Criminal Investigator (Reemployed Annuitant & CTAP/ICTAP/RPL) (Term Appointment)

Summary

View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement. This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is a Term position not-to-exceed 5 years and 1 day (may be extended based on the needs of the agency). Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Duties

As a Criminal Investigator (Reemployed Annuitant & CTAP/ICTAP/RPL) (Term Appointment), GS-14 you will perform the following duties: Determine the effectiveness of investigative techniques and furnish advice regarding operational problems. Disseminate information and respond to inquiries concerning criminal investigations and other field matters. Interview suspects and witnesses and gather intelligence in furtherance of sensitive criminal investigations. Conduct surveillance of subjects of investigations to observe criminal activity and agency policy violations. Conduct, lead, and report on proactive and reactive investigations regarding criminal misconduct. Prepare affidavit for court-approved search and seizure warrants and electronic intercepts. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the lowest and highest potential salaries for this position. The actual salary range will be based on the applicable locality pay for the selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. Recruitment incentives associated with this job announcement may be authorized. Are you ready to return to mission? Resume your impactful and thrilling career as a Criminal Investigator with OPR at ICE! Rejoin an elite team dedicated to defending the U.S. by tackling complex criminal threats and securing our nation's safety. You have the opportunity to identify one location preference Special Agent in Charge (SAC) office area of responsibility. Note that multiple duty locations fall within the area of responsibility (AOR) of each SAC office. Please view the duty locations within each SAC AOR here. Your location preferences are NOT guaranteed. The duty locations offered will be based on the needs of the agency. If you decline the duty locations offered during the official job offer, you will be removed from further consideration. Retired applicants must be retired on or before the opening date of this announcement. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies based on the needs of the Agency. View Common Definitions of terms found in this announcement. Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in multiple locations.

Qualifications and evaluation

Applicants' two-page resumes will first be evaluated for minimum qualification requirements as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. First, candidates' two-page resumes will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the specialized experience for the job, as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Next, candidates who meet the required specialized experience will have their resumes evaluated further by a panel of trained reviewers to determine whether their work experience demonstrates possession of the following competencies needed to successfully perform the job duties: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Based on your responses, you will receive a score from the Assessment Questionnaire between 70 and 100. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). Pursuant to Executive Order 12564, and the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan, ICE is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions (testing designated positions) are subject to random drug testing. Moreover, other drug testing of employees (e.g., reasonable suspicion drug test) may be conducted in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants tentatively selected for employment at ICE are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

Education

Medical Requirement: You may be required to pass a pre-employment medical examination. Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. You must satisfactorily complete (or have previously completed) the firearms component of the Criminal Investigation Training Program at Glynco, Georgia. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment. Work Conditions: This job requires physical strength and stamina to perform such activities as conducting long periods of surveillance, pursuing and restraining suspects, and carrying heavy equipment to be uses in investigative efforts. These activities require considerable physical exertion, such as running, stooping, bending, climbing, lifting and carrying heavy objects. The environment involves work indoors and outdoors in a variety of potentially dangerous and stressful situations, as well as exposure to physical attack, including the use of lethal weapons.

Benefits

Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

How to apply

To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete the Occupational Questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13096251, Standard USA Hire 1811-14 (PATCO-Admin) and submit all the required documentation as specified in he HOW TO APPLY and the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/30/2026. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. You are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. We encourage you to apply online. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM eastern standard time on 11/30/2026. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application. One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Required documents

2-Page Resume showing relevant experience, education and training. Work experience must include: job title, duties, employer's name, employer's telephone number, employer's address, starting and ending dates (MM/YY), hours worked per week, and indicate whether or not we may contact your current supervisor. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. In describing your experience on your resume, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumption regarding your experience. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. (for more information, see the How do I write a resume for a federal Job-Two-Page Resume Limit). Are you a retired federal annuitant? Submit a copy of your retirement SF 50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing your tenure code, position occupied and highest grade and step. In addition, if you have or had service in a Federal Law Enforcement position covered by law enforcement or firefighter retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement, the SF-50 must show the retirement code. An award SF-50 does not contain the required information. In addition, you must also submit an SF50 documenting that you have served in an 1801 series position. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Plan (ICTAP)? If so, submit a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position, grade level, and duty location. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), agency and beginning and ending dates of appointment. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards. Instructions for obtaining your SF-50: If you need assistance with obtaining your SF-50 showing your retirement, please contact the National Records Center website at https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/civilian-non-archival. Failure to submit required documents will result in disqualification for this vacancy.

Additional information

To support operational needs, applicant lists will be generated every two weeks or earlier and offers of employment may be extended prior to the close of the announcement. These are non-bargaining unit positions. This position is at the full performance level. E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation for Top Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. Polygraph: ICE has designated this position for polygraph testing, which you may be required to complete. If referred for polygraph testing, you may be required to travel to a testing location.