Investigator

Summary

We are seeking highly motivated professionals to join our team. If you want challenging work and a chance to make a big impact, come join us at the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Commerce! We improve the effectiveness of the Department's programs and operations. We also investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department and those who do business with it.

Duties

This position is located at the Department of Commerce OIG, Office of Investigations. As an Investigator, you will perform the following duties: Conducts inquiries and investigations involving alleged fraud, waste, abuse, and improprieties by DOC officials, breaches of program integrity, and/or allegations of whistleblower retaliation. Evaluates and triage complaints received through the OIG Hotline and other intake channels by assessing jurisdiction, scope, and investigative merit. Clearly communicate findings and recommendations to leadership both verbally and in writing. Initiates investigations at the request/direction of OIG, the Department, Congress, GAO, and/or the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Investigations may be complex in nature. Prepares high quality investigative reports for use in administrative and civil proceedings. Ensures reports contain a thorough analysis of data obtained during reviews of field components related to the operational procedures and effectiveness. Establishes and maintains liaison at the highest executive level with program and administrative officials as well as representatives of external federal agencies, local law enforcement agencies, and officials of state, municipal, and private enterprises. Produces clear, well-organized written products to document investigative activities, including interview summaries, evidence analysis, and other key investigative actions, to maintain accurate and complete case files. Prepares high-quality investigative reports for use in administrative and civil proceedings. Demonstrates strong oral communication skills by delivering clear, concise briefings to colleagues and leadership on complex investigative developments and findings; providing sworn testimony in administrative and civil proceedings; and effectively engaging with DOJ and other external stakeholders to ensure accurate, timely information exchange. Collects, handles, transfers, and safely stores evidence in compliance with policy and procedures. Safeguards sensitive and classified information and provides access to that information only within strict guidelines.

Requirements

Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National A one-year probationary period may be required. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Top Secret - Background Investigation will be required. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.

Qualifications and evaluation

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination. In addition to the qualifications above, you will be required to complete a writing assessment for this position. Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (résumé, supporting documents, self-assessment questionnaire, and responses to the writing assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If your application is incomplete, we may rate you as ineligible. Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Civil/Administrative Investigations Oral Communication Written Communication Analytical Technical After the closing date of the announcement, we will review your resume per category rating procedures to ensure that qualification and eligibility requirements are met. If we utilize category rating and determined that you meet the minimum qualification requirements, a Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a review of eligible and qualified applicants. The SME will only review your written responses. Your application will be placed in three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified based on the degree of your experience listed within your resume. Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview and provide a writing sample or written assessment/exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position. References may also be checked after all assessment materials are reviewed. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 85 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin. Failure to submit the required documentation by 11:59 pm EST on 08/15/2026 will result in loss of consideration. The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 08/15/2026 of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you are requesting this. Step 1: To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Step 2: Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. Step 3: After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. Step 4: You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application:-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login). A list of announcements in which you have applied is at the Welcome screen. Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Required documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Failure to submit the required documents will disqualify you from further consideration for this position. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package. Your resume must be 2 pages max and should contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. If your resume exceed the 2 page limit you could be disqualified from this position. It is recommended that you include the following information: Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers Educational information Relevant experience If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. VEOA, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide. CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:-You must submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)-Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL - Provide a copy of your most recent rating of record (i.e., final annual performance appraisal issued and signed by appropriate management official). If the rating of record you submit is not dated within the last 18 months, you must provide an explanation in your application as to why one has not been issued within the past 18 months. Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility HERE. Land Management Eligibles must compete under competitive merit promotion procedures and meet all applicable requirements as such (time-in-grade restrictions do not apply). CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible. REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee that has been separated for at least one year, and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.

Additional information

DOCOIG offers a comprehensive benefits package. Explore the benefits offered to most Federal employees at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/. Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards. Twelve paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year. Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire. A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums. A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions. Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits Additional benefits available include flexible work schedule, transportation subsidy, access to Metrorail and Metrobus transit services in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia communities, carpools/van pools and more.