Criminal Investigator

This Criminal Investigator position is with Customs and Border Protection (Department of Homeland Security) in Phoenix, AZ. Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Operations Directorate, Operations Division, Operations Management, location negotiable after selection. This announcement will be open for five business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first. Key duties: • Joining Customs & Border Protection will allow you to leverage your advanced investigative knowledge, skills, and abilities in support of complex, challenging, and sensitive criminal, civil and administrative investigations. This is an exciting opportunity to strengthen the Department's mission to protect the homeland by contributing to policy development, mentoring less experienced agents, and evaluating investigative objectives, strategies, and goals. This position starts at a salary of $129,258.00 (GS-14, Step 1) to $168,040.00 (GS-14, Step 10). Location Negotiable After Selection - You must choose one of the following locations; Washington, D.C., San Diego CA, El Centro CA, Tucson AZ, Yuma AZ, Sierra Vista AZ, El Paso TX, Alpine TX, Laredo TX, Del Rio TX, McAllen TX, Brownsville TX Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above. Duties include, but not limited to the following: Conducting proactive and/or reactive criminal investigations involving CBP employees and related entities suspected of crimes affecting the administration of Customs and Immigration laws including, but not limited to, fraud, perjury, giving false, fictitious or fraudulent information, or other violations. Gathering and analyzing vital information, facts, evidence, and intelligence from a variety of sources including open sources, law enforcement databases and interviews, and interrogations of suspects and witnesses. Preparing detailed reports of investigation and briefings, presenting the results of ongoing investigations to OPR senior management, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney's Office. Providing expert guidance to field offices on case management system transactional process, monitoring significant cases, and preparing operational briefings to senior leadership. Ensuring implementation and adherence to procedures, guidelines, and directives governing investigative activity, case queue management, and significant incident reporting. Multiple-Location/Localities: Salary listed reflects the rest of U.S. scale and, if applicable, will be adjusted to meet the locality pay/special rate Special Rates - OPM.gov of the duty location and position. Rigorous Law Enforcement Officer Special Retirement Coverage: This is a rigorous position subject to mandatory retirement under the special retirement provisions for law enforcement officers under CSRS and FERS 5 CFR 842.803, 5 CFR 831.903, 5 USC 8425(b), 5 USC 8335(b), 5 USC 8412(d), 5 USC 8336(c). For more information on required years of service and retirement age, click on this link. For further information on when an employee continues or discontinues coverage under the special retirement system for law enforcement officers, see the CSRS and FERS handbook, Chapter 46 (CSRS pages 12-14, and FERS pages 41-43). If you have questions regarding your retirement coverage provisions, contact the CBP Retirement Operations Center at (202) 863-6180. CBP employees demonstrate the highest level of commitment to protect and serve the United States of America and to exemplify the CBP Core Values of Vigilance, Service to Country and Integrity. Learn more about CBP's mission, core values and careers at https://www.cbp.gov/about Qualifications: Experience: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Conducting proactive and/or reactive investigations to include but not limited to employees or organizations suspected of crimes affecting the administration of Customs and Immigration laws including but not limited to fraud, perjury, giving false, fictitious or fraudulent information or other violations. Planning, organizing, and conducting investigations regarding a wide variety of allegations involving extremely complex, difficult, or sensitive criminal or administrative investigations of major importance and high-level interest, along with misconduct allegations. Conducting investigations involving jurisdictional overlap with other law enforcement agencies where you have been the lead case agent and directed operations, assigned tasks, and monitored task completion. Mentoring and assisting in the professional development of less experienced or newly hired agents requiring developmental or technical assistance. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. 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: Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 08/14/2026. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm and maintain firearm proficiency. This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. An applicant whose background includes any of the following will be ineligible for consideration: 1) convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year; 2) has any outstanding warrants or is a fugitive from justice; 3) unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; 4) adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution; 5) illegally or unlawfully in the United States; 6) renounced U. S. citizenship; 7) subject to a court-ordered restraining (protection) order from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (spouse, former spouse, parent of applicant's child, individual who cohabitates or has cohabitated with the applicant), or child; or 8) convicted under Federal, State, or Tribal Court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against an intimate partner or child. Medical Requirements: Following a tentative job offer, candidates must undergo and successfully complete a medical screening process. Individuals must be medically and physically capable of performing the essential job functions and duties of the position safely and efficiently without endangering the health and safety of the individual, others, or national security. For more information regarding the medical screening process and requirements, check out our video and visit our website. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers Polygraph Examination: The Criminal Investigator position is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination. Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package. Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package. Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one-year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.