Clarification from the agency

Current permanent federal employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibles, Farm Service Agency permanent county employees, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP, VEOA eligibles, and Military Spouses.

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• Duties listed are at the full performance level.
• Evaluates training records and proficiency requirements for all regional law enforcement personnel, ensuring adherence to standards and identifying corrective actions where deficiencies exist.
• Develops operational strategies to address emerging criminal threats, adjusts investigative priorities, and ensures safe, compliant field operations under dynamic conditions.
• Supervises and leads agents in conducting complex criminal and civil investigations, providing technical direction, case guidance, and oversight of investigative strategies.
• Builds and maintains intelligence networks with law enforcement, research institutions, and professional organizations to support investigative operations.
• Manages investigative program operations, including staffing, budget oversight, equipment approvals, and interagency coordination.
• Plans, assigns, and prioritizes investigative workloads, ensuring effective use of personnel, equipment, and resources across multi-jurisdictional operations.
• Reviews and approves investigative plans, evidence collection methods, reports, and case documentation to ensure legal sufficiency and adherence to agency standards.
• Coordinates investigative activities with prosecutors, Office of Genearl Counsel, and Federal, State, and local law enforcement partners to advance criminal cases and protect agency interests.
• Evaluates agent performance, delivers coaching and corrective actions, resolves personnel issues, and ensures staff maintain required training and professional proficiency.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
• Subject to one year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New Forest Service supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• This is a Test Designated Position. You will be tested for illegal drugs prior to appointment and randomly thereafter. Appointment and continued employment is conditional on negative results.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• This position requires initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996.
• Obtain and use a government-issued charge card for business- related travel.
• There may be additional Conditions of Employment not listed here; however applicants will be notified of any specific requirements at the time a tentative job offer is made.
• Applicants will be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays and be willing to live/work in remote locations (volatile/unpredictable).
• Medical requirement- This position is subject to successful completion of pre-employment medical examination.
• Federal grooming standards typically require employees in law enforcement, uniformed services, and public-facing roles to maintain a neat, clean and professional appearance.
• Selectee is subject to financial disclosure requirements and must submit form OGE-450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
• Selectee must complete Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), if not previously completed or an equivalent training program.
• Conditional Offer Suitability Assessment - This authorization of release of information is part of the Executive Order 14074.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Physical Demands: Due to the physical and vigorous requirements of this position, the incumbent must meet the established medical and physical standards/requirements set forth by USDA as it's considered essential to perform the duties of this position, The work requires a person with good physical health and stamina to work under pressure, along with the ability to lift and carry heavy objects and have the physical agility and dexterity. Ability to operate specialized motorized equipment such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats and snowmobiles may be required.
• Maximum Entry Age: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility.
• Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence are not eligible for the position. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18 USC Section 1001).
• Firearms Requirement: The incumbent is required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position so they must meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlines in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. The incumbent must qualify semiannually with all weapons issued by the USDA and maintain proficiency.

NOTE: To be eligible for Secondary Law Enforcement Coverage, you must 1) move directly from a federal Primary/Rigorous position; 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary/rigorous position, and 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary/rigorous position.

Selective Placement Factor: Must have at least three years of service in positions that have been approved for Rigorous or Primary Law Enforcement retirement coverage.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

GS-1811-13: Applicants must have one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following:
1. Conducting difficult and sensitive criminal investigations by developing investigative plans from general supervisory direction, analyzing obscure leads and conflicting evidence, and applying modified investigative techniques to resolve cases that expanded into multiple related investigative matters requiring careful linkage of facts and evidence.
2. Planning and executing surveillance operations and limited undercover activities by establishing operational parameters, identifying suspect contacts and locations, coordinating with additional investigators, and making field decisions such as reassigning coverage when suspects separated or terminating surveillance operations due to safety or evidentiary concerns.
3. Performing investigative activity in support of national security and critical infrastructure protection missions, including gathering and sharing intelligence with authorized partners, operating within established counterterrorism frameworks, and assisting in identifying, disrupting, or responding to threats targeting resources within the National Forest System.
4. Coordinating multi jurisdictional investigations involving Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies by facilitating interagency operational planning, serving subpoenas and warrants, preparing cases for Federal Grand Jury consideration, testifying in court proceedings, and consulting with U.S. Attorneys on logistical and strategic issues arising during investigations.
5. Providing investigative program support by advising colleagues on methods to detect fraud, misuse of government property, or internal misconduct; preparing detailed and legally sufficient investigative reports; participating in program planning meetings; and maintaining communication with agency officials to ensure investigative activities

GS-1811-14: Applicant must have one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as 3 or more of the following:
1. Leading and conducting complex criminal and civil investigations involving violations of Federal statutes (such as 18 USC, 16 USC, 21 USC, and 36 CFR), by defining investigative objectives, establishing operational boundaries, coordinating with partnering agencies, and preparing comprehensive reports that supported prosecutorial decisions by U.S. Attorneys and the Office of General Counsel.
2. Providing technical guidance and limited administrative oversight to investigators or collateral-duty law enforcement personnel, including assigning investigative tasks, reviewing case documentation for legal sufficiency, assisting in establishing performance expectations, and offering input on training needs and operational priorities in support of supervisory managers.
3. Coordinating investigative operations across multiple jurisdictions and agencies, including Federal, State, local, and tribal partners, by facilitating information sharing, aligning investigative strategies, evaluating resource requirements, and assisting in the development of operational plans for investigations with complex legal, jurisdictional, or public interest implications.
4. Supporting program management functions by reviewing investigative staffing needs, assisting with budget planning for investigative activities, evaluating requests for technical equipment, preparing data for cooperative agreements, and providing recommendations to management on resource allocation to ensure that investigative programs operated within established guidelines.
5. Maintain professional law enforcement networks and ensured compliance with training and policy requirements by establishing contacts with law enforcement training institutions and subject matter experts, monitoring training and proficiency standards for personnel, and identifying strategies or adjustments needed to address operational challenges, unforeseen circumstances, or evolving investigative requirements.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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 your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

• Attention to Detail
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Leadership
• Technical Competence

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12950886