Foreign Service Criminal Investigator - U.S. Federal Government - Washington, DC

About the Agency

This is a Foreign Service position with the Office of Inspector General (OIG), characterized by excellence and professionalism, and responsible for assisting the OIG in its efforts to increase accountability and promote good stewardship of foreign assistance funds.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is committed to detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse within the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In addition to providing oversight of USAID, the OIG provides oversight of the U. S. African Development Foundation (USADF), the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Finally, the OIG has statutory authorization to conduct reviews, investigations, and inspections for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and enters into agreements with OPIC for additional oversight work.

OIG investigations and audits lead to significant recoveries, the identification of cost-savings opportunities, and program improvements that directly enhance the U.S. Government’s ability to extend development assistance; support economic growth; combat the spread of disease; promote democratic reform; and address food insecurity to countries around the world.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the OIG maintains international investigative and audit offices throughout the world with offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Manila, Philippines; Pretoria, South Africa; San Salvador, El Salvador; Port au Prince, Haiti; Islamabad, Pakistan; Kabul, Afghanistan; Tel Aviv, Israel; Frankfurt, Germany; and Kampala, Uganda. The OIG is centrally located in downtown Washington, D.C. at the prestigious Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Federal Triangle Metro – Blue, Orange and Silver Lines). The office is within walking distance of some of Washington’s best restaurants, historical theaters, shops, national monuments, and museums.

Duties
• Conduct complex and large-scale criminal, civil, and administrative investigations.

• Plan, conduct and coordinate sensitive and significant domestic and overseas criminal investigations affecting the integrity and efficiency of USAID, ADF, IAF, MCC and OPIC-financed activities and personnel in an assigned geographic region.

• Plan, organize or direct investigations, determine scope and possible ramifications, develop methods, procedures and techniques to be followed. Conduct research, data collection and analysis of information related to programs and projects that are subject to investigative oversight.

• Oversee the gathering and development of technical/administrative evidence relating to phases of investigations, and utilize a broad range of investigative techniques such as interviews, subpoenas, search warrants, electronic surveillance, financial analysis, document examination and the use expert witnesses.

• Lead teams or work directly with employees and other federal agencies’ experts to complete investigations.

• Prepare investigative reports and other written documentation for action officials, Congress, prosecutorial bodies and OIG management.

• Brief and advise management/leadership, congressional staffers, prosecutors and law enforcement teams on various investigative matters/results.

Travel Required

• 25% or Greater
  


• Position requires travel to domestic and overseas locations.
  

Relocation Authorized

Job Requirements
Job Requirements
Key Requirements

• Domestic and overseas travel is required.
  


• U.S. Citizenship is required.
  


• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI Security Clearance.
  


• Designated and/or random drug testing required. Must carry a firearm.
  


• Medical and Physical Examinations are required.
  


• Relocation expenses not authorized on initial appointment.
  

Qualifications
You must have one year of specialized experience at the level similar, related, or relevant to the work of this job that has given you particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform. Typically we would find this experience in work within this field or a field that is closely related.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

To qualify for the FS-05 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the FS-06/GS-09 grade in the Federal service or equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as: 1. Performing record searches, 2. Reviewing and analyzing contracts and business records, and 3. Applying appropriate legal/ regulatory guidelines and standard investigative techniques/procedures.

FS-05 grade level applicants may also qualify based on education or a combination of specialized experience and education:

To qualify on education at the FS-05 grade level, applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. A combination of specialized experience and graduate education may also be qualifying. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-Standards

To qualify for the FS-04 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the FS-05/GS-11 grade in the Federal service or equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as: 1. Conducting multi-faceted and or multi-jurisdictional criminal/Civil/ and administrative investigations, 2. Investigating complaints and/or allegations of fraud and conducting appropriate research to determine courses of action, and 3. Writing interim and final reports of investigation detailing issues, status, contributing causes and recommendations.

To qualify for the FS-03 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the FS-04/GS-12 level in the Federal service or equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as: 1. Conducting complex and large-scale criminal/civil and administrative investigations requiring the participation of several foreign or domestic agency investigators, 2. Researching data and analyzing information related to programs and projects that have investigative oversight, 3. Writing interim and final reports of investigation detailing issues, status, contributing causes and recommendations, and 3. Advising on the resolution of complex investigative issues.

Selective Placement Factors:

(1) Applicants must have experience conducting investigations of Title 18, Civil False Claims Act, or investigations involving contractual remedies, or have prepared referrals for suspension/debarment.

(2) Applicant must have satisfactorily completed the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, or any one of the following equivalent programs: Army Criminal Investigations Division Academy, Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Academy; Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Academy; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Academy; Postal Inspections Academy (Proof of completion must be provided at time of application).

Conditions of employment:

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
  


• Must be available for worldwide service.
  


• This is a position in the Foreign Service.
  


• You will be required to maintain firearm proficiency and carry a firearm while performing the duties of this position.
  


• Applicants must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license upon appointment and be able to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle.
  


• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret SCI security clearance.
  


• This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to the applicant testing and random drug testing
  


• Must be able to obtain an appropriate Foreign Service Medical Clearance – Prior to being hired to the Foreign Service, applicants must have a thorough medical examination and receive an unlimited medical clearance for assignment worldwide.
  


• Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination by an Agency designated physician to determine if they are physically and medically qualified to perform the full duties of the position. Any physical condition which could hinder an individual’s full, efficient and safe performance of his/her duties as a criminal investigator, or failure to meet any of the required physical or medical qualifications, will usually be considered disqualifying for employment, except when sufficient evidence is presented that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job efficiently and without hazard to themselves and others. Applicants who refuse to submit to the required examinations will not be considered for employment as a criminal investigator.
  


• Must agree to work an annual average of two hours extra per day to meet the requirements of law enforcement availability pay (LEAP) as described in Title 5 U.S.C 5545A (d) (1).
  


• Applicants for this position are required to qualify with and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and to maintain such qualifications. Because of an amendment to 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9), which became effective September 30, 1996, and is referred to as the Lautenberg Amendment, applicants are ineligible for this position if at ANY time they have been convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant received a pardon. A qualifying conviction is a state or Federal conviction for a crime of domestic
  
  violence and any general or special court-martial for an offense that otherwise meets element of a crime of domestic violence, even though not classified as a misdemeanor or felony.
  

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: The duties of this position require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free range of motion of fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and knee joints are 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 this position 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.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment. Applicants that have no prior series 1811 criminal investigator experience must meet the maximum age for entry into a covered position which is the date immediately preceding the applicant’s 37th birthday and must be able to retire at the mandatory age of 57 years with 20 years of service as an 1811 criminal investigator. Hiring exceptions will be made for veterans’ preference eligibles.

Foreign Service career candidates will be considered for tenure by a Tenure Board after they have acquired at least three years in the agency, of which a minimum of two years’ overseas experience in the Service. Each career candidate is afforded two opportunities to receive tenure based on the Board’s review of the employee’s written performance evaluations which are prepared by a supervisor at least once a year. A career candidate who fails to perform satisfactorily may be separated at any time during their probationary period. Any employee who remains untenured after two reviews will be separated from the Agency at the end of the five-year probationary appointment. The appointment status of a career candidate who receives tenure will be changed from probationary to career.

Security Clearance
Top Secret/SCI

Additional Information