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Criminal Investigator GS-1811-1213 MP Department of Education Office of Inspector General
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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 12/31/2026.
Overview
This job is open to
Duties
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, 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:
As a Criminal Investigator at the GS-13, the incumbent will perform the following duties:
Requirements
Conditions of employment
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:
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., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social).
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Specialized Experience for the GS-12 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level or equivalent public or private sector experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the following duties or work assignments below:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities. You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).
Specialized Experience for the GS-13 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level or equivalent public or private sector experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the following three (3) duties or work assignments below:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities. You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).
Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR) / 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 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 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 himself/herself or others is disqualifying.
Agent Training Applicant must have already satisfactorily completed the Basic Criminal Investigative Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, or its equivalent.
Mobility Plan New employees hired pursuant to this vacancy announcement must sign a mobility agreement. The purpose of the mobility policy is to meet the needs of the OIG.
Education Education cannot be substituted for experience for this position and grade level.
Additional information
Veterans Career Counseling If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email careers@ed.gov to schedule a session with a career counselor. "Veterans Counseling Session" should be placed in the subject line of the email.
Student Loan Default If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment.
Suitability and Investigation If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check.
Employment Drug Policy Applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a urinalysis prior to appointment to screen for illegal drug use and will be subject to periodic random testing thereafter.
Essential / Non-Essential This position is considered essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.
Selections Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency.
Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At ED-OIG, this means a score of 85.0 or higher.
Applicants must be a minimum age of 21 and not have reached their 37th birthday prior to the opening date of this vacancy announcement. If an applicant reaches his/her 37th birthday during the open period of this vacancy announcement, the application will be considered. Applicants who reach their 37th birthday prior to the opening date of this vacancy announcement will not be considered. Applicants who are currently or previously have been employed under a law enforcement position covered by 5 U.S.C. § 8336C or 5 U.S.C. § 8412D and applicants with documented veterans preference are not restricted from applying regardless of age.
Firearms Requirement Applicants for this position are required to qualify with and use firearms and other weapons as part of assigned duties and to maintain such qualifications. Because of an amendment to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) which became effective September 30, 1996, and is referred to as the Lautenberg Amendment, 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.
Law Enforcement Availability Applicants must agree to work an average of two hours extra per day to meet the requirements of law enforcement availability pay (LEAP) as described in Title 5 U.S.C. § 5545(a)(1).
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
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.]
As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a work-life balance, we offer excused leave for Parent-Teacher Conferences (3 hours), excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours), and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you include alternative work schedules.
You may be eligible to receive a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.
You may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.
You may be eligible to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program as a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive student loan repayments, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.
[Review our 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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement.
Evaluation will be based on your application materials such as your resume and supporting documents, your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of all required assessments.
Resume Requirement Please limit your resume to 2 pages with the font size no smaller than 10 points. If your resume is more than 2 pages, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed and considered for the qualifications determination.
Minimum Qualification Question As part of the application process, you must answer a minimum qualification question addressing whether you meet the Specialized Experience required for this position as described in this announcement. Your response must be supported by the experience documented in your resume. If your resume does not demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you may be found not qualified.
SME Resume Review Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine whether you meet the required Specialized Experience.
SME Structured Interview You may be invited to participate in a structured interview with one or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess the required competencies for the position.
Applicants who successfully pass the assessments may be referred to the Hiring Manager for consideration.
You must complete all required steps in the process, including submitting an application and resume and participating in the structured interview, to be considered for this position.
This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies until 12/31/2026. Applicant lists will be pulled every 30 days (every month) until the closing date. Positions are open until filled but no later than December 31, 2026. You may only apply to this vacancy once. No updates will be permitted. If you incur changes to your credentials or eligibilities, please continue to review USAJOBS for additional similar vacancies throughout the year. All credentials must be received at the time of application submission. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required documents
Required Documents You must submit REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS:
If you are a current or former federal employee (including current U.S. Department of Education employees), you must also submit:
If you are claiming eligibility under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA), you must submit:
If you are claiming eligibility under any Special Hiring Authority, you must submit:
If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must provide 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 or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:
To be "well-qualified," you must meet the following OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors where applicable, special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position, is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry, and receives a rating of at least "well-qualified" on the questionnaire. 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 or CTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from Career Transition.opm.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
How to Apply
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account if you do not already have one at www.usajobs.gov. Step 2: Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire. Step 3: Upload any required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word DOC or DOCX). Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attach any required documents. Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the agencys hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agencys hiring system. Click "Finish" to submit your application.
NOTE: You may update your application or required documents at any time while the announcement is open by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking on "Application Status," clicking on the position title, clicking "Update Application," and following the prompts.
In order to receive consideration for this position, you must submit your complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the vacancy announcement has an application limit, we recommend that you submit your complete application at the time of initial application. We will not accept any required documentation after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
If you have any questions regarding submitting your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed under the Agency Contact Information.
Agency contact information Teresa Dargan Phone: 202-987-0442 Email: oighr@ed.gov Address: EDUCATION-OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 400 Maryland Ave. S.W. Attn: OIG Office of Human Resources Washington, District of Columbia 20202 United States
Next steps As an applicant, you may check your application status through your USAJOBS account at any time. We will also notify you via email of your application status at three key stages in the recruitment process:
Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance:
Additional locations 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
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 12/31/2026.
Overview
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