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Criminal Investigator (Special Agent)

Department of the Treasury
Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration

Summary

The mission of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration's (TIGTA), Office of Investigations is to protect the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from internal and external threats and corruption that could negatively impact the IRS' ability to administer the nation's tax laws. We detect and deter waste, fraud and abuse in IRS programs and operations and protect the IRS against internal misconduct and corruption as well as external attempts to corrupt or threaten its employees.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/27/2026 to 04/09/2026
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$105,481 to - $163,062 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
New York, NY
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position, up to 1 - 5 nights per month.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-TIGTA-12918232
Control number
862741400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

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 Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47.

Duties

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This position is located at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigation. As a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent), you will conduct investigations and proactive investigative initiatives to ensure the integrity of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees, contractors, and other tax professionals; ensure IRS employee infrastructure security; and protect the IRS against attempts to corrupt tax administration.

As a criminal investigator, you will be called upon to spearhead the largest, most complex, and most sensitive criminal and occasionally non-criminal investigations which come under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

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.

- Plans and coordinates all investigative matters in accordance with Federal laws and regulations as well as agency policies.
- Interviews subjects, complainants, victims and third-party witnesses and prepares reports of complex investigations.
- Secures evidence from other outside sources to determine nature and extent of violation.
- Confers with and assists U.S. Attorneys in preparing information and evidence for trials.
- Testifies as a government witness before Grand Juries and in the courts in criminal cases, and at administrative hearings in non-criminal cases.


Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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:
  1. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  2. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
  3. All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
Additional Information:
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact on your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Age Requirements: Incumbents selected for Criminal Investigator positions are covered under special law enforcement provisions. This requires that applicants not exceed the maximum age for entry. The date immediately preceding an applicant's 37th birthday is the final date for selection. The age restriction does not apply if you served in a Federal civilian (not military) law enforcement officer (FLEO) position covered by special civil service retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement.

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 him/her, or others is disqualifying.

AND

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:

- Participating in the coordination of multi-agent cases or investigations that involve multiple subjects; AND
- Performing criminal or administrative investigations; AND
- Providing technical assistance, training, and consultation for criminal investigations, inspections and techniques, or coordinating criminal investigations and strategies; AND
- Utilizing various investigative techniques to establish interrelationships of facts or evidence; AND
- Investigating sensitive, controversial subjects or cases involving jurisdictional problems.

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:

- Performing criminal or administrative investigations; AND
- Utilizing various investigative techniques to establish interrelationships of facts or evidence; AND
- Developing evidence by interviews, documentary searches, surveillance, etc.; AND
- Investigating sensitive subjects or cases involving jurisdictional problems.

Time-in-Grade: 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.

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

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED):

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • A probationary or trial period may be required. Continued employment is contingent upon supervisory certification that continued employment will benefit the Federal Service; the certification will occur no less than 30 days before the end of the probationary/trial period.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • Top Secret/SCI - Background Investigation will be required.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • You will be required to regularly report to the Duty Station listed above. While teleworking is an option, approval is at management's discretion based on duties, business needs, performance, etc.
  • 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.
  • The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position is conditioned upon review/check of the candidate's tax compliance. Further, all TIGTA employees are subject to an employee tax compliance program to ensure that employees fulfill their personal tax responsibilities.
  • Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
  • Complete a pre-employment physical examination (including vision, hearing, cardiovascular and mobility of extremities) by an authorized Government physician and be determined physically fit to perform strenuous physically demanding duties. You will be required to undergo regular physical examinations and to maintain a level of physical fitness in accordance with the standards and policies of this agency.
  • Carry and use a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. You will be ineligible to occupy this position if at any time you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, unless you received a pardon or your conviction was expunged or set aside.
  • Complete or have previously completed the course(s) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA.
  • Sign a mobility agreement.
  • Agree to work an average of two extra hours per day. Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) has been approved to compensate for unscheduled duty in excess of the 40-hour workweek.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., résumé, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. 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 order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must meet the following "well qualified" definition listed below and any education requirement to receive special selection priority:

To be found well-qualified for this position, and in addition to meeting specialized experience, the applicant must have documented the following experience:

  • Having a solid and comprehensive understanding of the position. Can perform the required tasks efficiently and is proficient in applying the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job.

Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration

The United States (U.S.) Department of the Treasury (Treasury) has a distinguished history dating back to the founding of our nation. As the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, Treasury is a major and influential leader in today's global economy. TIGTA reports to the Secretary of the Treasury and is charged with providing independent oversight of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). TIGTA's work plays a major role in protecting the nation's revenue stream as we are committed to the prevention and detection of fraud, waste, and abuse within the IRS. We have over 700 employees located in offices across the country. Come Join the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and Invest in Tomorrow.

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center
Phone
304-480-7300
Email
TIGTAINQUIRIES@fiscal.treasury.gov
Address
Office of Investigation
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

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