Criminal Investigator (Special Agent)

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 a Special Agent, you will perform the following duties: Plan and conduct complex and highly visible investigations to determine violations of Federal, DOC, and OIG laws, regulations, and policies. Investigate, gather, and develop complex technical evidence relevant to many phases of the matter under investigation. Use several investigative techniques in order to prove or disprove allegations or evidence of fraud. Formally and informally question subject and third-party witnesses and secure evidence from other outside sources to determine the nature and extent of the violation. Take sworn statements, depositions and affidavits from witnesses and others as may be required to develop information and secure admissible evidence. Plan and conduct complex and highly visible investigations to determine violations of Federal, DOC, and OIG laws, regulations, and policies. Investigate, gather, and develop complex technical evidence relevant to many phases of the matter under investigation. Use several investigative techniques in order to prove or disprove allegations or evidence of fraud. Write affidavits in support of, obtain and execute search warrants and subpoenas, to seize and collect documentary or physical evidence, search/process crime scenes, conduct interviews and interrogations of victims, witnesses, and suspects. Administer oaths, effect arrests/apprehension of criminals who commit violations. Confer with and assist U.S. Attorneys in preparing information and evidence for trials. Serve Grand Jury subpoenas when directed by the courts. Testify as a government witness before Grand Juries and in the courts, and at administrative hearings. Upon request, analyze investigative procedures as a subject matter expert and provide recommendations to senior officials on complex findings that may affect future business processes. Recommend new policies based on experience involving an identifiable pattern trend within cases worked. Assist developmental criminal investigators with standard operating procedures including completing reports and collecting evidence.

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. Complete a pre-employment physical examination Sign a Geographic Mobility Agreement

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, 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. Note: As part of your writing assessment, you must not exceed the 1950-character limit for each question. Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Criminal Investigations (fraud, waste and abuse, or mismanagement) Communication Skills Analytical Skills Written Communications Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application 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

There is no education experience required for this position.

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 of 08/22/2026 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 08/22/2026 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. To preview the assessment questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13031430

Required documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. 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. It is recommended that you include the following information: Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers Educational information Relevant experience 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. 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. 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. 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.

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.