Lead Criminal Investigator (CDI Unit Team Leader)

Summary

Serves as a Special Agent in the SSA Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Cooperative Disability Investigations Division with responsibility for planning, conducting, and coordinating investigations related to fraud, waste, and abuse in SSA's disability programs and operations. Investigative oversight includes wrongdoing by applicants, grantees, contractors, or by SSA employees in the performance of their official duties, and investigations of violations of the U.S. Code.

Duties

• Independently conducts investigations into criminal and non-criminal cases pursuant to Agency legislation and regulations, and general policies and procedures.
• Conducts comprehensive research and analysis of cases to determine the applicable laws and the implementing regulations which were violated, and the proof required to support such cases and methods of obtaining them.
• Plans, coordinates, and initiates contacts with Federal, State, and local officials; and other key officials related to matters under investigation.
• Plans and conducts interviews with suspects, witnesses, and informants in case development.
• Serves search warrants and subpoenas; searches crime scenes for evidence; and participates with other law enforcement agencies as required.
• Prepares interim and comprehensive final investigative reports for prosecutive and management officials.

Qualifications

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered. Please visit the new resume guidance for more information. READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS INFORMATION IS CRUCIAL TO SUBMITTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION. Applicants MUST meet all eligibility requirements on or before the closing date of the announcement to be considered for the position. WHO MAY APPLY: Applications will only be accepted from applicants eligible for one of the following categories. Federal employees currently serving under career or career conditional appointments; Federal employees currently serving under the following types of appointments: Schedule A, Reg. 213.3102 (U) appointments for individuals with disabilities. Former Federal employees eligible for reinstatement (i.e., those who have career status or separated from a career-conditional appointment less than 3 years ago). Current or former Federal employees eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) Eligibles (i.e., Preference-eligible veterans OR veterans who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous service). Federal employees serving under excepted service appointments with competitive service compatibility (e.g., Postal Service, Foreign Service, an agency with an interchange agreement, etc.) may be eligible to apply. Please visit Excepted Service Appointments with Competitive Service Compatibility for more information. Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty, a spouse of a 100 percent disabled service member injured while on active duty, or the un-remarried widow or widower of a service member who was killed while performing active duty. Note: Excepted service employees serving under Schedule A appointments for Attorney positions or Pathways Programs appointments (Presidential Management Fellows, Recent Graduates, and Interns) are not eligible for consideration. HOW TO QUALIFY: Eligible applicants must meet the following qualification requirements Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-12 level, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience must include at least one of the following: (1) Leading and managing a personal caseload containing multiple independent criminal investigations; (2) Testifying during criminal judicial proceedings (for example, grand jury, evidentiary hearings, trials); AND (3) Coordinating with prosecutors to present cases for prosecution, determine legal courses of action, or prepare for legal proceedings. 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. Applicants will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Applicants for promotion must have 52 weeks at GS-12. Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: If you are a current Federal employee eligible under VEOA, you are subject to the time-in-grade requirement and must submit an SF-50 as required above. Additionally, the Law Enforcement (1811) series has the following qualification requirements: Tentative selectee(s) may be required to pass a pre-appointment physical examination. The duties of positions in this series require moderate to arduous physical exertion involving walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints is required. Arms, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order that applicants may perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily. Near vision, corrective lenses permitted must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters. Hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to themselves or others is disqualifying. Tentative selectee(s) will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment unless currently an SSA employee occupying a position already in a random drug testing program. Appointment to the position is contingent upon a negative test result. After appointment the employee will be included in the agency's random drug test program. This position is subject to the Lautenberg Amendment/Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. The selected employee will not be made a final offer of employment until after we receive notice of the completion of a successful background investigation. Selectee will be required to pass firearms qualification and may be required to carry a firearm. The selectee will be required to attend a course of instruction on the proper use of Oleoresin Capsicum spray (OCS), which is the oily resin of pepper. This instruction includes being exposed to OCS so that knowledge of its effects can be gained. This position is covered by the special retirement provision for Federal Law Enforcement Officers (FLEO). Selectee without previous FLEO service must be at least 21 years of age and not yet 37 years of age or older on the date of appointment. Selectee newly assigned to the Criminal Investigator position MUST successfully complete the 9-week Criminal Investigator Program training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Glynco, Georgia. This position is designated as a mobile work position. Mobile work means work that is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite such as a home or office. It is different from telework and/or remote work. Examples of mobile work include site audits, site inspections, investigations, property management, and work performed while commuting, traveling between worksites, or on Temporary Duty (TDY). Selectee must sign a mobility agreement to accept relocation to other geographic locations if required by the agency.

Education

There is no Educational Requirement for this position.

How to apply

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious, or Fraudulent Statements Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire or in your SSA-45 may be subject to verification. By completing the electronic application process, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: A Resume (SSA employees may submit an SSA-45) The Occupational Questionnaire: Click on the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Additional Required Documents, if applicable (See Required Documents section). The complete Application Package must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on 09/21/2026. Failure to upload any required documents will disqualify your application from consideration. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Zunaira Awan at [email protected] or 4103876405. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile sent directly to the Servicing Personnel Office. Applicants are required to file through the online application process. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.