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Criminal Investigator

Department of Labor
Office of Inspector General
Office of Inspector General

Summary

This position is located within in the Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations - Labor Racketeering and Fraud (OI). OI's mission is to conduct criminal, civil, and administrative investigations into alleged violations of federal laws relating to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) programs, operations, and personnel to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in such programs and operations.



Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/27/2026 to 04/02/2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$89,508 - $163,062 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
West Covina, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
IC-26-OIG-OI-12908721
Control number
862990500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to Federal Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) eligibles in the local commuting areas.

Duties

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The major duties are as follows:

Serve as the lead agent in investigating high-profile, complex cases that encompass a broad range of criminal activities within the organization's jurisdiction, establishing contacts with various stakeholders to gather relevant evidence.

Assist in conducting joint investigations with Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, establishing and maintaining effective communication channels.

Obtain information from individuals of diverse backgrounds and develop informants under challenging and sensitive conditions to enhance intelligence gathering.

Act as the senior agent responsible for conducting interviews, surveillance, and examinations of records, managing sensitive investigations independently.

Draft detailed investigative reports highlighting key findings and evidence to support potential legal actions, presenting cases to Assistant U.S. Attorneys for Grand Jury consideration.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen. Requires a valid driver's license.
  • Must be at least 21 years old.
  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
  • Subject to drug and medical test prior to appointment.
  • Subject to frequent travel and overtime.

Qualifications

You must meet the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Requirements section and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Criminal Investigator, as described below.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

For GS-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal Service.

Examples of specialized experience include but is not limited to under limited supervision, the incumbent independently performing the full range of investigative functions on assigned cases or portions of cases from planning and conducting fact-finding to reporting the results of investigations; performing undercover and surveillance work under supervision; independently conducting investigative interviews; analyzing investigative facts to arrive at sound conclusions; and presentations to Assistant United States Attorneys in support of federal criminal prosecutions and civil actions. Incumbent must develop and maintain working relationships with law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level.

For GS-13: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the Federal Service.

Examples of specialized experience include but is not limited to: 1) independently conducts, or leads, the most significant and complex investigations that often involve multiple law enforcement agencies covering multiple judicial districts. These investigation could include criminal offenses committed by individuals, entities, or organized criminal enterprises, including financial crimes and fraud; Federal program, contract or grant fraud; and employee integrity offenses 2) proficiency in the application of criminal, civil, and administrative laws, including false claims and qui tam actions 3) demonstrate proficiency in utilizing investigative principles and techniques, including undercover operations, consensual monitoring, and other covert investigative techniques; 4) demonstrate extensive experience in legal procedures related to the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses; 5) experience in testifying in Federal criminal prosecutions; and 6) demonstrate extensive experience in consulting and working with U.S. Attorneys and other prosecutorial officials in preparation of cases for prosecution.

Maximum AGE Requirements: An applicant must enter a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) law enforcement covered position or a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) law enforcement covered position not one day later than his/her 37th birthday. Please note: Applicants appointed to Criminal Investigator positions in the Federal service must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to the position unless they previously served in a Federal civilian law enforcement position covered by special civil service retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement. This requirement may be waived only for veterans. However, the primary duties of these positions are classified as "rigorous," and a waiver may be authorized by the head of the agency only in unusual situations. An age requirement waiver is not automatic. An individual who has passed the maximum entry age limit but previously served in a covered position, may be eligible for consideration and reinstatement of coverage if he/she will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered law enforcement service by the time he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 57. See OPM Retirement Handbook for further details. The Maximum Entry Age requirement (See Maximum Entry may be waived for applicants eligible for veterans' preference.)

POSITION REQUIREMENTS FOR OIG CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS: Incumbents are required to be able to perform the following duties: A.) Firearm Use - All OIG criminal investigators are required to qualify with the U.S. DOL-issued firearms and to accept assignments where firearms are required. In the exercise of OIG's statutory law enforcement authority, there is the potential that the use of the firearm may be justified and necessary. B.) Arrests - OIG criminal investigators make arrests, with or without a warrant, according to the circumstances. C.) Search and Seizure - OIG criminal investigators execute warrants for search of premises or seizure of evidence. D.) Surveillances - In conducting investigations, criminal investigators may establish and maintain surveillances of suspected criminal acts. E.) Undercover Assignments - From time to time, criminal investigators assume undercover roles. F.) Review of Records and Other Evidence. Many cases under investigation involve the review of a tremendous amount of records which the agent takes control of and transports for copying. G.) Travel - Many criminal investigators travel frequently -- up to 50 percent of the time. Much of the travel is performed by automobile driven by the agent from 8 to 10 hours at a time to reach the destination. H.) Basic Law Enforcement Training - As a condition of employment, newly-hired OIG criminal investigators must have successfully completed the basic criminal investigator training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC ), unless waived by OIG because of proof of comparable special agent or law enforcement officer training.

  • Higher grade level 1811s may receive biweekly and annual premium pay caps (refer to OPM website).
  • No Relocation Incentives will be offered.
  • No Permanent Change of Station Incentives will be offered.
  • This position is outside the Bargaining Unit.
  • This position will not be filled until the Department's Placement Assistance Programs have been fully utilized.

Education

There is no substitution of education for the required specialized experience at the GS-12 and GS-13 level.

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position.

Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

For more information, Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information.

For more information, click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

Your evaluation will be based on how well you meet the qualifications outlined in this vacancy announcement, as demonstrated through your resume and supporting documentation.

You may preview application questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12908721

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. USA Hire: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Knowledge and Conduct of Investigations
  • Learning
  • Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence
  • Oral Communication
  • Reasoning
  • Self Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Technology Application
  • Writing


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

SME Resume Panel Review

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to assess your technical qualifications based on the competencies listed below. Applicants who meet the required qualifications will advance to the next stage of the hiring process.

Clickhere for Evaluation details.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, and volunteer, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) will be considered well-qualified if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

When Office of Inspector General completes its hiring, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional sub-agencies in the Department. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional sub-agencies at DOL. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

Office of Inspector General

Begin a challenging career with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and you will help shape the workforce of tomorrow. DOL offers rewarding opportunities to contribute to a noble mission; to serve and protect American workers, prepare them for new and better jobs, and to ensure the safety and fairness of American workplaces.

The Department of Labor values its customers. Every DOL employee is responsible for delivering good customer service through accurate, courteous, efficient, and effective transactions.

The Department of Labor does not make unfavorable hiring decisions on the basis of an applicant's previous or current unemployment, or the fact that an applicant has experienced financial difficulty through no fault of his/her own and has undertaken good faith efforts to meet his/her financial obligations. Consideration is given to financial status in relation to appointments only where required by law, regulation, or Executive Order.

Applicants with disabilities can contact the vacancy point of contact listed on the job vacancy announcement to request reasonable accommodations needed for the application process.

Agency contact information

Jennifer George
Phone
202-693-5195
Email
george.jennifer@oig.dol.gov
Address
Office of Inspector General
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
US

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