Summary This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, Billings, MT. Criminal Investigator with the Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) responsible for the review and engagement in the investigations of complex criminal cases in Indian country involving human trafficking, internet crimes against children, unsolved missing persons and murders. Responsibilities The BIA, Office of Justice Services Missing and Murdered Unit focuses on analyzing and solving missing and murdered and human trafficking cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives. Investigators and other specialists work to leverage tribal, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders to enhance the criminal justice system and address the legitimate concerns of AI/AN communities, regarding missing and murdered people - specifically missing and murdered indigenous persons. Duties include: Organizes, plans, and conducts the investigation of major and/or sensitive criminal activity occurring on or impacting Indian country, which can be complex and intricate in nature. Leads and organizes investigations that involve working with other federal, tribal and state agencies. Focus on analyzing for solvability, on unsolved Missing or Murdered cases involving Native Americans/Alaskan Natives in Indian Country. Apprehends, arrests, detains and interviews all subjects suspected of violations of Federal, State, Tribal and local laws. Testifies at hearings and trials and secures search warrants through processing of affidavit. Gathers information at a crime scene, documents interrelationships of facts, relevance of evidence and validity of allegations involving criminal activity relating to Missing and Murdered case investigations. Prepares and/or reviews reports of investigations to ensure they are prepared in a clear, concise, logical and impartial manner for submission to the appropriate law enforcement, attorneys or prosecutors office. Performs surveillance of sites and suspects and/or perform sensitive undercover assignments to obtain evidence, establish probable cause or link multiple suspects and events to criminal activity. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications GL-09: To qualify at the GL-09 grade level, you must have one year specialized experience at or equivalent to the GL/GS-07 investigating and arresting individuals suspected of crimes; participating in surveillance; collecting evidence; and preparing case reports. OR Education: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree or a LL.B or J.D., in a related field of study OR a combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement. OR A combination of experience and education that totals 100% of the requirement above. GS-11: In addition to the experience at lower grade level, to qualify at the GS-11 grade level, you must have one (1) year specialized experience at or equivalent to the GL/GS-09 grade level carrying out investigative duties related to criminal matters including production of reports; testifying in federal, state, tribal and/or local courts; securing search and arrest warrants; gathering information on individuals or organizations suspected of criminal activity; and performing undercover assignments. OR Education: 3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or a L.L.M. in a related field of study OR a combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement. OR A combination of experience and education that totals 100% of the requirement above. GS-12: In addition to the experience at lower grade levels, to qualify at the GS-12 grade level, you must have one (1) year specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level carrying out the full range of in-depth investigative duties related to complex criminal matters in multiple locations, experience investigating missing persons and murder cases, conducting surveillance for extended periods of time to obtain evidence and establish probable cause; and independently writing investigative reports. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS: The duties of this position 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 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 too himself/herself, or others is disqualifying. MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE LIMIT: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. NOTE: If you have previous Federal law enforcement (LE) experience, you must enter the number of MONTHS when you respond to the questionnaire. For example: If you have 5 years of Federal LE, you must enter 60 months, 4 years would be 48 months, etc. Otherwise the system may screen you out. FIREARMS REQUIREMENT: This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. An applicant whose background includes any of the following will be ineligible for consideration: 1) convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year; 2) has any outstanding warrants or is a fugitive from justice; 3) unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; 4) adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution; 5) illegally or unlawfully in the United States; 6) renounced U. S. citizenship; 7) subject to a court-ordered restraining order from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child; or 8) convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Upon selection, employees holding a sworn law enforcement position must reside within 50 miles of their duty station unless a waiver is approved by the OJS Director or Assistant Director. A failure to comply may result in removal from a sworn law enforcement position. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date. Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472). Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date. Education If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION, Additional Information All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See Salary Tables and select the pay chart for the desired location. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart. The full performance level of this position is GS-12. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed. 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 or ICTAP 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 or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee\guides/career\transition.asp . Under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) two groups of individuals are eligible to apply under this announcement: current and/or former employees serving or who have served under time-limited competitive appointments at land management agencies. Land Management Agencies include: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service. Current appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND 3) must have performed at an acceptable level during each period of service. Former appointees: 1) must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency; 2) must have served under one or more time limited appointment(s) by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; 3) must have separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND 4) must have performed at an acceptable level through the service period. Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/; Vets Info Guide: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/. Former Federal Employees are required to indicate whether they received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) buyout in their previous employment with the Federal government, and are required to submit a copy of the applicable Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) regarding the VSIP. Most individuals who accept reemployment with the Federal government within 5 years of receiving the VSIP amount, must repay the gross amount of the separation pay prior to reemployment.
