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Criminal Investigator (Special Agent)

Office of Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency

Summary

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) promotes the economy, efficiency, and integrity of FHFA's programs and operations by conducting audits, investigations, evaluations, and reviews and recommending courses of action designed to support FHFA's mission of ensuring a safe and sound mortgage finance system that provides reliable liquidity and funding for housing finance and community investment.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/24/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 24, 2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$96,865 - $215,054 per year
Pay scale & grade
EL 12 - 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
75% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-FHFA OIG-12982780
Control number
873248600

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 eligible, 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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The position is in the Office of Investigations.

As a Criminal Investigator (Special Agent), you will:

  • Spearhead large, complex, and sensitive criminal and occasionally non-criminal investigations which come under the jurisdiction of FHFA-OIG, including investigations involving allegations of mortgage or bank fraud impacting the Government Sponsored Enterprises or the Federal Home Loan Banks and member banks.
  • Act for the SAC in his/her absence and provide advice and guidance to lower grade Special Agents.
  • Plan and conduct investigations to determine whether Federal laws and regulations were violated.
  • Question subjects and third-party witnesses (formally and informally) and secure evidence from other outside sources to determine the nature and extent of violations of Federal laws and regulations.
  • Prepare reports of complex investigations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

- 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.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- 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.
- Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
- 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.
- File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
- Undergo an income tax verification.
-If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.
-Travel, as required by the position. However, many audits, inspections and evaluations are done locally, so there may be no travel required for periods of time
-Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
-You must carry a firearm and conduct full law enforcement activities. NOTE: Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition, Lautenberg Amendment, Title 18, U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9).
- You must have a valid driver's license and be able to operate a Government-owned or leased motor vehicle.
- This position is subject to the random drug testing program.
- This position may require the incumbent to be reassigned to a different geographic location. The incumbent will be required to sign a mobility agreement, which will remain in effect through the duration of the assignment.

Key Requirements:

  1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
  2. Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

Qualifications

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.

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

Age Restriction: The date immediately preceding an individual's 37th birthday is the maximum entry age for original appointment to a law enforcement officer position. This requirement does not apply to a) Preference-eligible veterans; OR b) Individuals who are 37 years of age or older and have previously served in law enforcement officer positions that were covered by a special law enforcement retirement plan.
AND

Medical Requirements: The selectee must pass a pre-appointment physical examination and meet the physical requirements for this position as required by this agency. 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 himself/herself, or others is disqualifying.

AND

For the EL-13, You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the EL-12 / GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience conducting financial fraud investigations including mortgage fraud, securities fraud, loan or bank fraud; AND
  • Experience working with prosecutors, testifying before Grand Juries, and writing and swearing to Search and Arrest warrants involving financial crimes; AND
  • Experience independently performing the full range of investigative functions on assigned cases which includes planning and conducting fact-finding to reporting the results of investigations.
Specialized experience: For the EL-12, You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the EL-11 / GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience investigating financial frauds which could include mortgage related frauds, securities fraud, loan fraud, or bank fraud; AND
  • Planning and conducting fact-finding and reporting the results of investigations.

In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:

For the EL-13, you must have been at the EL/GS-12 level for 52 weeks.
For the EL-12, you must have been at the EL/GS-11 level for 52 weeks.


Ethics: FHFA-OIG employees are subject to government-wide ethical standards of conduct, financial disclosure requirements, and post-employment prohibitions. In addition, certain FHFA-OIG employees are prohibited from accepting compensation from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for a two-year period after terminating employment with FHFA-OIG. Furthermore, to avoid financial conflicts-of interest or the appearance of conflicts-of-interest, FHFA-OIG employees may need to divest or sell certain assets they, their spouse, or minor children own or control, including securities issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or the Federal Home Loan Banks. Employees who work on Federal Home Loan Bank issues may need to sell or divest financial interests with any of the Federal Home Loan Bank members, which may include stock in bank holding companies, insurance companies, and other financial services firms.

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


Additional information

- We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
- Relocation expenses may be paid.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- Telework opportunities are offered per agency policy.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
-Selectee will receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay at the rate of 25% of base pay unless pay exceeds the applicable pay cap.

Our employees enjoy all the standard federal benefits, plus additional agency-specific benefits. Our benefits package includes:

-HEALTH INSURANCE: A variety of Federal Employee Health Benefit plans to choose from which can be paid from pre-tax income. FHFA-OIG pays 90% of the bi-weekly premium.

-DENTAL and VISION INSURANCE: 100% of the premium for employees and their family members (including domestic partners).

-401(k) PLAN: In addition to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), FHFA-OIG employees are eligible to participate in a separate agency-sponsored 401(k) plan. FHFA-OIG provides a 100% employer matching contribution of up to 5 percent of your salary that you contribute. The plan offers multiple investment options. Funds from qualified plans of previous employers can be rolled over to your 401(k) account.

-COMMUTING EXPENSES: FHFA-OIG provides monthly transportation and parking subsidies to employees who commute to work on public transportation. Employees who do not commute via public transportation may apply for free parking at the building.

-GYM: Free use of an on-site gym and locker room with shower facilities when at the HQ building.

-REIMBURSEMENTS and STIPENDS: Fees forprofessional licenses/certifications and professional liability insurance may be reimbursed. Health and Wellness stipends are provided to eligible employees each year for activities related to promoting a healthy lifestyle and work-life balance. Travel stipends are provided to employees who travel over 50 nights per fiscal year.

Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits.

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

.

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., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

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, Learning, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork.

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.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.

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 achieved a well-qualified score of 85 or higher to receive priority consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12982780

Office of Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency

OIG's vision is to promote excellence and trust through exceptional service to FHFA, Congress, and other stakeholders. OIG achieves this vision by being an independent oversight organization that acts as a catalyst for effective management, accountability, and positive change in FHFA.

We hold accountable those who waste or steal funds in connection with the Agency or the regulated entities, whether inside or outside of the federal government. OIG also seeks to inspire a workforce that embodies the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and technical proficiency.

Agency contact information

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

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