Level 1-7:  Investigator, GS-1810

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, laws, regulations, procedures, and/or policies sufficient to:

• plan and conduct thorough and often sensitive investigations or inquiries typically involving matters of personal conduct and situations associated with alleged fraud, waste, abuse or mismanagement, unequal application of laws, regulations, procedures, and/or policies involving:
• human resources,
• acquisition,
• procurement,
• contracting activities,
• training,
• management and leadership systems, and/or
• prudent and effective use of government resources;
• ensure reports of investigation/inquiry:
• comply with applicable policy;
• contain thorough analysis; and
• adhere to regulatory guidance for findings, referrals, timely resolution, and closure; and
• coordinate with other investigative agencies that are designated to conduct follow-on investigations.

Level 1-7:  Investigator, GS-1810

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• regulatory acts governing employee benefit and retirement plans and related interpretations, opinions, and precedent-setting court decisions;
• investigative and financial examination techniques to review records and gather and analyze data;
• interviewing techniques to solicit information from plan administrators, bank trust departments, accountants, auditors, and pension or benefits consultants; and
• organizational and operational patterns used in the employee benefits industry

Sufficient to:

• plan and conduct financial examinations of employee benefit plans, service providers, insurance companies, bank trust departments, and other financial entities having relationships with employee retirement plans;
• research and review background materials, benefit plan reports, policies, regulations, and guidelines of the benefit plan;
• interview plan officials, plan participants, attorneys, certified public accountants, fiduciaries, insurance companies, and other individuals concerned with matters under investigation;
• examine records, reports, and other data to assess the appropriateness or inappropriateness of specific issues or transactions under investigation;
• determine whether the plans meet the specific regulatory requirements and standards for prudent management of funds such as diversity of investments or the requirement to obtain current assessments of property used to guarantee loans;
• support findings and recommendations with evidence such as statements, depositions, affidavits, financial records, reports of financial transactions, agreements, and similar case-related documents; and
• serve as a witness for the agency at civil and criminal court proceedings and testify or present cases to grand juries.

Level 1-7:  Wage and Hour Investigator, GS-1849

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• wage and hour laws enforced by the Federal Government;
• important precedent-setting court and administrative decisions;
• awareness of current conditions and trends in the general economy and unemployment rates;
• union trends in the area/industry;
• social attitudes toward certain classes of workers;
• the socio-economic conditions influencing labor violations;
• business accounting and records systems pertaining to:
  • corporate structures or franchise agreements;
  • purchasing, production, and shipping operations to establish wage and hour jurisdiction;
  • personnel, timekeeping, and pay practices in private businesses;
  • labor agreements and contracts;
  • equipment and employment practices in various trades;
  • child labor laws;
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provisions;
  • Family and Medical Leave Act provisions; and
  • Davis - Bacon Act provisions

Sufficient to:

• investigate complex allegations/violations, which involve businesses that are diversified and/or have multiple locations;
• enforce and administer Federal contract labor provisions;
• open inquiries into associated franchises to uncover unlawful trends in labor practices;
• investigate businesses for repeated violations regarding the payment of overtime wages when the owner and attorney are uncooperative and confrontational resulting in the requirement to conduct interviews with workers at home to piece together payroll information;
• investigate complaints from employees who are not being paid overtime when the business claims that all employees are exempt from FLSA; resulting in:
  • a review of the entire business;
  • redesignation of all employees as exempt/nonexempt, and
  • negotiations with attorneys on the FLSA status and recovery of back pay; and
• exercise sanction authority against an employer who refuses to provide housing and wages in accordance with law and regulation thus preventing brokers and truckers from loading and delivering the employer's products.

Level 1-7:  Equal Opportunity Investigator, GS-1860

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• laws, regulations, Executive orders, court decisions, and issues related to Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1991, Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, and American with Disabilities Act (ADA);
• statistics and indicators of economic conditions, prevalent attitudes toward equal opportunity, and other social factors in a specific region that affect the degree of compliance for various labor markets;
• principles of personnel systems, management policies, procedures, and practices in either government or private industry;
• laws and administrative investigative techniques to develop evidence of system-wide discrimination that meets legal standards of proof;
• employment practices in recruitment, selection, promotion, discipline, pay and job evaluation, career patterns, job qualifications, retention procedures, and labor agreements; and
• factfinding and analysis techniques and resolution of complex problems

Sufficient to:

• independently conduct complaint investigations;
• conduct legal research on unique issues;
• develop the strategy for data collection and analysis;
• negotiate with officials, unions, and attorneys to develop remedies for discriminatory practices and other noncompliance actions;
• determine whether discrimination has occurred and if it has enter into the conciliation process to seek a remedy or relief; and
• prepare show-cause notices or if necessary recommend enforcement action.

