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Criminal Investigator

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Miami Field Office reporting to the Office of Field Office Management, Domestic Operations Directorate, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, U.S. Department of State.  You will serve as a Criminal Investigator responsible for the investigations of complex, criminal investigations involving passport and visa fraud.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/10/2025 to 10/20/2025
Salary
$112,234 to - $145,906 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
Miami, FL
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - Frequent travel, both domestic and overseas, to high threat posts, and unscheduled, night, weekend, and holiday work may be required.
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
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DS-2026-0001
Control number
847983400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Department of State career or career conditional status employees in the competitive service; employees who are on temporary or other non-status appointments who have reinstatement or non-competitive eligibility for a competitive service appointment (e.g., tenured Foreign Service employees, employees on an excepted service appointment at the USUN who have previous career status, etc.); and CTAP

Duties

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  • Coordinates highly complex and sensitive investigative activities with other Federal, State and local enforcement agencies as necessary.
  • Provides intelligence guidance, analysis, and technical advice to other criminal investigators. Prepares criminal affidavits and complaints as well as executes search and arrest warrants and federal grand jury subpoenas.
  • Plans, collects, evaluates, and analyzes criminal intelligence data that encompasses a worldwide area of investigative responsibility.
  • Reviews and prepares reports of investigations and criminal intelligence reports detailing diverse contributing cause of cases and giving expert recommendations to prevent similar future occurrences.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience planning and conducting criminal investigations.
  • Experience collecting, analyzing and evaluating intelligence data in support of investigations.
  • Experience performing on and/or overseeing protective security operations.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

AGE REQUIREMENT: All applicants, except preference-eligible veterans, MUST be no more than 37 years of age upon entry into this position. If you are 37 or older, or will reach your 37th birthday, but have previously served in a federal civilian law enforcement position which may exempt you from this age restriction, you must submit a copy of the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that you received in that position. If you are a preference-eligible veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 verifying your veterans preference eligibility.

Candidate must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.

This position requires the incumbent to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency and successfully pass periodic firearm qualifications. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. Title 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9).

This position is authorized to receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) at the rate of 25% of the incumbent’s salary (including locality pay) paid in addition to the salary.  The receipt of LEAP is not optional and requires the incumbent to work an average of two or more LEAP hours per scheduled work day, which may include evenings, nights and weekends. The hours worked will vary depending on the nature of the assignment.  Incumbents will receive LEAP during Basic Special Agent (BSAC) training.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: The duties of positions in this series require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints is 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 these positions 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.

MOBILITY AGREEMENT: Selectee must sign a mobility agreement to accept relocation to other geographic locations if required by the agency. A valid driver's license is also required.

This position requires all incumbents to meet physical fitness standards to ensure they are prepared to carry out all of their official responsibilities. All applicants tentatively selected for this position must complete and submit a Physical Readiness Test (PRT) Self-Evaluation. Prior to receiving a final offer, applicants must pass a Diplomatic Security Service administered PRT. For information on the PRT standards, please visit https://careers.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DS-PRT-Guide-Revised-161019.pdf and https://careers.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DS-PRT-Standards-Revised-161019.pdf. Incumbents of this position will be required to maintain the physical fitness standards set by the agency and participate in triannual fitness testing.

The incumbent must pass periodic physical examinations, meet physical standards set by the Agency for the position, and otherwise fulfill the requirements for law enforcement positions of 5 U.S.C. 8336(c).

This position requires the incumbent to work various shifts (e.g., 8:15am-5pm), 12am-8am, 4pm-12am, in addition to 2 or more LEAP hours, on a daily basis. In short, the hours worked will vary depending on the nature of your assignment.

TRAINING: Must successfully complete OR have successfully completed the Criminal Investigations Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glenco, GA, AND the New Agent Course at the Diplomatic Security Training Center. Candidates will be required to sign a Training Agreement attesting to their understanding that failure to successfully complete the training will result in removal. Additionally, within one year of graduating from the Basic Special Agent Course, newly hired Criminal Investigators will be required to enroll in the “Advanced Tactics, Leadership, and Skills" (ATLaS) course offered through the Diplomatic Security Training Center.  The ATLaS course is 11 weeks long and focuses on enhanced tactics, training and leadership skills.  All Criminal Investigators are required to take this course and complete a refresher course every five years.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov. 
  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. 
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume limited to two pages will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Note:  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned a score between 70 and 100.  The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Knowledge of protective security policies, procedures, and operations.
  • Knowledge of investigative techniques which support criminal prosecution.
  • Ability to conduct research, analyze and evaluate to provide appropriate recommendations.
  • Ability to communicate orally to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner.

Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

Agency Career and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority.


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