Summary

Serves as a Special Agent in the SSA Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Cooperative Disability Investigations Division with responsibility for planning, conducting, and coordinating investigations related to fraud, waste, and abuse in SSA's disability programs and operations. Investigative oversight includes wrongdoing by applicants, grantees, contractors, or by SSA employees in the performance of their official duties, and investigations of violations of the U.S. Code.

Duties

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• Independently conducts investigations into criminal and non-criminal cases pursuant to Agency legislation and regulations, and general policies and procedures.
• Conducts comprehensive research and analysis of cases to determine the applicable laws and the implementing regulations which were violated, and the proof required to support such cases and methods of obtaining them.
• Plans, coordinates, and initiates contacts with Federal, State, and local officials; and other key officials related to matters under investigation.
• Plans and conducts interviews with suspects, witnesses, and informants in case development.
• Serves search warrants and subpoenas; searches crime scenes for evidence; and participates with other law enforcement agencies as required.
• Prepares interim and comprehensive final investigative reports for prosecutive and management officials.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Selective Service Registration: If you are a male applicant born 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. See www.sss.gov
• Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background/security investigation results.
• Federal employees must have a successful performance rating.
• Selectees may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period.
• Selectees may be required to sign a mobility agreement.
• All application materials must be received by the closing date.
• Official Personnel Folders will not be reviewed.
• Requests for copies of application documents will not be accepted.
• All application forms submitted become the property of SSA Human Resources.
• This position is designated as mobile work. Mobile work means work that is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite such as a home or office.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required
• All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement
• Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered. Please visit the new resume guidance for more information.

READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS INFORMATION IS CRUCIAL TO SUBMITTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION. Applicants MUST meet all eligibility requirements on or before the closing date of the announcement to be considered for the position.

WHO MAY APPLY: Applications will only be accepted from applicants eligible for one of the following categories.

• Federal employees currently serving under career or career conditional appointments;
• Federal employees currently serving under the following types of appointments: Schedule A, Reg. [redacted] (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities.
• Former Federal employees eligible for reinstatement (i.e., those who have career status or separated from a career-conditional appointment less than 3 years ago).
• Current or former Federal employees eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) Eligibles (i.e., Preference-eligible veterans OR veterans who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous service).
• Federal employees serving under excepted service appointments with competitive service compatibility (e.g., Postal Service, Foreign Service, an agency with an interchange agreement, etc.) may be eligible to apply. Please visit Excepted Service Appointments with Competitive Service Compatibility for more information.
• Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty, a spouse of a 100 percent disabled service member injured while on active duty, or the un-remarried widow or widower of a service member who was killed while performing active duty.

Note: Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration.

HOW TO QUALIFY: Eligible applicants must meet the following qualification requirements

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include at least one of the following:

(1) Leading and managing a personal caseload containing multiple independent criminal investigations;

(2) Testifying during criminal judicial proceedings (for example, grand jury, evidentiary hearings, trials); AND

(3) Coordinating with prosecutors to present cases for prosecution, determine legal courses of action, or prepare for legal proceedings.

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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. Applicants will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-12.

Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: If you are a current Federal employee eligible under VEOA, you are subject to the time-in-grade requirement and must submit an SF-50 as required above.

Additionally, the Law Enforcement (1811) series has the following qualification requirements:

• Tentative selectee(s) may be required to pass a pre-appointment physical examination. 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, 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 themselves or others is disqualifying.
• Tentative selectee(s) will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment unless currently an SSA employee occupying a position already in a random drug testing program. Appointment to the position is contingent upon a negative test result. After appointment the employee will be included in the agency's random drug test program.
• This position is subject to the Lautenberg Amendment/Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968.
• The selected employee will not be made a final offer of employment until after we receive notice of the completion of a successful background investigation.
• Selectee will be required to pass firearms qualification and may be required to carry a firearm.
• The selectee will be required to attend a course of instruction on the proper use of Oleoresin Capsicum spray (OCS), which is the oily resin of pepper. This instruction includes being exposed to OCS so that knowledge of its effects can be gained.
• This position is covered by the special retirement provision for Federal Law Enforcement Officers (FLEO). Selectee without previous FLEO service must be at least 21 years of age and not yet 37 years of age or older on the date of appointment.
• Selectee newly assigned to the Criminal Investigator position MUST successfully complete the 9-week Criminal Investigator Program training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Georgia.
• This position is designated as a mobile work position. Mobile work means work that is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite such as a home or office. It is different from telework and/or remote work. Examples of mobile work include site audits, site inspections, investigations, property management, and work performed while commuting, traveling between worksites, or on Temporary Duty (TDY).
• Selectee must sign a mobility agreement to accept relocation to other geographic locations if required by the agency.

Education

There is no Educational Requirement for this position.

Additional information

This is a non-bargaining unit position to be filled under the provisions of the Management Officials Promotion Plan. The best-qualified list for this vacancy may be used to fill the same or similar positions in a component(s) under the same Deputy Commissioner.

Additional selections may be made within 6 months of the date the best qualified list is issued.

LOCALITY PAY: Salary range listed is under 'Rest of U.S. (RUS)' locality pay table. Salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions. Candidates currently receiving a higher locality pay than the office applied for are advised that should they be selected, they will lose entitlement to the higher locality pay. Pay will be set based on locality for location selected. Please visit pay tables by location for Law Enforcement Officers to view locality pay tables.

OTHER NOTES:

The selectee will be required to file an OGE form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, in accordance with 5 CFR section 2634, subpart i.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

This position is designated as a mobile work position. Mobile work means work that is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite such as a home or office. It is different from telework and/or remote work. Examples of mobile work include site audits, site inspections, investigations, property management, and work performed while commuting, traveling between worksites, or on Temporary Duty (TDY).

This is a critical sensitive position. The selected employee will be required to complete a Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for Sensitive Positions, in order to have the appropriate investigation conducted, unless the employee has been previously certified eligible to occupy a position at this level.

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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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.