Job opening: Criminal Investigator
Salary: $80 015 - 104 016 per year
Published at: Jul 28 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Police Service (PS). The mission of the PS is to serve and protect Veterans, patients, employees, contractors, volunteers, affiliates, visitors, and others who frequent VA facilities. Safety and security are paramount to ensuring that the VA successfully serve and honor the men and women who are America's Veterans.
Duties
This position works in a unique VA environment where the continual existence and level of serious crimes are on par with crimes such as homicide, involve an extensive supply chain fraud network, large scale drug diversion, prostitution rings requiring surveillance, and/or sophisticated multi-state schemes to steal from or harm VA property, Veterans, or personnel visiting or working at a VA property. Major duties and responsibilities include:
Investigates crimes which cannot be resolved through the initial efforts of the reporting officer's preliminary investigation or are beyond the scope of a Detective's responsibility;
Performs a variety of assignments in resolving a wide range of conditions or criminal/administrative activities;
Researches, interviews, observes, conducts stakeout operations, and executes investigative techniques;
Coordinates and conducts joint investigations relating to alleged or suspected violations of criminal laws with other federal and state agencies such as the FBI, US Marshalls, etc.;
Participates in surveillance activities that are coordinated by an OIG and/or other federal agency;
Collects sufficient evidence to support a court case against a criminal, and explains to the jury the significance of evidence as it relates to proof that a crime was committed;
Confers with the U.S. Attorney's office, VA Regional Counsel Office, or other outside law enforcement agencies as appropriate, to dispose of or to proceed with a case;
Leads or assists in the conduct of administrative investigations of alleged administrative misconduct, patient abuse, and other improprieties;
Coordinates and/or participate in a taskforce or other team to conduct highly complex, difficult and sensitive criminal, civil and administrative investigations;
Perform other related duties as assigned.
DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:
This position is required to attend an 8 - 10-week POST course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas (if not already completed). Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
Must successfully attend and complete the FLETC Law Enforcement Criminal Investigator Training Program (FLETC CITP).Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment.
Lautenberg Amendment: This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(91)). Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense.
Work Schedule: Generally Monday - Friday 0730 - 1600 ; holidays, weekends and nights as required
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Criminal Investigator / PD99720S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/16/2023.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09.. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of a Criminal Investigator, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: Conducting investigations of complaints, tips/leads, obtaining physical evidence, testimony, etc.; researching and utilizing applicable federal guidelines to investigate crimes; analyzing raw investigative data and converting it comprehensive written reports; and possessing excellent communication skills when interacting with the general public and other law enforcement agencies in a positive and respectful manner. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, LL.M., if related.
OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate education. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-11
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Criminal Investigation: Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with criminal investigation, including evidence detection and handling and drawing appropriate factual inferences and conclusions.
Arrest: Knowledge of the laws, principles, and procedures used in apprehending a criminal suspect, including polices for pursuit and proper use of force and capture such as Miranda rights.
Criminal Law: Knowledge of state and federal criminal laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to admissibility of evidence and prosecution.
Forensics: Knowledge of procedures of civil, criminal, or administrative hearings, evidence collection, including the delivery and receipt of evidence, classes of evidence, and rules of evidence and legal procedures.
Analysis and Problem Solving: Applies the process of discovery that involves the diagnosis of a problem or issue, identification and gathering of relevant information, formulation and evaluation of alternative solutions or courses of action, and selection or recommendation of the preferred solution or course of action.
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; religions; 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.
Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, such as long periods of standing, walking, bending, stooping, reaching, crawling, and similar activities. Performance of work may take place in attics, crawlspaces, walls, ceilings, and other limited access spaces, or in rough terrain. The work may require some common characteristics and abilities of physical agility and dexterity to work in confined spaces and to move or lift moderately heavy objects. The work environment involves frequent exposure to moderate risk situations, some discomforts, unpleasant working conditions, and adverse weather conditions e.g. hot, cold, dry and wet. Safety or security precautions sometimes are necessary, and the position may have to use appropriate clothing or gear. May be required to work long and irregular hours, on weekends, holidays, or at night, and change shifts and duty hours to conduct extensive criminal investigations.
Medical Requirements: 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, hands, 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 himself/herself, or others is disqualifying.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Education
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have
a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, LL.M., if related.
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here:
http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Contacts
- Address Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
11301 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90073
US
- Name: Bennie Dennis
- Phone: 720-723-6740
- Email: [email protected]
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