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Criminal Investigator (Desk Officer)

Department of Transportation
Office of Inspector General

Summary

Investigations will typically involve violations of the Department's programs and regulations with respect to illegal transportation of hazardous materials, aviation safety, contract and grant fraud and motor carrier safety.  Results of investigations may form the basis for withholding funds from a state, criminal or civil prosecution by the Department of Justice; administrative personnel actions by DOT; or changes in practices and/or procedures by DOT. 

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/09/2026 to 03/16/2026
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$125,776 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Cerritos, CA
Oakland, CA
Lakewood, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - This is a full-time position
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14 - No known promotion potential.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
HQ INV OPS-2026-0002
Control number
860390700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current employees of the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Transportation who have competitive status. The selectee will remain in their current duty location. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL LIKE VACANCIES IN THE ANNOUNCED DUTY LOCATION.

Duties

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You will serve as a Criminal Investigator (Desk Officer), with responsibility for providing investigative services, technical advice, and overall coordination of all investigative operations. The duties of this position will primarily consist of preparing reports, preparing statistical data, briefings, and speeches based on the investigative and operational activities of the OIG and will involve oversight of the field's investigative work to ensure that it is being conducted in conformance with OIG policies and procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Valid driver's license required.
  • Pre-employment drug testing and physical exam is required.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 P.M. EST on the closing date.
  • This position is subject to a background investigation.

Selectee must reside within 65 miles from duty location by start date. 

Qualifications

GS-14: To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.  Examples of specialized experience includes: experience conducting investigations of criminal, civil, regulatory, or administrative violations (e.g. embezzlement, bribery, fraud against the Government, false claims, kickbacks, bid rigging, conflicts of interest, non-compliance with administrative/legislative requirements, etc).

All documents must be received and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.  Your resume must be well documented with the specialized experience, otherwise you may be deemed ineligible.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE qualifications for the grade(s) at which you are requesting consideration. Applicants must meet qualifications and time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Your resume will be evaluated based on the following competencies:

1. Case Management - Develops comprehensive investigative plans that clearly identify allegations, targets, and law enforcement operations that further the case.

2. Communication (written and verbal) - Conducts structured and effective interviews and produces grammatically correct, comprehensive and logically organized written products that clearly explain investigative findings and plans.

3. Ability to work on a team- Establishes productive working relationships with law enforcement partners and internal teams.

4. Judgment, Decision-Making, and Adaptability - Demonstrates sound judgment in operational planning and execution, with the ability to adapt effectively to rapidly changing conditions.

5. External Awareness/Attention to Detail - Identifies and understands trends that affect the organization and support the organization’s goals and completes tasks without overlooking key steps or processes.

6. Law Enforcement Operations and Compliance with Laws and Rules & Regulations - Demonstrates knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, and investigative authorities and executes law enforcement actions in compliance with legal and procedural requirements.

Additional information

Applicants must not turn 37 years of age before 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.  Or, if you are age 37 through 56 you must be eligible to retire at age 57 with 20 years of covered law enforcement service. All qualified veterans preference eligibles may apply and be considered for this vacancy regardless of whether they meet the maximum age requirements identified at 5 U.S.C 3307. 

In most jurisdictions, you must be at least 21 years of age to carry a firearm.  This is a secondary position and meets the early law enforcement retirement provisions of both the Civil Service and the Federal Employees Retirement Systems.

If selected for this position, you must successfully complete a pre-employment medical examination and drug test and will be  subject to favorable adjudication of an employment suitability determination, as well as satisfactorily complete the criminal investigator training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in Glynco, Georgia.

Because you will be required to qualify to carry and use government-owned firearms as part of your assigned duties (and maintain this qualification) you are ineligible for this position if, at any time, you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, unless the conviction was expunged, set aside, or you received a pardon.

Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): eligibility for an increase to salary of 25% for unscheduled duty in excess of the 40-hour workweek.

APPLICANTS MUST MEET QUALIFICATIONS BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.  

Any male applicant who was born after December 31, 1959, and who is subsequently selected for this position must certify that he is registered for the military selective service by the date he is to enter on duty.  False certification may result in termination after appointment.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL LIKE VACANCIES IN THE ANNOUNCED DUTY LOCATION.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, careers@oig.dot.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.

All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases to determine how you move forward in the hiring process.

Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.

Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents). Applicants who do not respond to the application questions may be rated ineligible.

Federal employees must meet Time-In-Grade (TIG) requirements for merit promotion consideration.  TIG is the 52-week requirement Federal employees in competitive service, General Schedule (GS) positions at GS-5 and above must serve before they are eligible for promotion to the next grade level. TIG requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Supporting documents may either be uploaded or faxed to 571-258-4052. The requested information MUST be received by fax within 48 hours prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement (not including Saturdays, Sundays or government holidays).

NOTE: If you exaggerate or falsify your experience, education and/or your responses to questions, your ratings are subject to change or you may be removed from employment consideration.

Applicants who fail to submit all the required documentation listed below, in addition to their resumes, will be considered ineligible for further consideration for this announcement.


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