This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine and Fisheries Services (NMFS), Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) with (1) vacancy located in Portland, Maine. This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS OLE-24-12175725-MP, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Duties

As a Criminal Investigator, you will perform the following duties: - Conduct complex domestic and international investigations of both civil/administrative and criminal suspected violations of United States laws and regulations including fish and wildlife laws and regulations and those specifically under the purview of NOAA that may result in criminal or civil/administrative prosecution and criminal or civil/administrative penalties. - Utilize a full range of investigative techniques to uncover and document the illegal commercialization and destruction of protected wildlife including surveillance, use of undercover operations and conducting interviews. - Work with civil/administrative and criminal prosecuting attorneys to prepare for an effective prosecution. - Conduct arrests, searches, and seizures in accordance with the U.S. Constitution, pertinent laws, regulations, directives and court decisions. - Comply with all existing policies, procedures and guidelines (including the use of force policy) pertaining to use, display, safety and maintenance of firearms and intermediate weapons. Note: The duties are at the full ZA-4 performance level and the ZA-2 is the developmental grade level leading to such performance.

Requirements

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the ZA-2 (GS-7): One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-1 (GS-5) in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: - Applying investigative techniques to assist in investigations; and - Assisting in organizing findings and evidentiary support from investigative activities. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 1 full year of graduate level education, if related. Examples of degree programs include Criminal Justice and/or Administration; Law and Society; Forensics; Public Safety and/or Administration; Homeland Security; Law Enforcement; Justice Administration; Organizational Security and Management; Criminology; Cyber Security. (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification). 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. (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 2.9 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 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 two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. Examples of degree programs include Criminal Justice and/or Administration; Law and Society; Forensics; Public Safety and/or Administration; Homeland Security; Law Enforcement; Justice Administration; Organizational Security and Management; Criminology; Cyber Security. (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification). OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: - Maximum Entry Age: This position is a covered primary law enforcement position under Title 5 U.S.C 3307 Maximum Entry Age, the special retirement provisions for Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). Candidates without previous LEO service must be under age 37. Those with current or prior federal LEO coverage will be considered only if they can demonstrate that they will have completed 20 years of covered service by mandatory retirement age of 57. This requirement is waived for Veterans; please see link below: https://www.chcoc.gov/content/change-maximum-entry-age-requirements-veterans%E2%80%99-preference-eligibles. If you have current or prior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) coverage you must submit appropriate SF-50s that shows period of coverage. Failure to provide proof of Federal LEO coverage may result in removal from consideration. Incumbent must maintain requirements to qualify for LEO retirement coverage (5 USC 8336(c) and 5 USC 8412(d)). - Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): Incumbent is subject to work unscheduled duty hours and must be available for unscheduled duty based upon the needs of the agency. Therefore, the incumbent is eligible for Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) of an additional 25% and is subject to the provisions of the LEAP Act of 1994. Drug Testing Requirement: This position is subject to random and pre-employment drug testing. - Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties of this position. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. - Training Requirements: Incumbent must successfully complete all training courses outlined by agency. - Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Critical-Sensitive (Top Secret) clearance. - Medical Requirements: Applicants must pass a pre-employment medical/physical examination and psychological examination, then, maintain medical, psychological and comprehensive physical requirements as evidenced by successful completion of annual physicals. 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. Distant vision must be 20/20 (Snellen) in each eye corrected and no worse than 20/200 (Snellen) uncorrected. Near vision must be normal. Color vision must be sufficient to distinguish basic colors. Hearing must be at 30 db HL RE: ANSI 1969 or better in each ear at 500, 1000, and 2000Hz. At 3000 Hz, hearing must be at 40 db HL or better. Applicants are not permitted to use hearing aids for screening. 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 may be disqualifying. - Driver License Requirement: A valid state driver's license is required as you will be required to operate a Federal motor vehicle as part of your official duties. - Lautenberg Amendment: This position is covered by the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. A person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence is not eligible for the position. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001). - Mobility Agreement: This position may require the incumbent to be reassigned to a different geographic location. Accordingly, the incumbent will be required to sign a mobility agreement, which will remain in effect while assigned to this position as a criminal investigator. - Inclement Weather: The duties of this position require exposure to inclement weather.

Education

College Transcript: Submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of transcripts at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at time the course was taken.

Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.

Contacts

• Address NOAA Office of Human Capital Services OHCS 1315 East West Hwy SSMC4 Silver Spring, MD 20910 US
• Name: Antoinette Gartrell
• Email: [email protected]