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Supervisory Criminal Investigator (Assistant Special Agent in Charge)

Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Office of Field Operations

Summary

This position serves as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of a Field Division over several subordinate field offices and/or groups. The incumbent functions as a key management official within the field division and is responsible for assisting and advising the Division Director/Special Agent in Charge in the overall management and coordination of the enforcement programs and operations of the division.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/15/2026 to 01/29/2026
Salary
$147,945 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Denver, CO
Atlanta, GA
Louisville, KY
Saint Paul, MN
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-FO-IMP-12862039-RT
Control number
854528100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from internal employees only of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives serving under a career or career conditional appointment in the competitive service. Applications will also be accepted from CTAP eligibles.

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Duties

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The major duties of the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) position include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Through several subordinate Resident Agents in Charge and/or Group Supervisors, manages and directs a large staff of criminal investigators and clerical support, overseeing their work for effectiveness in conducting division law enforcement operations and activities.
  • Performs a full range of supervisory functions including: making decisions on work problems presented by subordinate RACs/Group Supervisors; collaborating with division managers and supervisors to coordinate work-related changes; advising the SAC and other Bureau management officials on problems impacting ATF's overall enforcement mission; etc.
  • Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the field offices/groups supervised by maintaining close control of the progress of sensitive and important investigations, detecting trends, prioritizing work and setting deadlines, etc.
  • Keeps abreast of regulations, rulings, various court decisions, directives and Headquarters and field division policies relative to alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives and personnel matters. Interprets such information when necessary for the field supervisors and keeps them informed of new and significant developments. As directed, acts for the SAC in his/her absence.
  • Oversees an aggressive safety program which will encompass training or monitoring subordinates in safe practices; accident and fire prevention; encourages good safety attitudes; identifying potential hazards; and ensures the prompt reporting of accidents, injuries and illnesses.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

The requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Key Requirements:

  • Must be U.S. Citizen or National
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  • May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • You must be a current permanent ATF employee with competitive status or a CTAP/RPL eligible candidate.
  • Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
  • You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements by the closing of this announcement.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.

MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process. This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

To qualify for the Supervisory Criminal Investigator position at the GS-15 grade level, candidates must also have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-14) by the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized experience is demonstrated experience, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Specialized experience must include all of:

  • Applying ATF law enforcement investigative techniques in order to direct a major field component of the Bureau; AND
  • Executing and coordinating criminal enforcement programs to make operational decisions regarding investigations of a criminal nature.
Please do not cut and paste the position description or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Your resume and experience must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

Education

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
A one-year probationary period is required for new supervisors and managers.

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations from ATF's Human Resources Operations Division. Please click on the following link to read important information. DOJ Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
  2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.


EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation:ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760 or send an email to reasonableaccommodations@atf.gov. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

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.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist. This information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. If a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires a SME writing assessment.

Structured Writing Assessment: Upon verification of applicants meeting the basic qualifications, applicants will be forwarded a writing assessment. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your writing assessment to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will not review any additional information beyond your writing assessment. Applicants who pass the structured writing assessment will be added to the list of qualified candidates.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Compliance
  • Criminal Investigation
  • Leadership
  • Technical Competence

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