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.

The following table shows the amounts of education and/or experience required to qualify for Criminal Investigator positions. Click here for information on how experience and education may be combined.

General Experience: general experience is 3 years of progressively responsible experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4, that demonstrates the ability to:

• Analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions;
• Plan and organize work; and
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Such experience may have been gained in administrative, professional, technical, investigative, or other responsible work. Experience in substantive and relevant secretarial, clerical, or other responsible work may be qualifying as long as it provided evidence of the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) necessary to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Experience of a general clerical nature (typing, filing, routine procedural processing, maintaining records, or other non-specialized tasks) is not creditable. Trades or crafts experience appropriate to the position to be filled may be creditable for some positions.

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Applicants who have the 1year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.

For GS-7: Receiving formal training designed to instruct the employee in such matters as the laws and regulations enforced or applied by the agency; the use of investigative techniques available to Federal investigators; the rules of evidence that are applicable in criminal and non-criminal court cases; preparation of reports; investigative procedures applicable to the work of his agency; and the use of firearms, as appropriate.

For GS-9: Working essentially an advanced training level in the investigative occupations. After formal training, the investigator works with higher grade investigators in performing segments of investigations. Characteristic duties are the following: observing higher grade investigators during various phases of investigative work assignments; studying assigned material pertinent to cases; interviewing employees, officials in and out of Government, and others for the purpose of verifying facts and obtaining specific pieces of information; securing signed statements, affidavits and documentary evidence to be included in reports or case records; interviewing witnesses and other persons, both informally and at formally recorded conferences.

For GS-11: Working as an investigator performing the full range of investigative functions on assigned cases or portions of cases, from planning through fact-finding to reporting the results of his investigations. Assignments typically involve subjects on which information is readily available, cases that involve straightforward issues or persons that are not controversial; and routine exchanges of factual information with other agencies. Undercover and surveillance work involve a few hours of such activity under close watch by other investigators; and the risk of discovery or danger is slight, e.g., posing briefly as a doorman or elevator operator in a hotel or as a taxi driver. Protection assignments involve working as the junior member of a team at a fixed post of duty that is away from the principal person under protection and his proposed route of travel.

For GS-12: Working as an investigator on cases characterized by: (1) difficulty involved in resolving conflicts in facts or evidence; (2) difficulty and complexity imposed by the subjects of the investigations; (3) a number of separate investigative matters that grow from original assignments; (4) the degree of skill required to establish the interrelationship of facts and evidence; (5) the sensitivity of assigned cases; and (6) the jurisdictional problems involved. Assignments that involve undercover and surveillance work are more dangerous and extensive than undercover or surveillance assignments at the next lower level. Surveillance assignments require observing the characteristics, habits and movements of a suspect and his associates over a period of time and at a number of locations in order to link all the persons involved in a suspected illegal activity. Protection assignments typically involve participation in advance surveys for visits to, for example, small towns. This typically involves orienting local law enforcement officers, interviewing hotel employees, and collaborating in planning routes of travel for the person to be protected.

For GS-13: Working as an investigator on cases with the following characteristics: 1) difficulty in obtaining, working with, and discretely handling facts or evidence, such as when several principals are involved in the investigation, suspicion of their relationship is aroused initially more by circumstantial evidence, than by directly verifiable evidence; improper development and conduct of the investigation could cause significant repercussions. 2) The subjects of the investigations conducted normally have characteristics or prominence that substantially increases the difficulty and/or complexity of the case. 3) Difficulty is involved in establishing the relationships of facts or evidence, causing the investigator, for example, to use such techniques as surveillance, radio communication, toll-call checks, foot and tire imprints, trade or mold marks and other evidence such as scientific matching of soil, hair, and paint specimens to establish a direct link between the suspect and other violators. 4) Investigative assignments involve a high degree of sensitivity The subject and his peers are very often the subject of major news media and, therefore, any investigation is likely to result in publicity that would to some degree cast suspicion on the reputation of the subject, or prejudice the investigator's case in court, or complicate subsequent administrative decisions. 5) Investigative assignments involve significant jurisdictional problems and a web of relationships that requires an extensive knowledge of the laws, rules, policies, and practices of each jurisdiction. Undercover and surveillance assignments at this level are much riskier and more difficult than assignments of those types at the next lower level. Undercover work involves an elaborate cover story, e.g., posing as a member of a skilled trade with a false name, complete identification papers such as social security card and union membership, and a carefully worked out personal history that would withstand investigation by the group penetrated. Surveillance work is more complex and wider in scope; for example, the investigator plans and directs surveillance work that involves several investigators in separate places engaged in round-the-clock observation of various groups of suspects, all of whom are thought to be involved in related illegal activities. The investigator makes such decisions as which suspects to follow when groups divide, which house or apartment of several to observe, and when to call off the surveillance. The investigator receives or generates his own case assignments with few instructions on technical aspects of the work, but is given mostly policy guidance. Completed work is reviewed for accomplishment of overall objectives and adherence to policy. The investigator plans the case independently, working out arrangements with other jurisdictions, e.g., Federal, State and local as required, except in policy areas.

For GS-14: Work at this level is distinguished from lower levels primarily in: (1) the extreme complexity and scope of assigned cases; (2) the interrelated activities that the subjects under investigation are involved in; (3) the wide number of separate investigative matters that grow from the original assignments; (4) the exceptional difficulty encountered in establishing the interrelationships of fact or evidence; (5) the extreme sensitivity of matters involved in assigned cases; (6) the extensive and critical jurisdictional problems involved in completing investigations.

Investigations involve extremely difficult, planning and coordination problems because of extensive jurisdictional investigations, many separate investigative matters of great scope and complexity grow from the original assignment; the interrelationship of fact and evidence is extremely difficult to establish in assignments; investigative assignments typically involve matters of extreme sensitivity; investigations problems involving other Federal, State, county, and local agencies. In duties such as undercover, surveillance, and protection assignments, the investigator serves as a key person or coordinator in work involving extremely complex, delicate or dangerous elements. Undercover work, for example, requires penetration of close-knit groups over extended periods of time as at the next lower level, however, here the investigator serves as a key person on assignments having most or all of the characteristics discussed above. Protection assignments involve leading and coordinating advance security surveys for the protection of principals who, because of their kind or level of position, are, for example, vital to the continuity of Government, and the national security, thus, receive this kind of advance protection before traveling or making public appearances. Such assignments require consulting in a lead capacity with high-ranking State, city, town and county officials, business and professional people, and officials of foreign governments. The investigator, as a key person and team leader, has full responsibility for directing surveys and investigations for judging how and when to take decisive and immediate action on all factors that are vital to the protection of the principals, and for coordinating the operations of large police, military and other details. Methods, techniques, and approaches to problems devised by the investigator often set patterns for subsequent investigations in similar areas and often are adopted for use by investigators in lower grades. Investigations at this level are planned and executed for the greatest possible deterrent impact. Thus, the investigator is responsible for devising breakthroughs in investigative approaches, techniques, and policies, as well as for completing assigned cases.

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