Investigative Specialist

The Office of the Inspector General is one of the best places to work in the Department of Justice and is one of the premier inspector general offices in federal government. The Investigations Division (INV) investigates alleged criminal violations and misconduct that govern DOJ employees, operations, grantees, and contractors. Annually INV receives more than 13,000 complaints, opens approximately 250 investigations, and makes an average of over 90 arrests.

Duties

If you are selected as an Investigative Specialist, your responsibilities would include, but would not be limited to:

• Apply regulations, policies, and directives pertaining to OIG complaints and investigative programs.
• Manage department employee misconduct allegation referral, mail, OIG Hotline, and OIG-generated complaints directed to assigned Region Office location.
• Responsible for providing support in the receipt and processing of allegations, documenting the allegations, entering the allegations into the Division's complaint/case management system.
• Research investigative data and/or verify related information using varies criminal databases to develop background information; tracking and compiling criminal history, statistics, and reports.
• Conduct overall quality control over the office's complaint mailbox, complaint entry, complaint archiving, complaint handling, complaint processing, case opening, component complaint notification, and complainant acknowledgement systems and procedures for the office and ensure the work is being completed and procedures are properly followed by other support staff.
• Utilize and train new staff on criminal investigative systems such as the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications Systems (NLETS), or other commercially-available systems (e.g., Lexis-Nexis).
• Perform investigative support responsibilities such as coordinating victim-witness matters, ensuring appropriate handling of grand jury material, accessing and retrieving data from law enforcement databases/systems.
• Serve as the Special Operations Support account cashier, and field vehicle coordinator.
• Analyze and evaluate criminal case information including incomplete background facts, research records, and compiles information for reports.
• Support the onboarding and separation of office staff, to include requesting new staff digital account creation, ensuring annual certifications are in place, property distribution or collection, and various other administrative tasks.
• Perform administrative duties to include, but not limited to, procurement, property, travel and time & attendance coordinator.

Salary

• $86,123 - $134,195/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• You must be registered for the Selective Service, if applicable.
• You must successfully pass and are subject to random drug screenings.
• You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• You may be subject to a probationary period.
• You must complete the Vacancy Announcement Questionnaire in USAjobs in order to be considered for this position.
• You must complete the USAHire Questionnaire in order to be considered for this position.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level obtained in the Federal or public sector. (Specialized experience is paid or unpaid experience which has equipped you with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.) Examples of specialized experience include such duties as: receiving, processing and preparing complaints for the investigative process; conducting complaint inquiries and recommending appropriate actions to inquires; compiling investigative data from law enforcement sources; and verifying case related information through the use of electronic criminal investigative systems.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level obtained in the Federal or public sector. (Specialized experience is paid or unpaid experience which has equipped you with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.) Examples of specialized experience include such duties as: independently performed processing, analyzing and preparing complaints for the investigative process; searching and gathering a broad range of investigative data from a wide variety of law enforcement sources; verifying case related information through the use of electronic criminal investigative systems and preparing statistical investigative reports for senior level managers.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade level (or equivalent).

Education GS-11: 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, may be substituted for experience. Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable. To qualify based on education, you must upload or fax a copy of your college or university transcripts or certificates at time of application. Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration. All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov. For foreign education, see: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. ** PROBATIONARY INFORMATION: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - Your performance and conduct; - The needs and interests of the agency; - Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). The CTAP/ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for CTAP/ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is at: www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Other Information DOJ EEO Statement/Policy: http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/08-eeo-policy.pdf As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under the VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement. Selective Service: 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. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Required Documents

• Resume
  • Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. 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, and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
• SF-50 documentation (if applicable)
  • SF-50 (most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase, or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action if you are applying as a current or former Federal Employee) that shows you have acquired competitive status, and the highest grade or promotion potential you held.
• CTAP/ICTAP documentation (if applicable)
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
  • The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
• Veterans' Preference documentation (if applicable)
  • If you are a veteran and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility.
  • If you are a veteran and you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference click here.
• Education documentation (if applicable)
  • Degree: Unofficial college transcript (If you are selected, an official transcript will be required before your first day)
• Schedule A documentation (if applicable)
  • Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes.

How to Apply

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/11/2026 to receive consideration.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The application process is as follows:

1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.

For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

** This vacancy may be used to fill other similar and/or comparable positions throughout the agency within the stated duty station.