Criminal Investigator (GS-14 Special Agent Promotional Opportunity)

JobSummary

This Job Opportunity Announcement is for current and permanent GS-13 (including temporary GS-14) and former GS-14 ICE employees seeking a promotion to a GS-1811-14 Criminal Investigator position. Organizational Location: These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Office of Professional Responsibility, and Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. Locations are within and outside the U.S.

LowGrade

14

HighGrade

14

PromotionPotential

14

SubAgencyName

Homeland Security Investigations

OrganizationCodes

HS/HSBB

Relocation

True

HiringPath

• fed-internal-search

MCOTags

TotalOpenings

Many

AgencyMarketingStatement

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a dynamic workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS. The mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. ICE focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism, and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. ICE is the principal investigative arm of DHS and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003, through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE has more than 20,000 employees in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world. ICE is a key component of the DHS layered approach to protecting our nation from a wide range of threats. For additional information about ICE and career opportunities, please visit www.ice.gov.

TravelCode

1

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

MajorDuties

• This announcement will be used to fill GS-1811-14 supervisory and non-supervisory criminal investigator positions, as listed below, in various locations within the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Office of Professional Responsibility, and Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. If you are a current and permanent GS-1811-14 Criminal Investigator, you are NOT required to apply to this USAJOBS announcement for consideration for a lateral position. Please note, a temporary promotion to a GS-14 position is not considered a permanent GS-14 position. Positions: Supervisory Criminal Investigator roles, including Group Supervisor, Resident Agent in Charge (RAC), OPR Resident Agent in Charge (RAC), Section Chief, OFTP Section Chief, Assistant Attache; Non-supervisory Criminal Investigator roles, including Program Manager, OPR Program Manager/Lead Instructor, OFTP Program Manager/Team Leader/Course Developer, OPR Special Agent. Selections will be based on the needs of the agency and availability of positions and funding. As a GS-1811-14 Criminal Investigator, at the full performance level, your responsibilities will vary based on the particular position listed above into which you are promoted. You will perform various duties such as: Serving as a first-line supervisor and/or overseeing the administration, management, and conducting of investigative activities or special operations within assigned foreign or domestic area of responsibility. Establishing guidelines and performance expectations for staff, actively observing and evaluating staff performance, providing feedback, and ensuring staff's adherence to departmental standards and goals. Planning and developing national and special investigative programs, making recommendations for the introduction of new programs, conducting pilot programs and accelerating existing programs, collaborating and liaising with related internal and external units, and serving as an authoritative expert in the program area. Developing and managing training and programs on topics such as investigative matters, intelligence collection, trend analysis, methods of detecting fraudulent documents, firearms/weapons, investigative or tactical techniques, and similar subjects for presentation to top agency officials and other key stakeholders. Conducting, leading, and reporting on investigations regarding criminal misconduct of ICE personnel, their associates, contractors, and any other entity under the investigative jurisdiction of ICE. By applying to this announcement, you will be considered for both supervisory and non-supervisory positions; you will also be considered for permanent promotions, temporary promotions, and detail positions. Some temporary promotions may be made permanent without further competition. Secondary Law Enforcement: For approved secondary covered positions under 5 USC 8331 (20) and 5 USC 8401 (17), previous experience in a primary (rigorous) law enforcement position (or equivalent experience outside the Federal Government) is a prerequisite. Law Enforcement retirement coverage (special law enforcement provisions) is extended only if the secondary covered position immediately follows service in a law enforcement position. FERS applicants must have completed three (3) years of service in a rigorous position (AKA primary) position and transfer directly from a covered position in order to continue Law Enforcement retirement coverage upon selection. Primary position means a position whose primary duties are: Investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States. Secondary position means a position that: (1) Is clearly in the law enforcement field; and (2) Is in an organization having a law enforcement mission; and (3) Is either - (i) Supervisory; i.e., a position whose primary duties are as a first-level supervisor of law enforcement officers in primary positions; or (ii) Administrative; i.e., an executive, managerial, technical, semiprofessional, or professional position for which experience in a primary law enforcement position, or equivalent experience outside the Federal government, is a prerequisite.

Education

Requirements

Evaluations

All candidates (including non-competitive candidates and those with prior passing results) must clearly demonstrate in their 2-page resume how they meet the specialized experience and will be reviewed to ensure specialized experience requirements listed for this job are met. 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. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Candidates who meet the specialized experience and have a passing score for the SSJT assessment will be placed on a Certificate of Eligibles. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration. Candidates are solely responsible for the responses and documentation submitted in their online application. Responses cannot be altered once the announcement has closed. 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.

HowToApply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/04/2026. 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. 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 for additional information. All application materials must be in English. Email Addresses: Throughout the testing process, the email address associated with your USAJOBS.gov profile is used for all official notifications concerning your application. It is your responsibility to proactively search for communications in email (including spam or junk folders) and on USAJOBS.gov, to ensure assessment deadlines, scheduling instructions, or document submissions are not missed. Please check the email address on your USAJOBS.gov profile to be sure it is current (e.g., does not have an outdated personal email or dhs.gov address). Outdated email addresses must be removed and replaced with a new email address prior to submitting your application. Update your email address prior to submitting your application. Once your application is submitted and the announcement has closed, that is the email address that will be used for all future communications including instructions and invitations to complete assessments. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Operations Center listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions. 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.

WhatToExpectNext

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

RequiredDocuments

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. 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 current ICE employee? If you are a current career or career-conditional ICE employee you must submit the following by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not receive consideration as such: Submit a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting proof of competitive status, tenure (tenure code 1 (career) or tenure code 2 (career-conditional) in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34, position title, occupational series, grade level and step. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade. If you have promotion potential in any of your positions, please provide an SF-50 stating your highest full performance level to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointment/conversion, within grade/range increases and promotion actions. Note: Award and Pay Adjustment SF-50s are NOT acceptable. 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. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the online SSJT Assessment, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards. Failure to submit required documents will result in disqualification for this vacancy.

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/benefits

OtherInformation

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. Promotional Potential: 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. Locations: While the locations for this announcement are identified as location negotiable after selection, duty locations that are available and will be offered will be based on needs of the agency and no specific location is guaranteed. 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. Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment. 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 clearance 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. Supervisory Probationary Period: This is a supervisory position. Under provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act, first time supervisors and/or managers will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period. You may also be required to complete an appropriate supervisory training course within one year of assignment to this position. 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. A student loan repayment incentive may be available, in which case a service agreement will be required.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

01

AnnouncementClosingType

01

AgencyContactEmail

OHC-HROCSA14@ice.dhs.gov

SecurityClearance

Top Secret

DrugTestRequired

True

PositionSensitivitiy

Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

AdjudicationType

• Suitability/Fitness
• National security