but sometimes outside these boundaries, often working with cold information and/or evidence or with highly reluctant witnesses or suspects; handling a significant volume of complex and sensitive internal affairs investigations possibly on high ranking officials.
• Gathering and developing criminal information and human intelligence (HUMINT) that lead to further law enforcement or analytical actions.
• Carrying out assignments, which may include, undercover operations, surveillance; search and seizure operations; making apprehensions/arrests; interviewing witnesses; interrogating suspects; and providing armed force protection services.
• Writing clear and concise investigative reports and other documents in a timely manner, and presenting all indicated and developed information to supervisors, relevant commands, attorneys and courts.
• Preparing and delivering effective oral briefings to senior military and civilian personnel of the Coast Guard and other Federal, state, and local agencies at all levels.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Applicant is required to meet the medical requirements of the position.
• This position requires a Top Secret clearance and polygraph exam.
• The applicant is subject to pre-appointment and random drug testing.
• The position requires a valid state driver's license.
• A mobility agreement is required.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Irregular overtime including evenings / weekends may be required.

Qualifications

At the GS-9 level: Applicants must have 1 full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the federal service).

Specialized experience includes:  Work that required knowledge of, and skill in, applying laws, regulations, executive orders, advanced principles and concepts to conduct criminal investigations; perform operational intelligence collection permission requirements; provide protective service operations, domestic and foreign; conduct administrative (internal affairs) investigations and enforce applicable federal laws; comprehensive knowledge of and ability to apply laws, policies, regulations, directives, procedures, and instructions regarding Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) and the Federal statutes and regulations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (Title 10, U.S. Code).

OR - Have 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;

OR - Possess a combination of specialized experience AND graduate level education that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.  

Note: Transcripts are required if you are qualifying based on education.  

At the GS-11: Applicants must have 1 full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the federal service).

Specialized experience includes: Conducting physical security surveys and vulnerability assessments; actual experience conducting investigations; training in all matter involving evidence processing and preparation for processing at the State Crime Lab and testifying in court

OR- 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

Note: Transcripts are required if you are qualifying based on education.  

At the GS-12 level: Applicants must have 1 full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the federal service).

Specialized experience includes:  Obtaining and evaluating information from many diverse sources including alleged criminals and reluctant witnesses; surveillance planning, including those surveillance activities involving multiple parties, the latest technology, and methods that are subject to changing legal admissibility; and detection practices to identify crimes involving financial instruments, narcotics trafficking, cyber crimes, subversive organizations, terrorism, threats to national security, and criminal rings; using advanced investigative techniques to provide functional and technical oversight to special agents;

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using the on-line assessment to place you in one of three categories.

The necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to perform this job are: 

1. Knowledge of wide-range of criminal and civil investigation-related policies, concepts and principles, as currently practiced in Federal law enforcement.
2. Knowledge of a variety of criminal investigative and operational intelligence techniques, devices and equipment.
3. Knowledge of investigative, operational intelligence, security and law enforcement missions.
4. Skill in the use of a variety of program databases, carriage of firearms in hazardous situations, and possible undercover operations in multiple environments.
5. Ability to apply Federal statutes and regulations, including the UCMJ (Title 10, U.S. Code), rules of evidence, court decisions, constitutional rights, search and seizure, methods of interview and interrogation, admissibility of confessions, and national security directives in order to meaningfully participate in investigative, intelligence, security and law enforcement missions; and ensure that criminal investigations are in compliance with applicable policy and regulatory requirements.

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

1. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.

2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

3. Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Your resume and responses to the self-assessment questions are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. Therefore, you must support your responses to the self-assessment questions by providing examples of past and present experience in your resume.

Veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they are qualified. Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. For information on veterans' preference, click here.