Level 1-7:  Criminal Investigator, GS-1811

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, the policies, precedents, goals, objectives, regulations, and guidelines of criminal investigations and a wide range of investigative techniques sufficient to:

• gather information to establish probable cause and necessity for initiation of electronic surveillance;
• gather and examine intelligence from confidential sources, cooperating defendants, pen register/toll information, and investigative reports from other Federal, State and local investigations for the purpose of incorporating the information into an affidavit and application for Title 18 to be presented to an Assistant U.S. Attorney;
• prepare periodic reports for judges in current cases;
• complete affidavits in support of search and arrest warrants;
• use analytical tools to untangle the intricacies of complex criminal schemes such as food stamp fraud involving multiple businesses and both innocent and fraudulent transactions;
• conduct financial analysis of bank accounts of criminal suspects to detect fraud;
• act on tips from confidential and anonymous sources to initiate surveillance of businesses suspected of criminal activities such as forging prescriptions for the purpose of obtaining and distributing controlled substances;
• conduct investigations to locate and apprehend Federal, State, and local fugitives who are using complex networks of family members and associates to avoid detection;
• develop pattern of fugitive whereabouts based on phone records, information on family members and associates, vehicle registration, and other sources;
• pose in undercover role to purchase and receive counterfeit goods while maintaining surveillance on unlawful import operations; and
• investigate individuals and organizations engaged in illegal drug trafficking involving coordination with other Federal, State, local, and, on occasion, international law enforcement agencies.

Level 1-7:  Customs Patrol Agent, GS-1884

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• intelligence gathering operations for a geographic area;
• Customs and related laws, statutes, precedents, court and administrative decisions, and current instructions concerning import and export of merchandise and contraband, and rights of U.S. citizens and alien entrants;
• laws and statutes of other agencies that the Customs Service has authority to enforce; and
• availability and sources of illegal or controlled items, goods, and materials

Sufficient to:

• develop cases on specific interdiction targets;
• plan Customs Patrol participation in special operations or task forces;
• detect various types of contraband and smuggling activities;
• develop predictions of trends and patterns in actual and potential illegal activities;
• consolidate, evaluate, and correlate a variety of seemingly unrelated facts, events, and occurrences;
• develop continuing sources of information about routes and means of transport, trafficking in contraband, and engaging in illegal activities intended to evade other laws enforced by the Customs Patrol;
• decide when to call additional resources, considering the limitation of manpower and remoteness of area;
• render necessary aid and call in back-up from other law enforcement agencies for critical incidents such as shootings and serious injuries;
• prepare information and develop new techniques in the detection, apprehension, and prosecution of persons and groups of persons suspected of violating or conspiring to violate Customs and related laws;
• secure or direct the scene of criminal or critical incidents; and
• develop a special operations plan using historical patterns, sensor logs, and recent tracking information to:
• position personnel on multiple shifts;
• coordinate with other agencies for additional manpower;
• develop rotation/relief plans; and
• coordinate with air operations for support.

Level 1-7:  Border Patrol Agent, GS-1896

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• a wide range of law enforcement functions to prevent illegal entry, apprehension, and removal of aliens who enter the country illegally, prevent alien smuggling, and interdict narcotics and contraband;
• methods of detecting forged or counterfeit documents used in conjunction with illegal alien activities; and
• investigative procedures to identify vendors of counterfeit and forged documents

Sufficient to:

• collect and analyze intelligence information from a variety of sources, including informants, State and local law enforcement agencies, and social service agencies;
• prepare forecasts of illegal immigration routes, analyze patterns and trends, and share with other law enforcement agencies;
• gather and review evidence, prepare and evaluate cases, and present cases to the U.S. Attorney's Office for prosecution;
• identify, investigate, and apprehend illegal aliens and/or smugglers of aliens ranging from small operations to highly organized rings that provide comprehensive packages of illicit products and services, including:
• counterfeit and fraudulent documents;
• transportation to the interior of the United States;
• jobs;
• housing;
• subsistence; and
• coaching in how to avoid apprehension by border patrol agents; and
• conduct interrogations of unresponsive or uncooperative aliens who have been identified as attempting illegal entry to obtain additional facts regarding organized criminals, smuggling groups, and fraudulent document vendors and to gather intelligence useful to other law enforcement agencies;
• review, prepare, and present cases for administrative and/or criminal proceedings for illegal entry, re-entry, document fraud, assault on a Federal agent, illegal possession of firearms, vehicle seizure, transporting criminal aliens, and/or smuggling; and
• review cases before filing with the U.S. District Court for adequacy of information, evidence, and witnesses and to ensure that problems encountered have been resolved.

