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Criminal Investigator (Special Agent)

Office of Investigation
Chicago, IL Other
POSTED ON 4/15/2026 CLOSED ON 4/20/2026

What are the responsibilities and job description for the Criminal Investigator (Special Agent) position at Office of Investigation?

The mission of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration's (TIGTA) Office of Investigations is to protect the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from internal and external threats and corruption that could negatively impact the IRS' ability to administer the nation's tax laws. We detect and deter waste, fraud and abuse in IRS programs and operations and protect the IRS against internal misconduct and corruption as well as external attempts to corrupt or threaten its employees.

Qualifications:

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Age Requirements: Incumbents selected for Criminal Investigator positions are covered under special law enforcement provisions. This requires that applicants not exceed the maximum age for entry. The date immediately preceding an applicant's 37th birthday is the final date for selection. The age restriction does not apply if you served in a Federal civilian (not military) law enforcement officer (FLEO) position covered by special civil service retirement provisions, including early or mandatory retirement.

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 him/her, or others is disqualifying.

AND

Specialized Experience Requirements:
For the GS-13, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Participating in the coordination of multi-agent cases or investigations that involve multiple subjects; AND
  • Performing criminal or administrative investigations; AND
  • Providing technical assistance, training, and consultation for criminal investigations, inspections and techniques, or coordinating criminal investigations and strategies; AND
  • Utilizing various investigative techniques to establish interrelationships of facts or evidence; AND
  • Investigating sensitive, controversial subjects or cases involving jurisdictional problems.
For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Performing criminal or administrative investigations; AND
  • Utilizing various investigative techniques to establish interrelationships of facts or evidence; AND
  • Developing evidence by interviews, documentary searches, surveillance, etc.; AND
  • Investigating sensitive subjects or cases involving jurisdictional problems.
For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Performing criminal and administrative investigations; AND
  • Utilizing various investigative techniques to establish interrelationships of facts or evidence.
ORYou may substitute education for general or specialized experience as follows: You may possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LLM. Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

ORYou may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.


Time-in-Grade: In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:
  • For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12level for 52 weeks.
  • For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11level for 52 weeks.
  • For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-09level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Responsibilities:

The duty station location will be determined upon selection, to include current employees of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration based on their current Core office location listed in this announcement.

This position is located at Office of the Inspector General for Tax Admin, Office of Investigation. As a criminal investigator, you will be called upon to spearhead the largest, most complex, and most sensitive criminal and occasionally non-criminal investigations which come under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.
  • Plan and conduct investigations to determine violations of the IRS and Federal laws and regulations.
  • Interview subjects, complainants, victims and third-party witnesses.
  • Prepare reports of complex investigations.
  • Apprehend and arrest persons violating U.S. laws and conduct searches and seizures incident to the arrest when appropriate, by warrant.
  • Execute and serve search or arrest warrants and make arrests without warrant in accordance with Federal law.
  • Confer with and assists U.S. Attorneys in preparing information and evidence for trials.

Salary : $83,482

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