This is a Recent Graduate opportunity under the DOT Pathways Program. Appointment is in the Excepted service not-to-exceed one (1) year. Upon successful completion of the one year developmental program, the position may be converted into the Competitive service as a term or permanent (career/career conditional) employee. Conversion is not guaranteed and is based on the needs of the agency. If converted, the full performance level of the position will be GS-13

Duties

If selected for this position, you will be responsible for planning, directing and conducting complex investigations of suspected fraud, waste, and abuse, and mismanagement in programs of DOT, as well as a variety of proactive investigations, including fraud prevention and detection surveys. You will determine the scope and depth of the investigation, analyze and evaluate evidence; and on the basis of findings, prepare investigative reports. Investigations require frequent travel and may occasionally require undercover and surveillance work. Investigations will typically involve violations of the Department's programs and regulations with respect to contract and grant fraud, illegal transportation of hazardous materials, aviation safety, and motor carrier safety. Results of investigations may form the basis for criminal or civil prosecution by the Department of Justice; withholding funds from a state or grantee; administrative personnel actions by DOT; or changes in practices and/or procedures by DOT.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizen.
• Pre-employment drug testing and physical examination are required.
• You must meet the specialized experience to qualify.
• Successful completion of a background security investigation.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state DL to operate a motor vehicle.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Must sign Recent Graduates Program Participant Agreement

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-07 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at least to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: work in a trainee capacity or other position where knowledge of basic investigative or analytical techniques and methods was applied to determine case resolution.  OR, one full year of graduate level education in a related field. OR, Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.): S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. The G.P.A should be credited in a manner that is most beneficial to the applicant. For example, applicants may list their G.P.A. as recorded on their final transcript, or they may choose to compute their G.P.A. The specific provisions are detailed below: G.P.A. as recorded on the final transcript. The final transcript must cover the period being used to determine G.P.A., i.e., all 4 years or last 2 years. G.P.A. including course work after bachelor's degree. Undergraduate course work obtained after an applicant has received a bachelor's degree can be credited in computing the G.P.A. of applicants who need those courses to meet minimum qualification requirements, i.e., the courses are required by the standard or by the individual occupational requirement. They are treated as described in the following example: An applicant for a Biologist position has a bachelor's degree that included no biology course work, but has taken 24 semester hours in undergraduate biology courses after obtaining the bachelor's degree. The grades earned in the biology courses should be included in the computation to determine this applicant's eligibility for GS-7 under the Superior Academic Achievement provision. These courses should be counted in determining (1) the overall grade-point average, (2) the average obtained during the final 2 years of the undergraduate curriculum, and/or (3) the average in the major field of study. For purposes of this example, biology would be considered the major field of study. G.P.A. excluding pass/fail courses. Applicants usually cannot claim credit based on their overall G.P.A. if more than 10 percent of their total credit was based on pass/fail or similar systems rather than on traditional grading systems. However, if they can document that only their freshman-year courses (25 percent or less of their total credit) were credited on a pass/fail or similar system, they can use their overall G.P.A. to claim Superior Academic Achievement. If 10 percent or fewer credits or only freshman-year courses were based on pass/fail or similar systems, such credits can be ignored and the G.P.A. computed on the graded courses. Applicants can, however, still claim credit based on their last 2 years if 10 percent or fewer credits were based on pass/fail or similar systems. Applicants who cannot claim credit under the G.P.A. requirements may claim credit for superior academic achievement only on the basis of class standing or honor society membership. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (external link). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. To qualify at the GS-09 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at least to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience includes: experience with document reviews, interviews, preparing written materials and reports; experience with researching legal documents and/or interviewing witnesses to verify facts and obtain specific pieces of information; securing signed statements, affidavits and documentary evidence; completing case reports for case records OR, a Masters or equivalent graduate degree, OR two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B or J.D., if related. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. NOTE: All applicants who do not currently, or have in the past worked as a GS-1811 Criminal Investigator in a federal OIG office must clearly demonstrate in their on-line application, possession of the experience. Applicants who fail to clearly and specifically address this factor in their on-line application will not receive further consideration for the announcement. Applicants must meet qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Contacts

• Address DOT, OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL 1200 New Jersey Ave SE West Building, Room W71-123 Washington, District of Columbia 20590 United States
• Name: Karen Muller
• Phone: 202-366-1490
• Email: [email protected]