Job Details

Criminal Investigator

Fraud doesn't stop, and neither do we. We're the Office of Inspector General, an independent oversight office within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) charged with identifying and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse, and ensuring accountability and effectiveness within ED programs. If you want to help fight fraud and make a difference for America's students, schools, and taxpayers, we may have the career for you! We offer competitive salaries, opportunities for rapid and substantial salary increases and career growth, great benefits, employee recognition programs, and more.

Often referred to as America's watchdogs, it's our job to help ensure that the hard-earned tax dollars that fund ED programs and operations are used as intended by law, achieve the desired results, and reach the intended recipients.

The OIG conducts audits and reviews of issues involving Federal student aid, K12 schools, charter schools, special education, vocational education, adult education, and more. When our work identifies problems, we propose solutions. Our work has resulted in improvements to ED programs and changes to some of the most important Federal education laws in our country.

We conduct criminal and civil investigations into suspected fraudulent activities by schools, colleges, universities, contractors, subcontractors, school officialsany entity or individual that participates in ED programs or receives ED funding. Through our work, we have unraveled multimillion-dollar fraud schemes by people placed in positions of trust to educate our children. We're also on the cutting edge of cybersecurity, using the latest technology and techniques to discover and defeat current and emerging threats from cyber and economic crime.

We tackle new and emerging issues head-on and continually work to improve our techniques and capabilities. We consistently expand our expertise by training and developing our staff. This dedication has enabled the OIG to become a leader in the Federal government in the areas of audits, investigations, and fighting cybercrime.

Whether you are just entering the workforce or are a seasoned professional, if you're looking for a career rather than just a job, and shaping the next generation of America's tackling tomorrow's challenges, consider joining our team.

As a Criminal Investigator at the GS-12, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

1. Plans and conducts complex and sensitive investigations and performs most aspects of investigations, such gathering and obtaining evidence, participating in surveillance operations, interviews, and the drafting of third-party request letters and subpoenas.
2. Examines, verifies, and analyzes records, books, reports, correspondence, and other data of consequence related to transactions, actions, or allegations under investigation.
3. Drafts reports of investigative findings for review by management.

As a Criminal Investigator at the GS-13, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

1. Independently plans and conducts all aspects of complex program and grant fraud investigations, gathering and obtaining evidence, participating in surveillance operations, interviews, and the drafting of third-party request letters and subpoenas.
2. Examines, verifies, and analyzes records, books, reports, correspondence, and other data of consequence related to transactions, actions, or allegations under investigation.
3. Drafts reports of investigative findings for review by senior criminal investigators.