Summary

This position is a Criminal Investigator in the Office of Investigations (OI), Office of Inspector General (OIG), at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Duties

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As a GS-1811-13 Criminal Investigator, you will be responsible for the following duties:

• Plan, organize, and conduct investigations of alleged or suspected violations of federal criminal, civil laws, and administrative regulations. Investigations can include allegations of sexual assault, stalking, grant fraud, contract fraud, and employee misconduct.
• Experience LEADING sexual assault investigations.
• Provide advice to case partner(s) and management regarding planning and timing of complex interviews and investigations.
• Plan, participate in, and organize interrogations, interviews, hearings, and conferences to resolve problems of considerable importance.
• Obtain, handle, and analyze physical, digital, and testimonial evidence in accordance with legal standards and agency policies.
• Ensure proper chain of custody and admissibility of evidence for judicial or administrative proceedings.
• Prepare clear, comprehensive, and cohesive investigative reports in a timely manner in accordance with established policies.
• Possess working knowledge of applicable rights and advisories, and ensure they are properly administered to witnesses and subjects in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Utilize strong interpersonal skills to convey information clearly, appropriately, and professionally with investigators, management, prosecutors, partners, and stakeholders.
• Recognize, identify, and address undefined issues in assigned investigations, programs, and projects. Coordination with other appropriate participants to determine the nature and scope of the problems and the factors that will be instrumental in their resolution.
• Brief senior NSF management, investigative personnel, attorneys, and other interested parties regarding projects and programs.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion in high-visibility, sensitive, or complex matters.
• Manage administrative requirements, including case documentation, reporting systems, and resource tracking.

THIS POSITION REQUIRES UP TO 50% TRAVEL TO ANTARCTICA, BETWEEN ONE TO SIX MONTHS PER YEAR.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

1. You must be a U.S. citizen.
2. Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
3. Selectee may be required to serve a 1-2 year trial/probationary period.
4. This position is subject to Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP).
5. This position requires regular qualification with an issued firearm.
6. This position has physical requirements that must be met prior to onboarding and maintained throughout the incumbent's employment.
7. This position is subject to random drug testing.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID-compliant cannot be used as acceptable forms of identification for employment.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements within thirty (30) days of the date the announcement closes and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• You will not need a clearance to accept this position, but you must be able to obtain a clearance if needed.
• If you are a current federal employee holding a General Schedule (GS) position, you must meet the time-in-grade requirements.
• You must answer all job-related questions in the questionnaire and any assessment that is included.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Qualifications

You must meet the following within thirty (30) days of the closing date of this announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To qualify at the GS-1811-13 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 Level in the federal government that includes LEADING sexual assault investigations, as well as planning, organizing, and conducting investigations of alleged violations of federal criminal and civil laws and administrative regulations including allegations of sexual assault and/or stalking; planning, participating in, and organizing interrogations, interviews, hearings, and conferences; obtaining, handling, and analyzing physical, digital, and testimonial evidence while ensuring proper chain of custody and admissibility; preparing investigative reports; and managing administrative requirements, including case documentation, reporting systems, and resource tracking.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year of time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year of time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Do not submit an award SF-50. It is highly recommended that multiple SF-50s be submitted to verify that time-in-grade requirements are met.

AGE RESTRICTION: The date immediately preceding an individual's thirty-seventh (37) birthday is the maximum entrance age for original appointment to a federal law enforcement officer position. This requirement does not apply to:

• Preference-eligible veterans

OR

• Individuals who are thirty-seven (37) years of age or older and have previously served in law enforcement officer positions that were covered by a special law enforcement retirement plan.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: 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 fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and knees is required. Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily.
• Near vision, with 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 thirty-five (35) decibels at one thousand (1000), two thousand (2000), and three thousand (3000) Hz levels.
• Because the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability.

Any physical or mental condition that may cause the applicant to be a hazard to themselves or others is disqualifying.

TRAINING: Applicants must have successfully completed the Basic Criminal Investigator Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), or other equivalent law enforcement training such as the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), or Naval Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS). You must provide documentation proving this training has been completed.

Experience refers to paid/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/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.

Additional information

Relocation expenses WILL NOT be paid.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

This announcement may be used to fill similar positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies, including OIG offices.

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.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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.

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.