Criminal Investigator, GS-1811-12/13 (MP)

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Criminal Investigator GS-1811-1213 MP

Department of Education Office of Inspector General

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Summary

This job is open to

Duties

Requirements

How you will be evaluated

Required documents

How to apply

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Education Office of Inspector General Investigation Services. As a Criminal Investigator the incumbent of this position will be responsible for investigations involving allegations of suspected violations of criminal statutes as they relate to fraud or corruption in various Department of Education programs. This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies until 12312026.

Learn more about this agency

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Education Office of Inspector General Investigation Services. As a Criminal Investigator the incumbent of this position will be responsible for investigations involving allegations of suspected violations of criminal statutes as they relate to fraud or corruption in various Department of Education programs. This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies until 12312026.

Learn more about this agency

Overview Help Accepting applications Open & closing dates

03/23/2026 to 12/31/2026

This job is open continuously and will remain open for an extended period of time. We will fill jobs as they become available. The next consideration date is 4/10/2026. Learn more

Salary: 89,508 - 138,370 per year

Locality pay will vary based upon the selectees duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.

Pay scale & grade: GS 12 - 13

Locations: Few vacancies in the following locations

• Sacramento, CA
• Denver, CO
• Washington, DC
• Plantation, FL

Show more fewer locations 21

• Atlanta, GA
• Chicago, IL
• Indianapolis, IN
• New Orleans, LA
• Location Negotiable After Selection
• Boston, MA
• Ann Arbor, MI
• Minneapolis, MN
• Kansas City, MO
• New York, NY
• Philadelphia, PA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• San Juan, PR
• Memphis, TN
• Nashville, TN
• Austin, TX
• Dallas, TX
• Houston, TX
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Saint Thomas, VI
• Seattle, WA

Remote job: No

Telework eligible: Yes - This position is eligible for situational telework at the discretion of management.

Travel Required: Occasional travel - Travel up to 50% of the time may be required to complete assigned tasks and investigations.

Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Appointment type: Permanent

Work schedule: Full-time

Service: Competitive

Promotion potential: 13

Job family (Series): 1811 Criminal Investigation

Supervisory status: No

Security clearance: Top Secret

Drug test: Yes

Position sensitivity and risk: Critical-Sensitive (CS) High Risk

Trust determination process: Credentialing Suitability Fitness National security

Financial disclosure: Yes - Requires a financial disclosure agreement.

Bargaining unit status: No

Announcement number: OIG-HQ-2026-0011

Control number: 862186900

This job is open to: Help

• Federal employees - Competitive service Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Managements hiring rules and pay scales.

• Career transition CTAP ICTAP RPL Federal employees whose job agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

• Land and base management Current or former employees of a base management agency.

• Veterans Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower, or parent of a veteran who may be eligible for derived preference.

• Military spouses Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

• Individuals with disabilities Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

• Family of overseas employees Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was working overseas.

• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.

• Special authorities Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.

Clarification from the agency

Current federal civilian employees in the competitive service on permanent career or career-conditional appointments. Former federal employees with reinstatement eligibility. Current federal employees eligible under Interchange Agreements and Applicants eligible under special hiring authorities (Schedule A, etc.).

Duties Help

Fraud doesnt stop and neither do we. Were the Office of Inspector General, an independent oversight office within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) charged with identifying and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse and ensuring accountability and effectiveness within ED programs. If you want to help fight fraud and make a difference for Americas students, schools, and taxpayers, we may have the career for you. We offer competitive salaries, opportunities for rapid and substantial salary increases and career growth, great benefits, employee recognition programs, and more.

Often referred to as Americas watchdogs, its our job to help ensure that the hard-earned tax dollars that fund ED programs and operations are used as intended by law, achieve the desired results, and reach the intended recipients.

The OIG conducts audits and reviews of issues involving Federal student aid, K-12 schools, charter schools, special education, vocational education, adult education, and more. When our work identifies problems, we propose solutions. Our work has resulted in improvements to ED programs and changes to some of the most important Federal education laws in our country.

We conduct criminal and civil investigations into suspected fraudulent activities by schools, colleges, universities, contractors, subcontractors, school officials-any entity or individual that participates in ED programs or receives ED funding. Through our work we have unraveled multimillion-dollar fraud schemes by people placed in positions of trust to educate our children. Were also on the cutting edge of cybersecurity, using the latest technology and techniques to discover and defeat current and emerging threats from cyber and economic crime.

We tackle new and emerging issues head-on and continually work to improve our techniques and capabilities. We consistently expand our expertise by training and developing our staff. This dedication has enabled the OIG to become a leader in the Federal government in the areas of audits, investigations, and fighting cybercrime.

Whether you are just entering the workforce or are a seasoned professional, if youre looking for a career rather than just a job and shaping the next generation of Americans, tackling tomorrows challenges, consider joining our team.

As a Criminal Investigator at the GS-12 the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Plans and conducts complex and sensitive investigations and performs most aspects of investigations such as gathering and obtaining evidence, participating in surveillance operations, interviews, and the drafting of third-party request letters and subpoenas.
• Examines, verifies, and analyzes records, books, reports, correspondence, and other data of consequence related to transactions, actions, or allegations under investigation.
• Drafts reports of investigative findings for review by management.

As a Criminal Investigator at the GS-13 the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Independently plans and conducts all aspects of complex program and grant fraud investigations, gathering and obtaining evidence, participating in surveillance operations, interviews, and the drafting of third-party request letters and subpoenas.
• Examines, verifies, and analyzes records, books, reports, correspondence, and other data of consequence related to transactions, actions, or allegations under investigation.
• Drafts reports of investigative findings for review by senior criminal investigators.

Requirements Help

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• May be required to complete a background clearance and fingerprint check.
• Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
• You may be subject to serve a probationary period.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state drivers license.
• Pass drug screening and subject to random drug testing.
• Mobile work is a condition of employment.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance.

Salary

The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position (2026-RUS LEO). The actual salary range will be based on the applicable locality pay for the selected duty location. Special Salary Rate locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Condition of Employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you may be required to serve a probationary period or 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 period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

If you are a current federal employee you must meet all time-in-grade and time-after competitive appointment qualifications within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. To verify that you meet these requirements we will review your responses to the core eligibility questions on the occupational questionnaire as well as your submitted resume and required documents. To make an accurate determination you will need to include on your resume your federal position title, pay plan, occupational series, grade level, agency, dates for which you held the grade level stated as MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY OR MM/YYYY to PRESENT, and total hours worked per week.

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.,