Criminal Investigator

Summary

The position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII), Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI). As FDA's criminal law enforcement and intelligence arm, OCI is responsible for protecting public health and furthering the FDA mission by investigating suspected criminal violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and other related laws. Click here to learn more about FDA/OCI.

Duties

Serves as a Senior Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) tasked with coordinating, conducting and leading various criminal investigative activities. Prepares and reviews a variety of criminal investigative reports detailing the activity and results of the criminal investigation being conducted by FDA/OCI. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with both internal and external representatives. Provides expert interpretation about the application of laws, orders, rules, and regulations pertaining to violations of the FDCA and their legal implications affecting investigative activities.

Qualifications and evaluation

You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 10/26/2026 Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position (as listed in this vacancy announcement above) will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your score from the required assessment(s). The application review process will be conducted in multiple stages: Eligibility Consideration: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review your application and supporting documentation to determine it is complete, meets the two (2) page resume limit and meets the eligibility requirements for this vacancy. Minimum Qualifications: Then, the Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job requirements and qualifications. All qualified Non-Competitive applicants and the best-qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Career Transition Assistance Programs: Employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position (obtain a score of 85 or higher on assessments); and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Referral Consideration: If you are referred to the hiring manager for consideration, you may be further evaluated based on an interview, review of requested work samples, etc. Failure to comply with any of the additional assessment requirements will result in removal from further consideration.

Education

****There is no education substitution for this position at the GS-13 grade levels.**** If you are applying based on some other qualifying eligibility (i.e. you are not applying as a current Federal employee), you must meet the specific requirements of the eligibility you are claiming, and must have sufficient past experience to demonstrate that you are minimally qualified for this position. See https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths on USAJOBS for more information about various ways you may be eligible to apply! PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred to (CC) personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://secure.login.gov/ select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. 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). 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. You must submit https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents to verify your eligibility to apply for this vacancy. For most applicants, an ttps://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/service/sf-50 will be required. However, if you are applying as a https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans, individual with a https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/individuals-with-disabilities, or a https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition , you will be required to provide other supporting documents as applicable. See the Required Documents section for details. Be sure that any files you upload as supporting documentation are free of security or compression features which render such documents unreadable to our system.

How to apply

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are optional and will not be scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot). 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. To apply for positions with the Food & Drug Administration, you must log into https://secure.login.gov/ account and be signed in to that account before you click the "Apply Online" button. See the USAJOBS Help Article "How does the application process work?" for more on this process. Additionally, you must provide a resume and any required supporting documentation listed on the announcement, and you must complete all assessment questionnaires BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement, 10/26/2026. We recommend that you start the application process early enough that you can complete and submit your application before this deadline. Please note that you cannot submit documentation or make changes to your application after the deadline, and in most cases, only experience and education obtained by this date will be considered. If you would like to learn how to use USAJOBS including: accessing and managing your account, adding saved documents, building a resume, or starting an application; we recommend you visit the USAJOBS How To site, and read up on any topic that you need help with. This site is located at: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Additionally, if you need technical assistance with USAJOBS (such as account issues) please visit the main USAJOBS Contact us at: USAJOBS - Contact us FDA's Applicant Help Desk is not able to support USAJOBS-related issues. The Food & Drug Administration uses a system called Application Manager (USA Staffing) to post jobs and accept applications. If you are not familiar with Application Manager or you encounter any difficulty with the site, we recommend that you visit the Applicant HELP Site at: https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us. This help site contains step-by-step instructions for completing the application process, submitting documentation, and completing questionnaires, and should be very helpful to you! You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. The FDA will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who are not able to apply online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Applicant Help Desk. Decisions on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If after reviewing the USAJOBS and Application Manager help sites, you're not able to find the answer to your question or concern, or if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 866-807-3742, or e-mail ERIC@fda.hhs.gov The Applicant Help Desk is staffed between the hours of 7am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for government holidays. If you contact the Applicant Help Desk, please provide the following Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 13074281 so that we may assist you faster. See https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-pathson USAJOBS for more information about various ways you may be eligible to apply! In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements you must have sufficient past experience to demonstrate minimum qualifications for this position. PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred to (CC) personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment. Be sure that any files you upload as supporting documentation are free of security or compression features which render such documents unreadable to our system. To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13074281

