Criminal Investigator (Entry Level) - Northeast Area Field Office

Summary

The USPS OIG is seeking highly qualified applicants to fill our Entry Level Criminal Investigator vacancies within the Office of Investigations, Northeast Area Field Office (NEAFO), in Buffalo, NY location. The successful candidate must demonstrate the potential to conduct federal criminal, civil, and administrative investigations.

Duties

Successful applicants must be highly motivated and demonstrate the potential to conduct federal criminal, civil and administrative investigations. Additional Duties & Responsibilities: This is the trainee level in the area of criminal investigation. Work assignments are selected to provide training in the analytical evaluative aspects of the work and in the appropriate use of investigative methods. The training emphasizes developing an understanding of the relationships of the concepts underlying the specialty area. It is directed toward the recognition of incipient needs or problems and the identification, analysis and solution of problems. Assignments are pre-selected to combine performance of productive work with supervised on-the-job training in both the judgmental and methodological aspects of the work. Assignments involve learning and developing investigative abilities by observing more senior agents conducting investigations. Participates in approximately 14 weeks of basic formal classroom training. This is a primary criminal investigator position. The duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The preceding description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations. Compensation: The USPS OIG is an Excepted Service agency and uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determination will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience. This position is being advertised at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-07 to GS-09. The salary range for this position is $52,766.00 - $83,911.00. The salary figures include locality pay. For locality table specifics, visit: OPM's General Schedule (GS). The posted salary range does not include the authorized Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) under the 1811 Series. LEAP will not be part of compensation until successful, completion of the 12-week training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), or equivalent federal law enforcement academy. The job also provides coverage as a primary position under law enforcement retirement.

Qualifications and evaluation

How You Will Be Evaluated You will be assessed on: Minimum qualifications Evaluation factors Quality of resume and supporting documents Interview performance (if recommended/selected) Important Application Rules (Disqualification Triggers) You will not be considered if you: Fail to attach all required documents Submit a resume exceeding two pages Submit materials showing you do not meet minimum qualifications Receive a zero rating on any evaluation factor Use AI tools during the interview (except approved accessibility tools) Fail to qualify during the interview Top-rated applicants will be referred to an interview panel or selecting official for the required interview. Ratings may be further adjusted or determined as ineligible by the interview panel or the selecting official based on interview performance. Applicants may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications or virtual assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) is prohibited during interviews. An exception for accessibility tools must be submitted through reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the hiring process. NOTE: This announcement may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates for future hiring needs. Applicants may be considered for positions in other directorates within the Office of Investigations.

Education

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation here: www.ed.gov. Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education: Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities. For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Benefits

Position Level & Compensation USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system equivalent to the Federal GS scale. This position is at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-07 to GS-09. Salary range is $52,766.00 - $83,911.00, including locality pay for all announced locations. For locality table specifics, visit: OPM's General Schedule (GS). LEAP will not be part of compensation until successful, completion of the 12-week training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), or equivalent federal law enforcement academy. The job provides coverage as a primary position under law enforcement retirement. Comprehensive Benefits USPS and OIG employees transitioned from Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program effective January 01, 2025. Learn more about the PSHB Program by visiting https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/pshb/. Health, dental, vision, life, long-term care insurance, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options are available. Three-tiered retirement benefits plan under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) Visit the USPS OIG benefits page to learn more: https://www.uspsoig.gov/work-for-us/compensation-benefits Work Life & Flexibilities Flexible work schedules available Employee assistance programs offered 11 paid holidays, 13 days of paid sick leave, and 13-26 days annual leave based on service years.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 09/01/2026, to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, 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 Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.

Required documents

You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement 13026940, by closing date 09/01/2026. Important Note: Make sure you submit all required documents with your application. Failure to do so will result in your disqualification. 1. Resume (Mandatory) Must not exceed two (2) pages 0.5" margins; recommended fonts: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Roboto, Noto Sans Upload as PDF (<=5MB) Additional guidance can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? 2. Occupational Assessment Questionnaire (Mandatory) Self-assessment questionnaire addressing the requirements, experience, and evaluation factors of the position 3. Performance Evaluation (Mandatory) Most recent performance appraisals (FY 2025) Including rating, coaching, and review phase comments sections Student Cooperatives must submit a management recommendation letter from current supervisor If unavailable, a substitute document must be submitted explaining why a performance appraisal is not available Form SF-50 is not acceptable as a performance appraisal Applications submitted without either a performance appraisal or qualifying substitute will be considered incomplete 4. Transcripts (Mandatory) Must include institution name, your name, course list, GPA, and degree awarded Foreign education requires U.S. equivalency review documentation. Guidance can be found at: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ 5. Supporting Documents (If Applicable) Certificates/Licenses SF-50 (current or federal employees) Veteran's Preference Documents (DD-214 Member 4, SF-15, VA Letter) Preference documentation guidance can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/ https://archives.gov/veterans/ military-service-records https://ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage

Additional information

About the OIG | What We Do America's Postal Service is one of the government's most trusted entities. The US Postal Service Office of Inspector General, an independent agency within the Postal Service, employs over 800 auditors, criminal investigators, and professional support personnel stationed in over ninety locations. The OIG plays a key role in maintaining the integrity and accountability of America's Postal Service, its revenue and assets, and its employees. Our mission is to investigate internal crimes and frauds against the Postal Service. These efforts contribute to safeguarding the Postal Service's revenue and assets and help deter postal crimes, ultimately helping maintain a stable and sound Postal Service. Special agents conduct investigations in mail fraud, financial fraud, contract fraud, healthcare fraud, and official misconduct. To learn more, visit: Office of Investigations | About Us Executive Order 14074 directed the Attorney General to establish the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD) as a centralized repository of official records documenting certain instances of law enforcement officer misconduct. The United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General utilizes the information in the NLEAD, in accordance with applicable laws, for the hiring, job assignment, and promotion of federal law enforcement officers. Reasonable Accommodations Reasonable accommodation available for applicants with disabilities Submit requests to jobs@uspsoig.gov; decisions made case-by-case Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) status: Exempt. Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; exempt employees are not