Level 1-7:  Wildlife Inspector, GS-1813

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, comprehensive international and Federal wildlife laws and implementing regulations; e.g., the Endangered Species Act, the Lacey Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); relating to the import, export, and interstate commerce in wildlife and wildlife products and the humane transport of wildlife sufficient to:

• examine and identify genus, species, and subspecies of live wildlife and/or wildlife parts and products to maintain compliance with Federal and foreign wildlife laws;
• serve as a technical expert to assist in criminal investigations;
• ensure the proper handling of hazardous wildlife or wildlife products, such as venomous reptiles, dangerous primates, or trophy shipments, to prevent disease or injury;
• determine whether shipping containers used to transport live wildlife comply with Federal humane shipping and transport regulations and whether live animals require immediate veterinary care on arrival due to inadequate shipping practices;
• coordinate the housing and transportation of live wildlife seizures for the port of entry, authorize veterinary care, verify inventories, certify destruction of dead animals, and assist in the final disposition of property;
• answer inquiries covering a variety of wildlife concerns, including requirements of laws, implementation of foreign and domestic regulations, regulatory exceptions, and wildlife bans;
• provide information on regulations regarding migratory birds, eagles, endangered plants and animals, CITES, import/export activities, permit matters, unprotected or State regulated wildlife, marine mammals, injurious wildlife, and humane and healthful transport of wildlife and antique articles;
• review proposed regulations affecting various aspects of wildlife trade;
• participate in meetings representing the agency with personnel from other Federal and State agencies, zoo representatives, importers/exporters, customhouse brokers, permittees and the public;
• present seminars upon request to businesses and professional groups;
• designs and structure presentations for a wide range of audiences such as customhouse brokers' meetings, wildlife seminars, symposia, and school career days; and
• conduct training for local jurisdictions and foreign counterparts on wildlife identification, inspection techniques, document review, and identification of fraudulent documents and smuggling.

Level 1-7:  Game Law Enforcement Inspector, GS-1813

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• Federal, State and installation laws and regulations pertaining to hunting, trapping, and fishing;
• natural resource, wildlife management, and conservation techniques and principles, and environmental management operations; and
• basic law enforcement procedures and principles

Sufficient to:

• enforce game, fish, environmental and natural resource laws, regulations, and policies to include endangered species;
• investigate poaching and other unlawful hunting and fishing activities;
• apprehend and/or arrest suspected violators;
• conduct investigations, subdue or arrest violators, and prepare legal documents;
• appear in court and testify as a witness as required;
• assist in the control and monitoring of predators and nuisance wildlife and relocating wildlife when necessary;
• conduct observation counts of certain species, note abnormal changes in fish and wildlife habitat, and maintain statistics concerning the natural and accidental mortality rate of game species;
• examine animals confiscated from poaching or found dead to obtain information on age, state of health, and cause of death; and
• demonstrate proficiency with all sport firearms (e.g., rifles, shotguns, handguns, archery equipment, black powder firearms) types of fishing gear, and trapping and animal control devices.

Level 1-7:  Immigration Inspector, GS-1816

Knowledge of, and skill in applying:

• laws, regulations, processes, and procedures controlling immigration into the United States; and
• procedures for securing passports, various categories of nonimmigrant visas, immigration classifications, and derivations in the citizenship process

Sufficient to:

