Clarification from the agency

Current or former competitive service federal employees/federal employees with status. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

As the Director/Special Agent in Charge, Digital Forensics Laboratory, USAID Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, you will direct the system-wide forensic activities including, research, policy development, planning and analysis of programs and services, in support of criminal, civil and administrative investigations.  You will oversee and manage activities designed to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse within USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), the African Development Foundation (ADF), and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

You will also:

• Serve as the authority in the Digital Forensics area.
• Oversee digital forensic support initiatives
• Provide expert technical advice, guidance, and recommendations to senior agents, management officials, OIG leadership and others on critical operations.
• Supervise and oversee the management, planning, direction, and review of all aspects of the digital forensics lab and associated work.
• Plan, coordinate, and manage digital investigative support for investigative cases.
• Direct and execute forensic media analysis projects pursuant to Federal statutes, OIG policies, and other applicable regulations and guidelines.
• Mentor OIG personnel in the conduct of digital forensics, as well as in investigations involving forensic media collection and analysis.
• Analyze requests for digital forensics support and prioritizes initiatives and scope of assignments based on factors such as jurisdiction, safety, and mission impact.
• Manage and oversee computer forensic examinations that are consistent with standards established by USAID OIG, the Department of Justice, CIGIE, and other applicable organizations.
• Assess the personnel and other resource needs for the digital forensics lab.
• Advise and make recommendations to the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, and other USAID OIG senior executives regarding programmatic, policy, and actions in the digital forensics lab that would have an impact on investigative matters.
• Supervise teams composed of digital forensic investigators and criminal investigators. 
• Align program functions with the Federal Rules of Evidence, CIGIE quality standards for digital forensics, and USAID OIG policies. 
• Serve as subject matter expert and advisor on digital forensic acquisition, processing and safeguard 
• Guide transformation efforts for the safeguard of digital forensic evidence and structures and use knowledge of computer science, computer systems architecture and systems software organization to advance the digital forensic lab initiative for OIG/I. 
• Serve as seized Computer Evidence Recovery Specialist (SCERS) expert, coordinate, synchronize, and integrate system/forensic analysis operations into USAID/OIG/I plans and operations.
• Provide advance technical advice and assistance to investigators and attorneys on search, seizure and preservation of electronic evidence.
• Recommend new and innovative approaches to processes, procedures, policies and investigative methods and techniques. 
• Prepare investigative reports and other written documentation for action officials, Congress, prosecutorial bodies and OIG management. 
• Brief and advise management/leadership, congressional staffers, prosecutors and law enforcement teams on various investigative matters/results.  
• Approve performance plans, standards, and evaluations for special agents and support personnel assigned.  
• Evaluate work performance and manage work assignments.

Conditions of employment

• Domestic and overseas travel is required.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI Security Clearance.
• Designated and/or random drug testing required. Must carry a firearm.
• Medical and Physical Examinations are required.
• Relocation expenses not authorized on initial appointment.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS:  The duties of this position require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather.  Manual dexterity with comparatively free range of motion of fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and knee joints are 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 this position 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.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment.  Applicants that have no prior series 1811 criminal investigator experience must meet the maximum age for entry into a covered position which is the date immediately preceding the applicant's 37th birthday and must be able to retire at the mandatory age of 57 years with 20 years of service as an 1811 criminal investigator.  Hiring exceptions will be made for veterans' preference eligibles. 

Qualifications

To qualify for the GS-15 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 level in the Federal service or equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as: (1) Managing/leading complex criminal/civil and administrative investigations requiring the participation of several foreign or domestic agency investigators, (2) evaluating digital forensic programs and projects that have investigative oversight, (3) triaging, aggregating and assessing complex investigative data; and (4) advising on system-wide forensic activities such as research, policy development, planning and analysis of programs and services, in support of complex criminal, civil and administrative investigations.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).

Selective Placement Factors:

1. This position requires applicants to have successfully completed the DoD Certified Digital Forensics Examiner course or the FLETC Seized Computer Evidence Recovery Specialist certification course. Equivalent certifications will be evaluated for applicability. (Proof of completion MUST be provided at time of application in order to be considered for this position).
2. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, or any one of the following equivalent programs: Army Criminal Investigations Division Academy, Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Academy; Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Academy; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Academy; Postal Inspections Academy (Proof of completion must be provided at time of application).

Conditions of employment:

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• Applicants must possess a valid U.S. driver's license upon appointment and be able to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI security clearance.
• This position requires the incumbent to file an initial and annual OGE-450 Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, through the supervisor to the Ethics Counselor. Annual ethics or procurement integrity training is required.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to the applicant testing and random drug testing
• Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination by an Agency designated physician to determine if they are physically and medically qualified to perform the full duties of the position. Any physical condition which could hinder an individual's full, efficient and safe performance of his/her duties as a criminal investigator, or failure to meet any of the required physical or medical qualifications, will usually be considered disqualifying for employment, except when sufficient evidence is presented that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job efficiently and without hazard to themselves and others. Applicants who refuse to submit to the required examinations will not be considered for employment as a criminal investigator.
• Must agree to work an annual average of two hours extra per day to meet the requirements of law enforcement availability pay (LEAP) as described in Title 5 U.S.C 5545A (d) (1).
• You will be required to maintain firearm proficiency and carry a firearm while performing the duties of this position.  Applicants for this position are required to qualify with and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and to maintain such qualifications.  Because of an amendment to 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9), which became effective September 30, 1996, and is referred to as the Lautenberg Amendment, applicants are ineligible for this position if at ANY time they have been convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant received a pardon.  A qualifying conviction is a state or Federal conviction for a crime of domestic violence and any general or special court-martial for an offense that otherwise meets element of a crime of domestic violence, even though not classified as a misdemeanor or felony.

How you will be evaluated

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

We use a multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants: Qualified applicants receive a score of 70 to 100.  You will be rated on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the work experience and training you report relative to this position that shows the degree to which you possess the competencies listed on this vacancy announcement.  USAID must be able to conduct reference checks as part of its assessment process.  Applicants who do not permit reference checked from previous employers may be disqualified.

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure the following competencies that are required for this position:

• Investigative Practices and Techniques
• Case/Project Management
• Planning and Evaluation
• Written Communication
• Oral Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem Solving

If applying as a Status applicant, you must provide proof of government service documenting that you have met the time-in-grade requirements.