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Investigative Analyst

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Professional Responsibility
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As our nation navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP is committed to delivering our mission to safeguard America's borders and enable legitimate trade and travel. Staffing mission critical positions remains a high priority. Be reassured that CBP is still hiring, despite potential hiring process step delays due to restrictions to in-person activities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/13/2022 to 07/14/2022
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$79,363 to - $122,683 per year

Salary listed reflects the rest of U.S. scale and, if applicable, will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the duty location upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
12 vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
OPR-DE-11558800-RDB
Control number
664313600

Duties

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Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Threat Mitigation and Analysis Division (TMAD) with locations in Washington DC, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, El Centro CA, Yuma AZ, Tucson AZ, Sierra Vista AZ, El Paso TX, Del Rio TX, Laredo TX, McAllen TX, Brownsville TX, Newark NJ, New York NY, Buffalo NY, Indianapolis IN, Ashburn VA, Miami FL, and Houston TX.

Law enforcement positions are expected to report to their duty station on a daily basis. However, due to COVID-19, some positions in CBP are currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, and you are given an entrance on duty date you will be provided additional information on the reporting requirements of your position.

The purpose of this position is to coordinate investigative activities with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials; conduct sophisticated surveillance; develop supportable cases for presentation and/or prosecution. This position starts at a salary of $79,363.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to $122,683.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $122,683.00 (GS-13 Step 10). In this position you will conduct inspections and investigations where significant difficulties are encountered; apply investigation and negotiation techniques; interpret complex laws and regulations including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Conducts independent complex research and analysis on a wide range of information for the purpose of identifying and investigating misconduct by agency employees, and criminal groups seeking to compromise CBP. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to: currency violations, drug use and/or smuggling, customs and immigration fraud, theft, misuse of CBP systems, and other integrity and/or criminal issues. The incumbent uses their expertise to conceive of, identify, collect resources for, and execute proactive programs to identify targets for investigation.
  • Gathering of investigative information and data from public, commercial, and private-sector databases and governmental/law enforcement systems and conducting research and analysis on collected information.
  • Preparing complex written analytical and research reports and investigative narratives.
  • Utilizing sophisticated analytical software, graphics and other automated applications to report potential breaches of integrity and criminal activity.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
  • Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
  • As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement Safer Federal Workforce Task Force 2 pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS 12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

  • Researching, analyzing and evaluating of information to assist in investigators in ongoing administrative misconduct investigations;
  • Producing written and oral products identifying analytical methodologies and models for responding to allegations of unethical practices; and
  • Explaining research and analysis results and recommend ways to respond to breaches in integrity or misconduct to stakeholders and/or leadership.
You qualify for the 13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Researching, analyzing and evaluating of information to assist in investigators in ongoing administrative misconduct investigations;
  • Producing written and oral products identifying analytical methodologies and models for responding to allegations of unethical practices;
  • Explaining research and analysis results and recommend ways to respond to breaches in integrity or misconduct to stakeholders and/or leadership, and
  • Preparing and presenting detailed briefings, seminars, and training session to internal and external customers
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 07/26/2022.

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.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
  • A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
  • Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
  • Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government
Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit

Security Clearance: You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Financial Disclosure is required.

The work may require domestic or foreign travel for extended timeframes.

Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.

Telework may be available on a regular recurring or situational basis.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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 resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we will use an assessment questionnaire to place you in one of three categories based on your experience, education, and training.

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 SPF's 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.
The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:
Knowledge of investigative procedures and techniques in order to identify, analyze, and develop in depth solutions to mitigate integrity-related threats within the CBP workforce.
  • Knowledge of the investigative roles, responsibilities and activities of law enforcement and security agencies.
  • Knowledge of US Government border security operations, programs, and activities.
  • Knowledge of and skill in applying analytic techniques and methods to produce quality investigative-support and intelligence products.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11558800

Veterans: 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. This position is not considered scientific/professional. Other 10 point preference eligibles and veterans with 5 point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles:
If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well-Qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this job announcement.

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