This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/474452800. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management. Our vision is to expand economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production sustainability that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve and conserve our Nations natural resources through restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office within the Department of Agriculture whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the USDA. The OIG conducts investigations, audits, and inspections in order to enhance effectiveness and efficiency and to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and mismanagement in USDA programs and operations.
This position serves as a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) assigned to an OIG Field Office (i.e. regional office, sub-office or resident office) or Headquarters Division within the Office of Investigations (INV), performing under the direction of the Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge (ASAC) for the office. The Special Agent is responsible for performing the full range of investigative functions in connection with complaints and investigations involving alleged or suspected violations of Federal criminal laws, administrative matters, rules or regulations relative to any of USDA’s programs or operations, coordinating with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies ensuring investigations’ programs contribute to the achievement of the goals and objectives established in OIGs strategic plan.
More than one selection may be made within 90 days of the closing date.
**SALARY SHOWN INCLUDES GEOGRAPHICAL BASE SALARY RANGE FOR THE GS-1811-11 AND THE GS-1811-12 LEVELS, AMOUNT OF LOCALITY PAY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AVAILABILITY PAY (LEAP) OF 25% REFLECTED IN THESE FIGURES**
07/14/2017 to 07/28/2017
$75,608 - $140,831 per year
GS 11 - 12
7 vacancies in the following locations:
50% or less - Frequent travel is required.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
13
No
USDA-OIG-MP-17-0029
474452800
The Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) is responsible for performing the following duties:
Current permanent USDA-Office of Inspector General employees with competitive status.
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.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN) – Your SSN is required under the authority of Executive Order 9397 to uniquely identify your record from those of other applicants who may have the same name. As allowed by law or Presidential directive, your SSN is used to seek information about you from your employers, schools, banks, and other who may know you. Failure to provide your SSN on your application materials will result in your application not being processed.
REASONABLE ACCOMODATION – This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the hiring office at 202-720-0966. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – The USDA OIG is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, age, political affiliation, union, or non-union affiliation, sexual orientation, disability, or any other non-merit factors.
DIRECT DEPOSIT – All employees must have their salary sent to a financial institution of their choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
SECURITY CLEARANCE - Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
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.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT
To qualify at the GS-11 level: Applicants must meet at least one of the qualification requirements described below:
Specialized Experience for GS-11: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-9 level or equivalent in the Federal service. This experience includes performing such duties as conducting, with an appropriate level of supervision, a full range of criminal and administrative investigative functions on assigned 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 complex and conflicting findings in a clear, logical, impartial, comprehensive, and concise manner. In addition, the incumbent must have experience conducting liaison activities with other investigative agencies, including Federal, State, and local agencies, representing the interests of the employing agency, and developing new approaches to performing investigative functions, including responses to identified weaknesses and vulnerabilities in on-going operations. OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possession of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or at least three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of education and experience which together qualifies for the GS-11.
Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position.
To qualify at the GS-12 level: Applicants must meet at least one of the qualification requirements described below:
Specialized Experience for GS-12: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level or equivalent in the Federal service. This experience includes performing such duties as independently, at times as a team leader, or as a team member, conducting a full range of criminal and administrative investigative functions on assigned investigations, from planning and conducting fact-finding, to reporting the results of investigations; independently 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 complex and conflicting findings in a clear, logical, impartial, comprehensive, and concise manner. In addition, the incumbent must have experience conducting liaison activities with other investigative agencies, including Federal, State, and local agencies, representing the interests of the employing agency, and developing new approaches to performing investigative functions, including responses to identified weaknesses and vulnerabilities in on-going operations.
NO SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-12 LEVEL.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-admin.asp.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
Conditions of Employment:
• Selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for a Top Secret clearance. You must meet initial and periodic suitability determinations based on favorable background investigations and updates.
• Selected applicants are subject to initial and random drug testing. Failure to pass a Drug Test or maintain a clearance is grounds for removal.
• Selected applicants must be able to acquire and maintain a government-issued travel charge card.
• 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.
• 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.
• You must be able to operate a government-owned or leased vehicle and have and maintain a valid driver's license.
• You will be required to complete an OGE-450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report.
• Completion of the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, or its equivalent.
• 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 be no more than 37 years of age upon entry into the GS-1811 series, unless the applicant has 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. Applicant 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 [Lautenberg Amendment title “Gun Ban for Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence", Pub.L. 104–208,[1] 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9)].
• Selectees for such positions must meet the initial agency suitability determination (i.e. local police checks, review of past employment data, review of Query National information Center report, results of special agency check, etc.) before a final job offer can be made.
• This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
• It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. See more information at: http://www.chcoc.gov/transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?TransmittalID=6465
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 education, experience, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies listed below:
Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Non-Competitive candidates need to meet minimum qualification requirements to be referred.
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 can / will be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you.
We will review your application, including the online Occupational Questionnaire, to ensure you meet the job requirements and assess your ability to perform this job. Before any certificate can be issued to the selecting official, the resume and supporting documents are reviewed by an HR Specialist to ensure that (a) minimum qualification requirements are met and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your answers will be verified against information provided in your online resume and application. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Current OIG Employees:
Performance Appraisal - Summary Rating Page AND All Accompanying Narrative Pages (Required): Most recently completed performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, and all accompanying narrative pages, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin.
The following instructions outline our application process.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required.
You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application” to continue.
NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Once in the Agency's staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).
If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, you will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected. If you choose not to set up automatic email notifications, you must check your USAJOBS account for the latest status of your application. Your application may be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements for the position prior to issuing lists to a selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Normally, a final job offer to the selected candidate is made within 30-60 days after the issuance of the certificate.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/474452800. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about