This position is located at the VAMC Pittsburgh and reports to the Chief of Police. The focus of the Criminal Investigator is the investigation of suspected major offenses against Veterans Affairs (VA) patients, visitors and staff and U.S. government property and assets and the potential prosecution of criminals.

Duties

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. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: not authorized Telework: not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Criminal Investigator/PD99782S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/26/2024. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in federal service 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: Have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field related to Criminal Investigation that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: ArrestCriminal InvestigationCriminal LawForensics 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. Must successfully attend and complete the FLETC Law Enforcement Criminal Investigator Training Program (FLETC CITP) 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. 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

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Christene Ammoscato
• Phone: (570) 824-3521 X24536
• Email: [email protected]