Consistently ranked as the best place to work in the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the top 10% of all agency subcomponents, the Office of Inspector General is an independent office providing independent oversight to promote accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the DOI. We offer exceptional work-life benefits, including flexible work schedules, ample training opportunities, and a comprehensive employee recognition program.
Summary
Consistently ranked as the best place to work in the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the top 10% of all agency subcomponents, the Office of Inspector General is an independent office providing independent oversight to promote accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the DOI. We offer exceptional work-life benefits, including flexible work schedules, ample training opportunities, and a comprehensive employee recognition program.
CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; Current or former career or career-conditional Federal employees in the competitive service; VEOA; Interchange agreement; Miscellaneous (Peace Corp/Postal/GAO/U.S. Courts) and Special hiring authority (Foreign Service); Current or former time-limited employees eligible under the Land Management (BLM) Workforce Flexibility Act; Military Spouses.
This position is with Office of Inspector General, Energy Investigations Unit, in Lakewood, Colorado. This office is responsible for conducting complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations involving the Department's energy and mineral-related programs in support of the OIG's mission. As a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) you will be responsible for
Major duties include:
Plans, conduct, and/or lead highly visible and/or sensitive criminal investigations involving suspected or alleged violations of the Federal criminal code and other Federal laws, rules, and regulations. These investigations involve criminal, civil, and regulatory violations associated with energy and mineral development activities administered and regulated by the Federal government.
Plans and complete search warrants and arrest warrants. Conduct surveillance and other law enforcement activities. Evaluate and identify significant findings, trends, and patterns for areas at risk of criminal or fraudulent activity.
Analyzes requests, complaints, and or allegations in relation to appropriate laws, regulations, etc. to identify potential violations and related evidence. Establish relationship of relevant facts supported with evidence and data. Perform extensive records searches. Conduct research and analysis of financial and accounting data.
Questions and interview witnesses and other subjects as part of fact-finding and investigative work. Provide management officials with briefings and presentations.
Writes clear and concise investigative reports documenting observations, issues and findings that are supported by evidence and data.
Successful completion of a background investigation.
May be subject to initial and random drug testing.
Initial appointments to the competitive or excepted service will be subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary or trial period, and that in the absence of agency action to retain, such appointments will terminate the day before the anniversary date of the individual's appointment (or sooner), if the certifying official determines that finalizing the appointment would not advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the OIG, and/or otherwise does not promote the efficiency of the service.
May be required to complete a two-year probationary period.
OGE-450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report may be required.
Time-in-grade requirement - Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
Complete the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, or its equivalent.
Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch.
This position is a primary law enforcement position under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (C) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C 8412 (D) (FERS). You must be no more than 37 years of age upon entry into the GS-1811 series, unless the applicant has previous service creditable under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) law enforcement provisions sufficient to enable you to retire at age 57 with 20 years of creditable service. Persons already in covered secondary positions or with previous approved service who apply for a primary position cannot be considered if their age at reentry into the primary position exceeds 37 years after subtracting their years of service in covered positions. Applicant must provide evidence of current or previous coverage that would qualify. This age restriction does not apply to those entitled to Veteran's Preference.
Criminal Investigators under the 1811 occupational series are eligible for law enforcement availability pay (LEAP), not to exceed 25% of the rate of basic pay.
Requirements Continued in Qualification Section;
Qualifications
Requirements Continued:
Selectee will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification.
Applicants are ineligible for this position if convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside, or the applicant received a pardon.
Selectee must meet the initial agency suitability determination (i.e. local police checks, review of past employment data, review of Query National information Center report, results of special agency check, etc.) before a final offer can be made.
Medical Requirements for 1811 occupational series may be found here.
Qualifications:
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. We will only review your resume to determine whether minimum experience requirement(s) have been met.
Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.
Minimum Qualifications GS-13 :
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service performing all of the following:
Applying for and executing search warrants, and other law enforcement operations;
Planning and conducting complex financial fraud investigations that are primarily criminal in nature;
Writing investigative reports and other products; and
Testifying in court or providing briefings to internal and external parties such as high-level agency officials, law enforcement personnel, or federal/state prosecutors.
