Senior Investigator

Seattle, WA, United States

Summary

The position is located in the Northwest Regional Office (NWRO) office in Seattle, WA. The primary purpose of this position is to manage investigative and research support efforts, independently formulate and develop complex investigations. The position coordinates major projects with significant impact across the agency and that are essential to the mission and smooth function of the Bureau.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current title 5, status employees of the Federal Trade Commission

Duties

General Duties for Senior Investigators include: Coordinating cross agency efforts. Such coordination would include working with others throughout the agency in different Bureaus/offices or in different roles (e.g., investigators, attorneys, technologists, forensic analysts) to coordinate research and investigative work, initiatives, and resources.

Creating fraud work templates and updating them. Such templates would tackle common issues and create models on topics such as how to locate individuals and assets and how to put together evidence in an investigator declaration in a manner that presents a coherent story for submission to court. Templates and models would also need to be regularly updated.

Testing and onboarding investigative tools, getting more staff access to such tools, and providing training.

If you are selected for the Senior Investigator position in Northwest Regional Office (NWRO), you will perform the following duties: Electronically captures evidence from a variety of sources, including by using internet-connected devices and preserves the evidence in admissible form. Conducts undercover transactions in person, via telephone, and remotely through internet-connected devices. Identifies and utilizes technological tools to identify, transfer, and secure sensitive information, including competitively sensitive information, sensitive personally identifiable information, and personal health information.

After the filing of a complaint, continues to lead the investigation as appropriate to support litigation goals. Participates in obtaining expedited discovery from defendants, including identifying, coordinating, and managing the gathering of physical and electronic evidence at immediate access sites. Identifies areas of inquiry for discovery and further investigation.

Assists in drafting discovery requests and in preparing for depositions. Receives, secures, and reviews voluminous evidence obtained through discovery, using best available technological tools to review and organize relevant data and to preserve and present electronically stored information in admissible form. Drafts declarations, including summaries of voluminous evidence, for court filings.

Plans, coordinates, and provides investigative and evidentiary support through discovery, trial, and post-trial briefings.

Serves as a subject matter expert on investigative techniques, including evidence capture and analysis; anticipating and addressing evidence collection issues, including those related to sophisticated frauds. Maintains chain of custody for physical evidence; and testifies in court proceedings as necessary.

Establishes and maintains relationships with local, state, and federal enforcement officials who can help fulfill the FTC's mission.

With other law enforcement partners, coordinates parallel or related investigations and law enforcement actions engaged by partnership members; facilitates information sharing that supports law enforcement work by partnership members; and supervises or conducts partnership-related investigations that may be utilized in proceedings by the FTC, U.S. criminal authorities, or other federal, state, local, or international partnerships.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.

This position is subject to a background investigation.

Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.

You may serve a one-year probationary period under this appointment.

You must meet time in grade requirement by the closing date of the vacancy.

You must submit a copy of your performance appraisal with your application.

You must be a current title 5, status employee of the Federal Trade Commission.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

To qualify for a Senior Investigator at the GS-14 level, you must meet the following requirements:

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: conducting and directing the full range of functions for highly complex consumer protection investigations, including, but not limited to, planning, arranging and executing investigations, including interviewing witnesses; obtaining and analyzing financial, company records and documents, and consumer complaint data; drafting investigative affidavits or declarations; and planning and implementing investigative steps based on the nature of the investigation and following leads developed from the information obtained; testifying at depositions, trials, hearings, or before grand juries; and generating case leads and developing new investigations; identifying areas in need of further inquiry; and revising investigative plans based on acquired evidence and feedback; formulating accurate findings and detailing them in a declaration as needed; managing extensive projects with agency-wide impact that involve consumer protection initiatives and organizational strategic and program goals.

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.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position or substitution of education for specialized experience at this grade level.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.

For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp . Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, your rsum and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are found qualified, your rsum and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Performance Appraisals: In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Ability to apply laws and regulations to investigational work.

Knowledge of basic legal principles and concepts.

Knowledge of wide variety of businesses that interact with consumers.

Skill in oral and written communication.

Skill with analytical and investigative tools used for capturing and preserving electronically stored information, including evidence-capturing software and open-source tools.

Ability to monitor and manage electronic administration of investigative and legal records.

Ability to perform project management and independently keep track of several projects at one time. Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.

2. Other supporting documents:

- Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service) - REQUIRED

- Most recent Performance Appraisal - REQUIRED

- Cover Letter, optional

- College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education

- Career Transition Assistance Program/ Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process .

- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Corey Pickeral

Phone

202-326-3002

Email

[email protected]

Address

Federal Trade Commission

915 Second Ave

Room 2896

Seattle, WA 98174

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.

2. Other supporting documents:

- Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service) - REQUIRED

- Most recent Performance Appraisal - REQUIRED

- Cover Letter, optional

- College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education

- Career Transition Assistance Program/ Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process .

- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Corey Pickeral

Phone

202-326-3002

Email

[email protected]

Address

Federal Trade Commission

915 Second Ave

Room 2896

Seattle, WA 98174

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request