Required documents

Resume: At a minimum, your resume should list the position title, employer name, start and end dates (including month and year), salary (or grade and step), hours worked per week, and a list of duties performed or accomplishments, for EACH position listed. USAJobs - What to Include USAJobs - Page Limit Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). Transcripts and Professional Licensure: If applicable see the Qualifications and Education Requirements section Performance Appraisal: A performance appraisal must be provided if you wish to be considered as a: Current/Former land management agency employee eligible under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. Family member formerly serving overseas eligible under Executive Order 12721. Current and Former Federal Employees: To verify your eligibility and status, you must submit your most recent SF-50 showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. The SF-50 must also show: Full position title, Pay Plan, Series, Grade/Step, Position Occupied, Tenure code; and, Service Computation Date. If you are applying for a higher grade, the SF-50 provided must also demonstrate you meet time-in-grade. Multiple SF-50s may need to be submitted to show all the required information. See more on the USAJOBS SF-50 Help Page. I/CTAP: Current/former Federal employees who are surplus or displaced, please submit supporting documentation (e.g., a Certification of Expected Separation, separation notice, RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal, SF-50 for RIF separation, etc.) and your most recent performance appraisal. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must be found well-qualified for this position and have a current performance appraisal rating of at least "Fully Successful". See the How You Will Be Evaluated section for the agency's definition of well-qualified. See more on the USAJOBS Career Transition Assistance Site. Schedule A (individuals with disabilities): Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities, may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required. Military spouses eligible for a noncompetitive appointment: Documentation verifying marriage (e.g., marriage certificate) and as applicable, copy of the service member's DD-214 or Statement of Service; copy of the service member's VA disability letter; statement certifying you are the un-remarried widow or widower of the service member; and documentation of the service member's death while on active duty (e.g., DD-1300). Special appointing authority for veterans and Veterans' Preference: Veterans must submit a DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge) that has the dates of service and discharge status and VA disability letter (if applicable) as proof of eligibility under a special appointing authority for veterans (e.g., VEOA, etc.) and proof for veterans' preference. Active Duty Members: To claim status under the Veterans Opportunity to Work, submit written documentation from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package. Parents of Deceased or Disabled Veterans: To claim preference, submit a copy of the deceased or disabled veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.* Widow or Widower: To claim preference, submit a copy of the deceased or disabled veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference.* Spouse of a Living Veteran: To claim preference, you must submit a copy of the veterans' DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from the armed forces that has the dates of service and discharge status AND the SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference*, and Documentation of Veteran's Inability to Work Because of a Service-Connected Disability. *See the instructions in the SF-15 on required documentation for submission.

Additional information

For some advertisements, the Food & Drug Administration receives hundreds, even thousands, of applications from job-seekers. Because of this high level of interest, FDA reserves the option of setting an application number limit. When an application limit is set, USAJOBS will close the vacancy at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on either: (A) the day the limit is reached, -OR- (B) the pre-defined closing date of 10/26/2026, whichever comes first. If the limit is reached before 11:59 pm ET, all applications in excess of the limit will continue to be accepted until 11:59 pm ET. The application limit for this advertisement, if applicable, is: No Limit For more information about announcement closing, see: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/job-announcement/closing-types ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT THAT MAY BE REQUIRED Pre-employment physical: Yes, you will be subject to a pre-employment and periodic medical examinations. Drug testing: Yes License: Yes, Drivers License Mobility agreement: Yes, to promote the efficiency of the OCI, the incumbent of this position may be reassigned to another position and/or location with OCI in the United States or Puerto Rico. You will be required to sign a mobility agreement to accept relocation to other geographic locations, if required by the agency. Failure to relocate when directed may result in separation from employment in the FDA in accordance with appropriate Government regulations. Immunization: No Bargaining Unit: No Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc. Special Appointing Authorities: If you are applying to this announcement based a special eligibility, such as those for people with disabilities, veterans (or military spouses), or displaced employees under a career transition program, please pay careful attention to the Required Documents section for details on application requirements for each eligibility path, to include supporting document requirements. This position may require financial disclosure reporting and will be subject to FDA's prohibited financial interest regulation. If you are hired, you may be required to divest of certain financial interests. You are advised to seek additional information on this requirement from the hiring official before accepting any job offers. For more information please visit the FDA Ethics web page: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/jobs-and-training-fda/ethics. All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement (10/26/2026). You must continue to meet all requirements throughout the entire hiring process.