View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement.
Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations within various offices throughout the country.
These are non-bargaining unit positions.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
As a Criminal Investigator, at the full performance level, you will perform the following duties:
- Conduct and coordinate high-level comprehensive investigations involving individuals, groups, or large organizations operating at a local, national, or international level.
- Use electronic surveillance, interviews, polygraph examination, and physical surveillance to obtain evidence in investigative cases.
- Make arrests, confront multiple suspects, and secure scenes sometimes under potentially dangerous and hazardous environments.
- Take part in securing signed statements, affidavits, and documentary evidence for inclusion in reports or case records.
- Prepare sworn testimony on behalf of the government in criminal and federal grand jury cases.
- Intelligence: Conduct investigations on individuals using public records, open source databases, and law enforcement databases to perform inquiries on sensitive and complex national security and public safety cases and/or interagency multi-jurisdictional investigations.
Suitability: If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation which may include a polygraph examination.
- If referred for a polygraph, you will be required to travel at your expense to complete the polygraph exam and obtain a favorable result in order to continue in the hiring process.
- You must complete a pre-employment medical examination which may include a psychological evaluation and be found to meet the medical standards for the position.
- You must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test.
- Upon appointment to this position, you will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
- You will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement.
- The law enforcement profession carries inherent risks and you may be required to work alone in remote areas throughout the night or at times when you may have limited communication.
- This position requires the selectee to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C. Section 022 (g)(9)).
- You will be required to testify at court. Law enforcement officers and agents must be able to testify without concern of impeachment.
- You must be appointed (enter on duty) prior to your 37th birthday (certain exemptions apply).
- You must have a valid driver's license prior to your final job offer.
- ICE Criminal Investigators may use deadly force when necessary, in accordance with the law and agency policy.
- You will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment Physical Fitness Test (PFT).
- A mandatory component of continued employment is the successful completion of Basic Training, which consists of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Criminal Investigator Training Program and the HSI Special Agent Training Program.
- You will be required to maintain the ability to perform the rigorous physical requirements of the job.
- You will be required to live within 50 miles of your duty station.
Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
You qualify for the GL-9 grade level if you possess one of the following:
Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent performing the following duties: (1) Conducting or assisting with investigations in one or more programmatic areas such as narcotics, money laundering, financial crimes, human trafficking, fraud, international trade, network intrusion response, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, counterproliferation, or general criminal or administrative investigations; (2) Performing federal, state, and local law enforcement-related database queries; (3) Collecting or analyzing information in support of general criminal or administrative actions; (4) Conducting interviews with individuals (e.g., suspects, witnesses, sources, and/or victims) to gather information; and (5) Assisting in the preparation of reports in support of general criminal or administrative actions.
OR
Education: A master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a LL.B/J.D., if related. Graduate level education must have been from an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. A college transcript(s) is required if claiming education in lieu of experience.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience that equals at least 100 percent of the GL-09 requirement. Only graduate education in excess of the first full year can be credited for the combination and such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. This will be calculated using your resume and the transcript(s) submitted with your application.
Selective Placement Factor(s): Selective placement factors are applied in the same manner as minimum qualification requirements. Relevant selective placement factor experience must be well documented in your resume. Failure to meet a selective placement factor will result in you not receiving further consideration. In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following selective placement factor(s):
- Skill in collecting or analyzing data or information related to domestic or foreign national security threats in an investigative law enforcement or intelligence community role.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
Education
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, quarter and semester hours earned, the institution's full name, and your full name. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx .
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating of your application.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in loss of consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
- Prior to the final job offer, an official transcript will be required.***
- OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
HSI Special Agent Basic Training: A mandatory component of continued employment is the successful completion of Basic Training, which consists of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) and the HSI Special Agent Training Program (HSISAT). The training is approximately 22 weeks in total. You may be temporarily reassigned to a non-law enforcement position if you fail to complete basic training.
Physical Fitness Testing (PFT): A pre-employment Physical Fitness Test (PFT) will be administered. A passing score is required. If you have failed a PFT, you are not eligible for consideration for 12 months from the closing date of the announcement in which you applied that required the PFT. Additionally, a PFT will also be administered at FLETC during Basic Training. Every trainee must pass the PFT during training.
Polygraph: ICE has designated this position for polygraph testing which you may be required to submit to and successfully complete as a pre-employment requirement. If referred for polygraph testing, you will be required to travel to a testing location at your own expense. If you previously had an unsuccessful polygraph examination administered by ICE within the last 365 days, ICE will use those results which will remove you from continuing in the hiring process.
Medical Requirements: Click here for information about the medical process. You must complete a pre-employment medical examination and be found to meet the medical standards for this position.
Age Requirement: Applicants must be at least 21 years of age by the closing date of this announcement. Provisions of Public Law 93-950 and 100-238 allow the imposition of a maximum age for initial appointment to a Criminal Investigator position with the Department of Homeland Security. The date immediately preceding an individual's 37th birthday is the last day to be appointed (enter on duty) to the Criminal Investigator position (DHS Directive 253-03). However, the age restriction may not apply to individuals who are qualified preference-eligible veterans or who are currently or have previously served in a federal civilian (not military) law enforcement position covered by 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or 5 U.S.C. 8412(d).
Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Top Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): This position may require substantial amounts of irregular or occasional overtime. You will be required to work on an unscheduled basis in excess of the 40-hour workweek. You must be readily available to perform this unscheduled overtime on a continual basis.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
Additional Information
While the location in this announcement is identified as "location negotiable after selection, " you have the opportunity to identify three location preferences . Note that multiple duty locations fall within the area of responsibility (AOR) of each SAC office. Please view the duty locations within each SAC AOR here . Your preference locations are NOT guaranteed. The duty locations offered will be based on the needs of the agency. If you decline the duty locations offered during the official job offer, you will be removed from further consideration.
A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.
Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval. To be eligible for promotion, basic training must be successfully completed.
E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.
Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Applicants who are hired as Criminal Investigators with ICE after the closing date of the announcement will be removed from further consideration under this vacancy announcement.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements as listed above.
Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. The "Rule of Three", Category Rating, and Veterans Preference will not apply to this vacancy. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet .
Veterans: Although the Direct Hire Authority permits hiring without regard to Veterans Preference, applicants who are eligible for Veterans Preference are still encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e. DD-214, or other substantiating documents). This position is not considered scientific/professional. View information on veterans' preference .
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.