• conduct inspections of applicants for admission to the United States at ports-of-entry to determine their eligibility for entry;
• conduct the inspection process on questionable or suspect cases to conclusion, resulting in approved entry, denial, detention, or removal;
• determine whether an alien should be immediately removed, allowed to withdraw, or prosecuted for illegal activities;
• oversee difficult inspection situations involving high profile or politically sensitive travelers;
• collect and compile raw intelligence data to develop information used in detecting fraudulent documents and other criminal patterns;
• conduct interrogations of unresponsive or uncooperative individuals who have been identified as inadmissible to uncover additional facts regarding organized criminals, terrorists, smuggling groups, or fraudulent document vendors and to gather intelligence useful to other law enforcement agencies;
• detect bad faith applicants and fraudulent documents and spot deviations from genuine documents;
• prepare cases for removal or referral to an immigration judge which includes gathering evidence such as:
• false documents;
• taking sworn statements;
• researching precedent decisions;
• writing case reports, and
• preparing all other documentation necessary to remove applicants who are not admissible from the United States;
• arrange to detain and present individuals for a hearing before an immigration judge, Federal judge, or magistrate;
• recommend fines to be levied on commercial carriers that transport passengers in violation of the Immigration and Naturalization Act and/or seize vehicles or other property;
• perform secondary inspection functions independently, exercising broad discretion in determining the outcome of the inspection process, such as whether crew of vessels are detained on board or allowed entry;
• conduct a remote port's business without oversight, including seaports, satellite ports, or remote duty stations such as a "one person" port-of-entry; and
• question the explanations offered by applicants and advise of ways to resolve problems.

Level 1-7:  Customs Inspector, GS-1890

Knowledge of, and skill in applying a comprehensive range of:

• import/export laws and regulations;
• intelligence information about importers' history, type of commodity and country of origin;
• procedures for the safe use of firearms; and
• procedures for examination, duty/tax collections, seizures, penalties, and arrests

Sufficient to:

• analyze carriers', importers', and exporters' records and manifest information to determine level of risk for possible violations;
• identify high risk shipments or individuals;
• release shipments on own authority;
• analyze information and identify shipments or passenger arrivals that require in-depth or special emphasis inspection actions;
• plan actions to be taken, coordinate a team effort, and lead or undertake actions such as surveillance or controlled delivery;
• participate in special emphasis units, such as Contraband Enforcement Team, Mobile Enforcement Team, Manifest Review, or anti-terrorism team to perform a variety of intelligence gathering, analysis, targeting and selectivity functions to determine degree of examination needed, resolve problems, and ensure proper release of cargo;
• detect suspicious individuals in baggage or passenger areas;
• handle sensitive situations that may result in disputes or create political problems;
• serve on multi-agency task forces investigating smuggling, money laundering, or commercial fraud as the technical expert on commercial import and export inspection and control procedures;
• perform the inspection portion of rapid task force efforts to obtain on site evidence, directly observe illegal activities, and arrest perpetrators;
• identify and develop evidence that will substantiate criminal prosecution or other administrative sanctions;
• review, analyze, and disseminate intelligence information about new smuggling techniques and trends and disseminate to all ports;
• prepare targeting scenarios and, in some cases, accompany criminal investigators on searches and seizures;
• determine necessity of pat-down searches, identify people requiring special handling, and resolve problems between passengers, shippers, terminal operators, brokers, and inspection personnel;
• perform selective intensive inspections of crew/passengers;
• demonstrate proficiency with a wide range of technology devices, such as portable X-ray vans, body scanners, density measuring devices, and fiber scopes, troubleshoot technical problems, and determine whether readings or signals are accurate or false;
• obtain real-time information on smuggling, trafficking, and other Federal violations from computer database networks;
• plan and carry out special assignments, projects, studies, or investigations for the purpose of exploring and resolving major or complex problems in operations and enforcement activities, or developing or implementing improved or new procedures;
• perform team leader duties and provide training to a group of lower-grade inspectors on changes, new methods, and techniques;
• lead and monitor inspection and control activities at one or more points, and perform a variety of administrative, advisory and coordination tasks; and
• use firearms in the performance of duties.

Level 1-7:  Title at Agency Discretion, GS-1801

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, a comprehensive range of laws and regulations of the criminal investigation program, including a significant body of court and administrative decisions that have shaped how the law and regulations apply to specific situations sufficient to:

• participate in the planning and executing of technical support in criminal investigations;
• evaluate the objectives of the investigation and plan the implementation of technical surveillance requirements;
• conduct physical site surveys to evaluate the available techniques for obtaining evidence that will be admissible in court;
• develop "best options" for technical surveillance and make recommendations to criminal investigators and supervisors;
• use an undercover plan to pose as a maintenance employee, radio/radar technician, or utility company employee for installation of equipment; and
• make court-authorized covert entries into the suspect's property, residence, office, warehouse, vehicle, and/or vessel for the purpose of installing, adjusting, repairing and/or retrieving a variety of cover monitoring devices; e.g., telephone interception equipment, video cameras, microphones, dial number records, and transmitters.

