Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) (Open Continuous Announcement)

Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Office of Field Operations

Summary

ATF is a law enforcement agency in the U.S. Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals/criminal organizations, illegal use/trafficking of firearms, illegal use/storage of explosives, acts of arson/bombings, acts of terrorism, and illegal diversion of alcohol/tobacco products. We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement, and public safety agencies to safeguard the public through information sharing, training, research, & technology. Visit www.atf.gov.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$76,745 - $177,767 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 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
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-FO-ST-13052629-RT
Control number
882895000

Videos

Duties

Help

This is an Open Continuous Announcement (OCA) that will be used to fill multiple Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) vacancies for the Homeland Security Task Force. Eligible candidates will be referred as long as there are vacancies. This position is located under the Office of Field Operations located in Location Negotiable After Selection, United States.

Relocation Incentive: May be paid to eligible current federal employees only and subject to successful completion of required Special Agent Basic Training at FLETC-Glynco, GA.

  • Total Amount: $25,000 (May not exceed 25% of total salary, including locality pay.)
  • Annual Amount: $12,500 over two years (Subject to federal taxes and any applicable state/local taxes.)

ATF is looking for experienced Criminal Investigators. The primary purpose of this position is to be responsible for the prevention, detection, and investigation of substantive and conspiracy type violations of laws administered and enforced by ATF.

As a Special Agent, your typical work assignments may include:

  • Performs the full range of expert level criminal investigative i.e. conducting complex investigations involving illegal and/or organized crime organizations.
  • Recognizes patterns of illegal operations in order to anticipate and/or influence events as they transpire while maintain awareness of the implications of precedential court decisions in one or more judicial and law enforcement jurisdiction.
  • Establishes and develops leads from known criminal activities and initiates investigations that are wide in scope and complexity and involve criminal conduct that is interwoven with legitimate business pursuits.
  • Utilizes elaborate planning and coordination to resolve and overcome complex jurisdictional problems involving other Federal, State, county, and local agencies.
  • Serves as the key person or coordinator when performing duties such as surveillance or undercover work involving extremely complex, delicate or dangerous elements.
These duties are reflective of the promotion potential of this position. The specific duties of the position will be similar yet developmental, based on the grade at which selected.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

The requirements listed below must be met at the time of application.

  1. Must be U.S. Citizen or National
  2. Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  3. May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  4. Pass drug screening and subject to random drug test.
  5. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
  6. You must meet all applicable time-in-grade requirements at the time of application.
  7. Must display and maintain required proficiency with firearms.
  8. Take and pass a medical examination and meet medical requirements.
  9. Must take and successfully complete a polygraph examination (reciprocity may be provided).
  10. Possess a current and valid automobile operator's license.
  11. You are expected to successfully complete Special Agent Basic Training (SABT) and failure to pass may result in removal of your position.
  12. All applicants must pass a standardized Physical Task Test (PTT) to meet the eligibility requirements for the special agent position. See link: Special Agent Physical Task Test (PTT)
  13. May have to attend and successfully pass the below training:
    • Occupational Questionnaire
    • SME Resume Review
    • Structured Interview
    • SABT
    • Law Enforcement Training: You must have successfully completed and passed Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigator training program (CITP), OR an equivalent and recognized federal law enforcement training program- must upload certification.
MOBILITY PLAN: New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of ATF's mobility policy is to enhance career development and progression, and achieve mission and business effectiveness. To accomplish these objectives, the mobility plan will facilitate the movement of employees through special short-term assignments or permanent reassignments throughout the Bureau. Applicants who decline to sign a mobility agreement, as required, will be removed from the hiring process. This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

GS-11 - You qualify if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GL-9 grade level in the Federal, State, or Local government or equivalent public or private sector experience, performing all of the following duties:

  • Conducting the full range of criminal investigations using accepted methodology and problem solving techniques; AND
  • Obtaining investigative leads and factual data; participating in operational planning, searches, seizures, and arrests; reviewing evidence; and preparing case reports at the conclusion of a criminal investigation.
OR

You have one of the following:

  • A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Criminal Justice and/or Administration; Law and Society; Forensics; Public Safety and/or Administration; Homeland Security; Law Enforcement; Justice Administration; Organizational Security and Management; Criminology; Cyber Security; Social Work; Fire Science; or
  • 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or
  • LL.M., if related.
OR

You have the specialized experience as described above but less than one year; and have some graduate education as described above, but less than the required one-year. The percentage of the requirements MUST total least 100%.

GS-12 - You qualify if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal, State, or Local government or equivalent public or private sector experience, performing all of the following duties:

  • Conducting the full range of criminal investigations of greater than average complexity and importance using accepted methodology and problem-solving techniques; AND
  • Serving as a lead agent in planning and conducting investigations, operations, searches, seizures, or arrests; AND
  • Reviewing evidence; and preparing case reports at the conclusion of a criminal investigation.

GS-13 - You qualify if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal, State, or Local government or equivalent public or private sector experience, performing all of the following duties:

  • Applying a wide range of criminal investigative, enforcement, laws, regulations, guidelines, and precedent decisions; AND
  • Identifying significant sources of information to detect illegal activity and document issues or probable cause and conduct investigations to determine if violations have occurred; AND
  • Communicating orally and in writing to prepare and present reports, briefings, and/or exchange information.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a Veteran Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under the VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.

Please note: Applicants applying under the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) Authority may only be placed at the GS-11 grade level.

Experience must be in the normal line of progression or must be related to the work of the position advertised and must be reflected in resume.

Education

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement.


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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations from ATF's Human Resources Operations Division. Please click on the following link to read important information. DOJ Notice to Prospective Employees of Ethical Obligations

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
  2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation:ATF provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the ATF's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at (202) 648-8760 or send an email to reasonableaccommodations@atf.gov. The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

"Federal Regulations state no ATF employee, his/her spouse, or his/her minor child shall have, directly or indirectly, any financial interest, including compensated employment, stock, or proprietary interest in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries. You should be aware that you may be asked to relinquish any ownership of or interests in the alcohol, tobacco, firearms or explosives industries before a determination can be made whether access to ATF information, information technology systems, and/or facilities can be authorized."

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.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Once the announcement closes, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted by the HR Specialist. This information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position. If a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an SME resume review.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review any additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter). Applicants who pass the structured resume review will be added to the list of qualified candidates.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

    • Criminal Investigation
    • Criminal Law
    • Oral Communication
    • Problem Solving
When addressing the specialized experience statement, applicants must present evidence of the experience in their resume. If the specialized experience statement is repeated in the applicant's resume, Human Resources will deem the applicant as ineligible.

If you are a Veteran or a qualifying parent or spouse:
  1. When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
  2. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
  3. If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
  4. For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

This is an open continuous announcement until August 31st, 2027. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is looking for energetic, innovative, solution-oriented professionals to help the ATF team succeed in our responsibilities to reduce violent crime and protect the public.

Agency contact information

SAIOI Applicant Info
Email
saioiapplicantinfo@atf.gov
Address
Office of Field Operation
99 New York, NE
Washington, DC 20226
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.justice.gov/careers

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.