Supervisory Criminal Investigator

Headquarters, NASA (NASA); Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 169,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

The NASA Office of Inspector General seeks a Director of Special Investigations & Projects to advise the Inspector General and lead a multidisciplinary team across investigations, inspections, and data analytics to safeguard NASA programs.

This permanent, full-time role requires managing sensitive cases involving senior officials, coordinating with federal partners, and ensuring rigorous standards of evidence and compliance, with travel and security clearances.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in high-profile investigations and leadership duties.
• Ability to supervise multidisciplinary teams and coordinate across offices.

Responsibilities

• Serve as principal advisor to the Inspector General on sensitive investigative matters.
• Direct and manage high-profile criminal and administrative investigations involving senior agency officials.
• Plan and conduct studies and analyses to support long-range strategic planning for the OIG.
• Oversee inspections, evaluations, and data analytics initiatives to detect fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Review and finalize investigative reports and briefing materials with rigorous standards of evidence.

Job description

As Director of Special Investigations & Projects (Supervisory Criminal Investigator) with the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG), you will serve as a principal advisor to the Inspector General. You will direct a multidisciplinary team conducting high-profile criminal and administrative investigations, inspections, and data analytics to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse, safeguarding the integrity and accountability of NASA programs and operations.

Locations

1 vacancy in the following locations:

• Huntsville, AL
• Edwards AFB, CA
• Moffett Field, CA
• Pasadena, CA
• Washington, DC
• Kennedy Space Center, FL
• Greenbelt, MD
• Stennis Space Center, MS
• Cleveland, OH
• Houston, TX
• Hampton, VA

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

$169,279 – $197,200 per year

GS 15

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 1811 Criminal Investigation

Supervisory status

Yes

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

Yes

Security clearance

Sensitive Compartmented Information

Position sensitivity and risk

Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

Yes

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

NASA OIG-13104984-IMP-27

891097700

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

You may apply if you are a current NASA OIG employee with career/career conditional tenure in the Competitive Service (You must submit an SF-50 that reflects current employment with NASA OIG and career/career-conditional tenure (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1); Schedule A for individuals with disabilities; NASA OIG term employees eligible under NASA OIG Term Conversation authority, and CTAP/RPL employees.

Duties

• Serve as principal advisor to the Inspector General and executive leadership on sensitive investigative matters, special projects, and the operational impact of new or revised federal policies and laws.
• Plan, direct, and conduct highly sensitive, complex, and high-profile criminal and administrative investigations involving allegations of misconduct against senior agency officials and internal personnel.
• Design and conduct comprehensive studies and analyses of complex organizational functions and processes to resolve management issues and support long-range strategic planning for the OIG.
• Oversee inspections, evaluations, and data analytics initiatives across the agency to detect fraud, waste, and abuse, and establish predication for criminal or administrative action.
• Review, approve, and finalize comprehensive investigative reports, inspection findings, and briefing materials, ensuring rigorous standards of evidence, factual accuracy, and procedural compliance.
• Maintain liaison with senior agency leaders, federal law enforcement counterparts, and external oversight bodies to coordinate on joint investigations, national programs, and task force operations.
• Supervise and direct a multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed staff, including criminal investigators, analysts, and evaluators; assign work, set priorities, and evaluate performance.

Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• This position may require a one-year probationary/trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. **See Additional Information section**
• Current Federal employees must meet qualifications, time in grade, and 90 days after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screening and background security investigation. This position will be subject to random drug testing after the applicant is hired.
• If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.
• Must be proficient in the use of assigned firearms/weapons, pass an initial qualification, and must continually qualify in the use of firearms/weapons.
• Must meet the Lautenberg Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968. Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are not eligible for this position.
• This position requires the incumbent to possess and maintain a valid State Driver’s License.
• Must pass a pre-employment medical examination and physical fitness test and continue to successfully pass both requirements annually.
• This position requires the incumbent to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance.
• This position requires you to satisfactorily complete (or have previously completed) the Criminal Investigation Training Program at Glynco, Georgia, or equivalent federal law enforcement training.
• This is a primary law enforcement position; Incumbent must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position unless there is sufficient prior Federal service in a covered primarily law enforcement or firefighter position.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:

• Plans and directs criminal, civil, or administrative investigations involving allegations of official misconduct, violations of federal statutes, or breaches of standards of conduct by senior personnel.
• Reviews and approves investigative plans, evidentiary findings, or formal reports of investigation for referral to the Department of Justice, prosecutors, or executive leadership for administrative or legal action.
• Directs organizational projects involving inspections, evaluations, or data analytics to detect fraud, waste, and abuse; identify policy violations; or establish predication for investigative inquiries.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Medical Requirements: The duties of this position requires 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.

Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Super-Intelligence to review NASA’s guidance on the use of super intelligent (SI) or SI-assisted tools during the application process.

Training Requirements: Satisfactorily complete (or have previously completed) the Criminal Investigation Training Program at Glynco, Georgia, or equivalent federal law enforcement training.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP): LEAP in the amount of 25% has been approved for this position. However, the biweekly maximum earnings limitation for LEO’s in 5 U.S.C. 5547(c) applies.

Law Enforcement Retirement Coverage: This is a primary/rigorous law enforcement position under the provisions of 5 USC 8336(c) (CSRS) and 5 USC 8412(d) (FERS). Thirty-seven (37) years is the maximum entry age for covered primary law enforcement positions to meet the requirement of 20 years of service by the mandatory retirement age of 57. Persons not appointed by the last day of the month in which the individual reaches their 37th birthday shall not be originally appointed or assigned to these positions. Applicants who are age 37 or over may subtract any of their prior federal service that is in approved primary/rigorous positions and that is creditable for retirement from their current age to meet this age requirement. Applicants must provide proof of this creditable service prior to appointment. The maximum entry age may be waived for applicants eligible for veterans’ preference.

Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Salaries listed above are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality adjustment.

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

• Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
• Be well qualified for this position to receive consideration. Candidates rated in the ‘Best Qualified’ category are considered well-qualified. Please see ‘How You Will Be Evaluated’ for more information.
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in ‘Required Documents’

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here – https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

Probationary Period

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Supervisory probationary periods are not subject to the process outlined above. However, if you are also required to complete a standard probationary period, you will be subject to the requirements and conditions of both the standard and supervisory probationary periods.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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

All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length

A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume. Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.

Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified:

• Classified or government sensitive information.
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
• Encrypted and digitally signed documents.

If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.

The following documents are required:

• Resume

There may be other supporting documents (Notification of Personnel Action SF-50, licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application. Do not submit an OF-306 with your application.

If you are applying for a GS-12 or higher level and are a current federal employee, you must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible for this position. To be eligible, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position no more than 1 grade lower than the advertised position. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. If your eligibility for both merit promotion