Level 1-7:  Title at Agency Discretion, GS-1801

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, a comprehensive range of laws, regulations, and guidelines concerning:

• the manufacture and sale of controlled substances;
• distribution of listed chemicals;
• medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical industry business practices;
• business and financial record keeping practices;
• data gathering, research, and analysis;

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• reviewing prescriptions and doctors' records;
• interviewing patients;
• searching medical examiner records to document prescriptions for controlled substances issued by doctors without a valid medical reason;
• linking prescriptions to pharmacists and conducting an investigation of the pharmacies' distribution of controlled substances;
• using documentation found during authorized searches of doctors' records for excessive purchases of controlled substances to identify assets and income connected to a pharmacy; and
• analyzing results of research to identify and document illegal distribution of controlled substances and listed chemicals.

Level 1-7:  Mine Safety and Health Inspector, GS-1822

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, a comprehensive range of:

• policies and programs required by Federal Mine Safety and Health Act and other relevant Federal laws; and
• inspection and investigative procedures.

Sufficient to:

• inspect and determine the hazards and adequacy, capabilities, and limitations of equipment and machinery for all sizes and types of:
• underground mines;
• surface mines;
• quarries;
• pits;
• dredging operations; and
• mills;
• counsel mine operators and contractors on safe procedures and practices such as:
• safe roof or ground control;
• ventilation and gases;
• electrical systems; and
• environmental issues;
• investigate and analyze serious mine accidents and disasters to determine the cause and conditions that may have contributed to the incident;
• educate mine operators, workers, and manufacturers on mine hazards and how to interpret vague or unclear Federal mine safety and health laws and regulations;
• inspect a variety of mining and milling operations for safety and health conditions, looking at all aspects of the operations and responding to questions concerning safety or health issues; and
• inspect training records for compliance with required regulations.

Level 1-7:  Agricultural Compliance Examiner, GS-1850

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, a comprehensive range of:

• the United States Warehouse Act, amendments, and other relevant Federal and State laws;
• the types of storage contracts with Governmental agencies such as the Commodity Credit Corporations;
• the regulations governing the commodity program; and
• agricultural practices as they relate to warehousing of grain, cotton, rice, tobacco, cottonseed, syrup, dry beans, nuts, processed commodities, and bulk oil

Sufficient to:

• conduct original or subsequent examinations of large business entities with complicated financial and/or organizational structures and multiple locations;
• determine whether there are fraudulent and/or incomplete records and willful noncompliance based on examination of business records and interviews;
• perform special examinations where there appears to be fraudulent manipulation or loss of large quantities of commodities; financial difficulties; or extensive damage as a result of fire, flood, or other causes; and
• prepare reports and brief warehouse workers, employees, businessmen, and other interested parties on the United States Warehouse Act, related regulations, and changes in policy.

Level 1-7:  Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Inspector, GS-1854

Knowledge of, and skill in applying, a comprehensive range of:

• laws and regulations administered and enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms;
• operations and practices of the regulated industries;
• policies, and procedures of the Bureau to conduct inspections to ensure the protection of the revenue and the safety of the public; and
• practices and patterns of regulated industry members as they relate to the Bureau's compliance programs in order to understand the extensive and complicated industry organizations and operations

Sufficient to:

• select, adapt if necessary, and apply inspectional/audit methods or general investigative techniques to obtain or reconstruct missing or withheld information;
• recognize any discrepancies or inconsistencies between information reported by the industry members or made available to the Bureau and the true nature of the activity under review;
• prepare reports and make presentations for industry members, Bureau personnel, and other interested groups on all aspects and provisions of the laws and related regulations, and on any new developments in Bureau policy;
• conduct complex, sensitive, and/or far-reaching reviews of industry activities which may involve fraudulent and/or incomplete records, diversion, trafficking, independent activities with integrated operations, and willful noncompliance with law and regulation;
• provide technical information on firearms task forces developing investigative leads, collateral law enforcement investigations, and the importation and manufacturing of statutorily prohibited firearms and accessories;
• ensure safe and secure storage of explosive and explosive materials;
• conduct inspections to determine the presence of contraband explosives pertaining to the Anti-terrorism and Death Penalty Act of 1996;
• conduct inspections of suspected alcohol or tobacco diversions, tax evasion, or conspiracies to divert alcohol or tobacco products; and
• conduct audits to enforce specialized excise tax collection programs and in taxpayers in financially troubled industries that may jeopardize collection of the revenue.