We are seeking highly motivated professionals to join our team. If you want challenging work and a chance to make a big impact, come join us at the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Commerce! We improve the effectiveness of the Department's programs and operations. We also investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department and those who do business with it.
Summary
We are seeking highly motivated professionals to join our team. If you want challenging work and a chance to make a big impact, come join us at the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Commerce! We improve the effectiveness of the Department's programs and operations. We also investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department and those who do business with it.
All candidates who are: Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, Federal employees currently serving on a VRA, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles, eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., the Schedule A appointment for persons with disabilities, or covered by an Interchange Agreement), or VRA eligibles (GS-11 Applicants only) or Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47.
This position is located at Department of Commerce OIG, Office of Investigation. As an Investigator, you will investigate alleged or suspected fraud, waste, abuse and misconduct by Department of Commerce employees, contractors, recipients of financial assistance, and others involving the Department's programs and operations.
The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.
- Conducts inquiries and investigations involving alleged fraud, waste, abuse, and improprieties by DOC officials, breaches of program integrity, and/or allegations of whistleblower retaliation.
- Conducts investigative interviews, prepares subpoenas, records searches, and obtains sworn statements and documents, where appropriate, from witnesses, complainants and informants, subjects, Governmental officials, and public and private persons at all levels.
- Evaluates open and closed investigations to assess and critique the propriety and effectiveness of civil and administrative remedies.
- Establishes and maintains liaison at the highest executive level with program and administrative officials as well as representatives of external federal agencies, local law enforcement agencies, and officials of state, municipal, and private enterprises.
- Performs complex and time-sensitive projects by organizing them in a logical manner, and prepares clear, complete, and concise investigative reports in a timely manner ensuring compliance with investigative directives, standards, and guidelines.
The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé.
Key Requirements:
Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
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 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 E.O. 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
You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement
Specialized Experience: For the GS-13, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes:
Conducting investigations which could result in potential disciplinary or other administrative action (i.e. fraud, waste, abuse, whistleblower retaliation); AND
Experience using generally accepted investigative principles, techniques, methods and procedures applicable to civil/administrative investigations; AND
Demonstrated experience in oral and written communications, to include accepted standards of writing, use of proper grammar and the preparation of investigative reports in a clear, concise and professional manner, in order to communicate clearly and accurately the results of investigations.
Specialized Experience: For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes:
Assisting with investigations which could result in potential disciplinary or other administrative action (i.e. fraud, waste, abuse, whistleblower retaliation); AND
Experience using generally accepted investigative principles, techniques, methods and procedures applicable to civil/administrative investigations; AND
Demonstrated experience in oral and written communications, to include accepted standards of writing, use of proper grammar and the preparation of investigative reports in a clear, concise and professional manner, in order to communicate clearly and accurately the results of investigations.
Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes:
Providing research and making recommendations to senior Investigators on investigations which could result in administrative action; AND
Experience using investigative principles, techniques, methods and procedures applicable to the type of investigation assigned; AND
Demonstrated experience in oral and written communications, in order to communicate clearly and accurately the results of investigations.
OR
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 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 (Attach a copy of your transcript or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit.)
OR
You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:
For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-9 level for 52 weeks.
Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
OTHER INFORMATION:
We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
We offer opportunities for telework.
We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED):
A one year probationary period may be required.
Must successfully complete a background investigation.
Top Secret/SCI - Background Investigation will be required.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
DOCOIG offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/.
Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
Additional benefits available may include: Flexible work schedule, transportation subsidy, fitness center, child-care facility, career development with a generous training program, credit union and convenient access to Metrorail and Metrobus transit services in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia communities, car pools/van pools and more.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.
In addition to the qualifications above, you will be required to complete a writing assessment for this position. Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (résumé, supporting documents, self-assessment questionnaire, and responses to the writing assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement.
If your application is incomplete, we may rate you as ineligible.
Note: As part of your writing assessment, you must not exceed the 1250-character limit for each question.
Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Analytical, Communication and Technical
Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application
Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview and provide a writing sample or written assessment/exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position. References may also be checked after all assessment materials are reviewed.
We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.
It is anticipated that there will be significant interest in the announcement. As a result, the announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on the date of receipt of the 250th application or at 11:59 p.m. ET on 2/28/2024; whichever occurs first. Any required documents should be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.
CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
-You must submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
-If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
-Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA - GS-11 Applicants only, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL - Provide a copy of your most recent rating of record (i.e., final annual performance appraisal issued and signed by appropriate management official). If the rating of record you submit is not dated within the last 18 months, you must provide an explanation in your application as to why one has not been issued within the past 18 months.
Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply).
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least one year, and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
DOCOIG has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.
If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.
Office of Investigation
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package.
It is anticipated that there will be significant interest in the announcement. As a result, the announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on the date of receipt of the 250th application or at 11:59 p.m. ET on 2/28/2024; whichever occurs first. Any required documents should be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.
CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
-You must submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
-If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
-Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA - GS-11 Applicants only, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL - Provide a copy of your most recent rating of record (i.e., final annual performance appraisal issued and signed by appropriate management official). If the rating of record you submit is not dated within the last 18 months, you must provide an explanation in your application as to why one has not been issued within the past 18 months.
Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply).
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least one year, and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION:
If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
DOCOIG has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen.
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status.
If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.
Office of Investigation
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your résumé and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