Education
There is no educational requirement for this position.
Additional information
Applicants must meet initial and periodic suitability determinations based on favorable background investigations and updates.
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for the Selective Service.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.
Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. 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; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
Military Spouse - If applying using the Military Spouse Noncompetitive Appointment Authority (5 U.S.C. 3330d) and you are a spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty, the spouse of a 100 percent disabled member of the armed forces, and/or the spouse of a deceased member of the armed forces you must submit acceptable documentation of your appointment eligibility which may include the following:
A copy of the service member's permanent change of station orders, the specific location to which the member is assigned, reassigned, or transferred to permanent change of station orders, and the effective date of the permanent change of station; and
Verification of the marriage to the service member if not listed on orders (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage);
Verification of the member's 100 percent disability; and/or
Verification of the member's death while on active duty.
BLM: Under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) two groups of individuals are eligible to apply under this announcement: current and/or former employees serving or who have served under time-limited competitive appointments at land management agencies.
- Current appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time-limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time-limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; and 3) must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service (Performance Appraisal Required).
- Former appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time-limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time-limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; 3) must have separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; and 4) must have performed at an acceptable level through the service period (Performance Appraisal Required).
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.
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.
Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If your resume exceeds two pages, your application will not be considered.See Required Documents section for more information.
Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualifications as listed in this announcement. Applicants will be evaluated based on their possession of the following competencies:
Criminal Investigations
Oral Communication
Written Communication
After the closing date of the announcement, we will review your resume per Category Rating procedures to ensure that qualification and eligibility requirements are met. If it is determined that you meet the minimum qualification requirements, Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel will conduct a review of eligible and qualified applicants. The SME will only consider your short answer responses and resume. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified based on the degree that your application demonstrates possession of:
Criminal Investigations
Financial and Program Knowledge
With emphasis on:
Experience investigating fraud, waste, abuse or mismanagement.
Experience conducting detailed research and analysis of financial and accounting data.
Note: If a determination is made that qualifications and/or experience have been inflated, your score will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. You are required to select eligibility and submit supporting documents. Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.
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.
All documentation, applicable to you, must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit the required documents will disqualify you from further consideration for this position.
Resume (required) - Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. If your resume exceeds two pages, your application will not be considered. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. For more information, clickhere.
Your resume must sufficiently describe how your experience fully meets the specialized experience requirements as stated in this announcement for each grade level(s) you are applying (see "Qualifications" section). Your resume must also support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. We cannot assume you have performed the duties and gained the experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. We strongly recommend you use the USA Jobs Online Resume BuilderUSA Jobs online Resume Builderto submit a resume. If you choose to use your own formatted resume, you must ensure it contains all of the following for each experience/position listed: job title, name of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format), hours worked per week, detailed description of duties performed, and if a Federal position, series and grade or equivalent. We will not access web pages linked to your resume to determine your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself or any sensitive information.
SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action - If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status (box 24 must show "1" or "2" and box 34 must show "1"), title, series and grade (do not submit an Award SF-50). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Candidates applying under an interchange agreement must also provide an SF-50 or equivalent document showing interchange eligibility. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
Performance Appraisal and Awards - While not required, due weight will be given to appraisals and awards submitted during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Such documents will not be used in determining if you meet the experience requirements.
CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility -Such as a RIF separation notice, certificate of expected separation, SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action stating you were separated by RIF, OR a letter from your agency documenting your priority consideration status.
Veteran's Documentation for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) and Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW): DD-214, SF-15, and VA Letter, or certification of discharge or release from active duty within 120 days. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). For active duty service members, a "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted with your application package. The certification letter should be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date, and (2) the character of service. If selected for this position, you must provide a copy of your terminal leave documentation, if applicable.
Interchange Agreements - In order to be eligible based on an OPM approved interchange agreement, you must submit the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) or equivalent personnel action that shows that you are eligible under the interchange agreement; AND any other required documents as outlined in interchange agreement for your agency.
Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated by U.S. OPM/Special Hiring Authorities/Former Peace Corp and VISTA volunteers: If you are applying for this position based on this eligibility submit proof of eligibility (SF-50 non-award) with your application in order to be considered non-competitively for this vacancy.
Military Spouse - See additional information section for required documents.
BLM: See additional information section for required documents.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a complete application package including a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the DOI OIG's Automated Application System. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) 03/12/2026 to complete the following application 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 and all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For assistance with creating an USAJOBS account and for information on viewing your Application status, please visit: (https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started) AND (https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to).
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account ( https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
Energy Investigations Unit
12345 West Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Next steps
Continued from How to Apply
If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax at least two working days prior to 03/12/2026 . If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Division of Human Resources at doioig_vacancies@doioig.gov to obtain an alternative application.
The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the closing date of the announcement, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. You will be notified by email of your rating and/or referral of your resume to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. You will be informed of the outcome via e-mail. We expect to make a selection within 45 to 60 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
All documentation, applicable to you, must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit the required documents will disqualify you from further consideration for this position.
Resume (required) - Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. If your resume exceeds two pages, your application will not be considered. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. For more information, clickhere.
Your resume must sufficiently describe how your experience fully meets the specialized experience requirements as stated in this announcement for each grade level(s) you are applying (see "Qualifications" section). Your resume must also support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. We cannot assume you have performed the duties and gained the experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. We strongly recommend you use the USA Jobs Online Resume BuilderUSA Jobs online Resume Builderto submit a resume. If you choose to use your own formatted resume, you must ensure it contains all of the following for each experience/position listed: job title, name of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format), hours worked per week, detailed description of duties performed, and if a Federal position, series and grade or equivalent. We will not access web pages linked to your resume to determine your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself or any sensitive information.
SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action - If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status (box 24 must show "1" or "2" and box 34 must show "1"), title, series and grade (do not submit an Award SF-50). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Candidates applying under an interchange agreement must also provide an SF-50 or equivalent document showing interchange eligibility. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
Performance Appraisal and Awards - While not required, due weight will be given to appraisals and awards submitted during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Such documents will not be used in determining if you meet the experience requirements.
CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility -Such as a RIF separation notice, certificate of expected separation, SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action stating you were separated by RIF, OR a letter from your agency documenting your priority consideration status.
Veteran's Documentation for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) and Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW): DD-214, SF-15, and VA Letter, or certification of discharge or release from active duty within 120 days. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). For active duty service members, a "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted with your application package. The certification letter should be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates, including the expected discharge or release date, and (2) the character of service. If selected for this position, you must provide a copy of your terminal leave documentation, if applicable.
Interchange Agreements - In order to be eligible based on an OPM approved interchange agreement, you must submit the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) or equivalent personnel action that shows that you are eligible under the interchange agreement; AND any other required documents as outlined in interchange agreement for your agency.
Miscellaneous Authorities Not Regulated by U.S. OPM/Special Hiring Authorities/Former Peace Corp and VISTA volunteers: If you are applying for this position based on this eligibility submit proof of eligibility (SF-50 non-award) with your application in order to be considered non-competitively for this vacancy.
Military Spouse - See additional information section for required documents.
BLM: See additional information section for required documents.
To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a complete application package including a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the DOI OIG's Automated Application System. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) 03/12/2026 to complete the following application 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 and all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For assistance with creating an USAJOBS account and for information on viewing your Application status, please visit: (https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started) AND (https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to).
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. You may update your application documents and some questions related to your personal information at any time during the announcement open period. However, you will not be able to make changes to questions related to assessing the minimum qualifications and competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics) mentioned in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. To make an allowed update to your application, return to your USAJOBS account ( https://help.usajobs.gov/get-started). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
Energy Investigations Unit
12345 West Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US
Next steps
Continued from How to Apply
If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax at least two working days prior to 03/12/2026 . If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Division of Human Resources at doioig_vacancies@doioig.gov to obtain an alternative application.
The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the closing date of the announcement, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. You will be notified by email of your rating and/or referral of your resume to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. You will be informed of the outcome via e-mail. We expect to make a selection within 45 to 60 days of the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
