Criminal Investigator - Central Area Field Office (CAFO)

Summary

The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Criminal Investigator positions within the Office of Investigations, Central Area Field Office (CAFO) located in Chicago, IL. The successful candidate must have experience in planning, conducting and/or leading complex federal criminal, civil and administrative investigations.

Duties

The successful candidate must be highly motivated and exhibit a high degree of character and demonstrate experience planning, conducting and/or leading complex federal criminal, civil and administrative investigations. Additional Duties & Responsibilities: Plans, conducts and/or coordinates criminal, civil and administrative investigations relating to alleged or suspected violations of Federal laws committed by or against Postal Service personnel or Postal Service contractors. Obtains and evaluates information to support all criminal and civil investigations. Applies for and serves warrants for arrests, searches and seizures as appropriate and provided by law. Prepares requests and/or reviews/approves requests for subpoenas, consensual monitoring, and other requests requiring higher authority. Assists Government attorneys in the preparation of grand jury presentations and court cases; serves as a witness in grand juries, criminal and civil courts and administrative forums. Maintains liaison with other offices, agencies, and appropriate organizations as needed. Conducts investigations using various techniques such as surveillance, interviewing and interrogating, examining files and records, obtaining physical and documentary evidence and undercover assignments. Collects, evaluates and preserves physical and documentary evidence. Utilizing cameras and other electronic surveillance equipment to gather evidence. 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. This position is being advertised at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-11 to GS-13. The salary range for this position is $83,482.00 - $154,682.00. 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. 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 is an Excepted Service agency and uses a Pay Banding system equivalent to the Federal GS scale. This position is at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-11 to GS-13. Salary range for this position is $83,482.00 - $154,682.00, including locality pay for all announced locations. For locality table specifics, visit: OPM's General Schedule (GS). The posted range does not include the authorized Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) under the 1811 Series. 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), including Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Basic Benefit Plan, and Social Security. 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, 08/24/2026, 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 13029504, by closing date 08/24/2026. 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) Two (2) most recent performance appraisals (FY 2024 and FY 2025) Including rating, coaching, and review phase comments sections 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. Standard Form 50 Form (Mandatory) SF-50 (current or federal employees) 5. Transcripts (Mandatory) Must include institution name, your name, course list, hours, GPA, degree awarded Foreign education requires U.S. equivalency review documentation For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ 6. Supporting Documents (If Applicable) Certificates/Licenses - FLETC certification will be requested during the hiring process for verification purposes 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