Summary

This position is in the US Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, as a Criminal Investigator (Undercover/Confidential Human Source Coordinator) for Bravo Branch, Investigations Liaison and Special Operations Division, Office of Investigations. This is a secondary law enforcement position.

Application closes upon receiving 50 applicants or at 11:59 PM on 28 September 2026, whichever occurs first.

Review "How You Will Be Evaluated" regarding the required accomplishment record.

Duties

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• Develop and implement comprehensive UC/CHS and technical equipment programs to facilitate field training for law enforcement employees in all major law enforcement occupations in the USDA OIG.
• Development and maintenance of train-the-trainer and direct specialty instruction programs.
• Chair the agency's Technical Committee and provide oversight to Special Agents who have been designated as technical equipment agents across the country.
• Manage a program that supports the USDA OIG law enforcement mission by providing training and policy guidance related to law
  enforcement knowledge, methods, and techniques regarding the use of UC/CHS assets and technical resources.
• Maintain an inventory of UC/CHS assets nationwide and ensure such assets are properly being used in accordance with directives and policies.
• Oversee the vetting process of CHS assets.
• Maintain an inventory of technical equipment and track all equipment assignments; monitor maintenance; address any notable deficiencies or breakages; and coordinate the proper disposal of sensitive technical equipment.
• Establish system to track sensitive information technical equipment for USDA OIG personnel and maintain documentation to enable Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) peer review.
• Evaluate and conduct assessments regarding ideas for feasibility, return on investment, fit with the USDA OIG culture, and resource needs for compliance with federal laws, executive orders, regulations, directives, and policies.
• Benchmark with other federal, state, county, tribal, and local law enforcement organizations, and with professional organizations and associations in the private sector.
• Individually or as a project leader, research, develop, and lead special projects in a wide range of areas.
• Work with ad hoc teams to identify, select, and apply appropriate complex and multifaceted problem-solving methods and techniques.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state-issued motor vehicle operator's license. You must be able to operate a government-owned or leased vehicle.
• You must be a US citizen.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Selectees must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for a Top Secret (TS) clearance. You must meet initial and periodic suitability determinations based on favorable background investigations and updates.
• Direct deposit: per Public Law 104-134, all federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• You will be required to complete an OGE-450, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interests.
• Relocation expenses are NOT authorized.
• You are subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of a one-year probationary period is required, unless previously served.
• Frequent travel may be expected. Selected applicants must be able to acquire and maintain a government-issued travel charge card.
• You must pass initial and periodic medical examinations. Failure to meet medical requirements may result in reassignment from the position of criminal investigator or other appropriate action.
• Acknowledgement of career mobility is a condition of employment. You must be available for permanent reassignment to other regional or resident offices as required by the OIG.
• Selectee must have completed the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) or an equivalent training program.
• You will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications, eligibility requirements, and specialized experience minimums (and time-in-grade restrictions for merit promotion applicants) by the closing date of the announcement.

This position is a secondary law enforcement position under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (C) (CSRS and 5 U.S. C 8412 (d) (FERS). You must not have reached your 37th birthday prior to entry into the GS-1811 series, unless you have previous service creditable under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) law enforcement provisions sufficient to enable you to retire at age 57 with 20 years of creditable service. Persons already in covered secondary positions or persons with previous approved service who apply for a primary position cannot be considered if their age at reentry into the primary position exceeds 37 years after subtracting their years of service in covered positions. Applicants must provide evidence of current or previous coverage that would qualify. This age restriction does not apply to those entitled to Veteran's Preference.

You will be required to qualify to carry and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and maintain such qualification. Applicants are ineligible for this position if, at any time, they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside, or the applicant received a pardon. Refer to the Lautenberg Amendment, titled "Gun Ban for Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence", Pub.L.104-208,[1] 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9).

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions and specialized experience as defined below.

THIS POSITION HAS A BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT:

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, with or without correction, 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.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC MEDICAL REQUIREMENT ABOVE, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS BELOW.

This position is under "secondary" law enforcement retirement coverage provisions. This position meets the criteria for the special retirement provisions under both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

Transfer Requirement for CSRS: For secondary coverage, an employee must transfer with no break in coverage exceeding 3 days from a primary position to a secondary position OR must be continuously employed in a secondary position since transferring from a primary position with no break in coverage exceeding 3 days. Exception: A break in coverage in secondary positions which begins with an involuntary separation (not for cause) and voluntary breaks in service which began prior to 20 January 1988.

Transfer Requirement for FERS: For secondary coverage, an employee while covered under the retirement provisions transfers directly with no break in service exceeding 3 days from a primary/rigorous position to a secondary position AND has completed 3 years of service in a primary/rigorous position, including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, OR must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a qualifying primary/rigorous position. Exception: A break in coverage in secondary positions which begins with an involuntary separation (not for cause).

Time in grade: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (one year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level). Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Restrictions are contained in 5CFR 300, Subpart F. You must include an SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one) that supports meeting this requirement with your application package.

MINIMUM SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR GS-14:

Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the federal service or the private sector that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to administering agency undercover (UC) and confidential human source programs (UHS) and the agency technical law enforcement equipment program. Examples of specialized experience include: developing and implementing comprehensive UC/CHS and technical equipment programs to facilitate field training for law enforcement employees in all major law enforcement occupations in USDA OIG; ensuring a system is in place and maintained to track all required sensitive technical equipment for USDA OIG personnel and maintaining all appropriate documentation to enable a Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) peer review team to verify compliance with all policies and CIGIE standards; maintaining an inventory of UC/CHS assets nationwide and ensuring such assets are properly being used in accordance with directives and policies; overseeing the vetting process of CHS assets; evaluating and conducting assessments involving ambiguous circumstances regarding the various ideas for feasibility, return on investment, fit with the OIG culture, and resource needs in support of ensuring compliance with federal laws, executive orders, regulations, directives, and policies; and researching, developing, and leading special projects in a wide range of areas

Evidence of one year or more of specialized experience must be clearly documented in your resume.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience, documented in your resume.

Education

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THESE GRADES.

Additional information

Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS).

You may be required to participate in a multi-phase selection process.

This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Selectee must submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and random testing thereafter. Final appointment and continued employment are conditional on negative results for illegal drug use.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be qualified based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.

CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to Financial Disclosure Requirements in 5 CFR 2635 (e) regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have, or who are seeking, business with USDA.

This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.

This is not a bargaining unit position.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans.

For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Path