Office of the Inspector General, USPS – Arlington, Virginia

Criminal Investigator, Computer Crimes Unit

Summary

The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Criminal Investigator (1811) / Investigative Analyst (1801) position in the OI – Computer Crimes Unit located in Arlington, Virginia. The successful candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in digital forensics technology, principles, and procedures. The successful candidate must also have experience in planning and conducting complex federal criminal and cyber investigations.

Responsibilities

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant’s ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on12/22/2019 will be considered.

The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. This position is being advertised at the Journey Band level, equivalent to a GS-11 through GS-13. The salary range for this position is $69,580.00 – $128,920.00. Additional compensation includes 1811 LEAP coverage in primary position under law enforcement retirement if eligible for 1811 series or AUO pay for the 1801 series. Promotion potential to a GS-13 is at management’s discretion.

Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency’s needs at the time of hire. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations.

• Plans, conducts, and/or coordinates criminal, civil, and administrative investigations relating to alleged or suspected violations of Federal laws committed by or against Postal Service personnel or Postal Service contractors.
• Conducts complex investigations involving digital storage media, and independently collects, processes, and preserves digital evidence from electronic devices such as computers, hand held digital devices, mobile devices, network servers, and other automated/data storage devices and digital media.
• Follows industry standard forensic best practices while imaging, preserving, transporting and handling electronic data and associated physical devices as evidence.
• Assists Government attorneys in the preparation of grand jury presentations and court cases. Serves as a witness in grand juries, criminal and civil courts, and administrative forums providing expert testimony in court as to the procedures and methods used to obtain and analyze digital evidence.
• Provides expert advice regarding the application of computer forensics techniques and practices for criminal investigations. Initiates and/or edits a variety of digital forensic reports and correspondence ensuring a quality product.
• Develops substantial technical knowledge of digital forensics; shares expertise with coworkers and assists with in-service training in support of agency goals and objectives.
• Plans and conducts investigations of alleged or suspected major violations of Title 18 of the U.S. Code. Establishes and/or maintains liaison with counterpart United States and foreign government agencies to ensure information of investigative and operational significance is obtained by USPSOIG.
• Participates in investigations requiring coordination of the investigative efforts. Initiates and maintains contacts with key personnel in law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies and counterparts in various US investigative agencies such as FBI, DCIS, IRS, CIA, etc.
• Finds best practices used in the digital forensics community using a variety of technical resources and contacts. Develops, recommends, and writes digital forensic policies, procedures, and guidelines that are in accordance with federal laws and regulations.
• Conducts followup reviews of management actions taken to correct identified deficiencies.
• Applies for and serves warrants for arrests, searches and seizures as appropriate and provided by law.
• Prepares, requests and/or reviews/approves requests for subpoenas, consensual monitoring, and other requests requiring higher authority.
• Maintains current indepth knowledge of and expertise in the organizational, personnel, capabilities, plans and intentions of criminal groups whose activities impact upon or threaten the safety and security of the Postal Service, personnel installations, and other interests on a worldwide basis. Prepares and issues reports of investigations and summaries of recommendations or findings.

In accordance with applicable laws, the applicant selected for this position must:

• Maintain eligibility to operate motor vehicles
• Qualify and maintain authorization to carry firearms (1811 only), including no current or previous domestic violence convictions
• Maintain physical, mental and emotional standards and requirements necessary to perform law enforcement assignments
• Work unscheduled irregular hours with the possibility of personal risk
• Must be willing to relocate at the direction of management

Travel Required

50% or less – You may be expected to travel up to 50% for this position.

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening and physical examination
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card
• May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

You must meet ALL of the minimum qualifications listed below.

• 5 years of professional federal or local law enforcement experience
• 1 year full-time experience conducting digital forensic examinations
• Current certifications for Seized Computer Evidence Recovery Technician (SCERS) or equivalent, and Cellebrite Mobile Device Forensics (CCO, CCPA, CASA) or equivalent
• Must have received a met expectations performance rating on your 2 most recent performance appraisals. If a performance appraisal is not available, you must submit a written statement stating the reason (You must submit a copy of your latest performance appraisal)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced academic degree(s), particularly in computer science, digital forensics, or an information technology related field
• At least 1 year of full-time experience conducting cyber-related criminal investigations
• Knowledge of U.S. Postal Service structure, processes, networks, databases, etc.
• Digital forensics certifications to include vehicle forensics, chip-off/J-Tag, digital forensic tools, memory forensics, packet capture / protocol analysis, etc.
• Experience with multiple computer operating systems, applications, databases, networks and network security

EVALUATION FACTORS
You must have the experience, knowledge and skills as listed in EACH of the evaluation factors. Failure to demonstrate that you meet all of the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0); an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration. Include your major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements in your resume.

1. Demonstrated experience leading investigations applying modern criminal investigative principles; planning, conducting, and/or managing complex criminal investigations, especially those involving cyber-crime investigations, digital evidence, and digital forensics
2. Demonstrated experience in planning and conducting the acquisition and analysis of digital evidence in a forensically sound manner
3. Demonstrated experience and ability to define problems, conduct research, analyze alternatives, and recommend technical solutions to support criminal, civil or administrative investigations
4. Demonstrated experience working as part of an operational investigative unit to identify and solve technical problems and challenges, particularly when operating in field environments outside of established CCU forensic laboratories.
5. Ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, all facts and circumstances of investigations including technical matters, that are understandable to other investigative personnel and management officials
6. Experience in the identification, acquisition, analysis and reporting of digital evidence
7. Experience using digital forensic tools to perform digital evidence acquisition, analysis, and investigative reporting (OpenText EnCase, AccessData Forensic Toolkit, or other tools)
8. Experience using mobile forensic tools to perform data extraction, analysis, and investigative reporting (Cellebrite, UFED Touch / Physical Analyzer, MSAB XRY, or other tools

You will no longer be considered for this position if you: fail to respond to all of the questions in the self-assessment questionnaire; fail to address a factor in the narrative section (no response or “See resume” or similar language will be scored a zero (0) ); or receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor.

In each narrative section you must also indicate the reference person(s) who could verify your achievements. Include their full name, title and phone number. Your supervisor may also be contacted to verify any work-related statements you write.

Failure to demonstrate that you meet all evaluation factor requirements will result in a score of zero (0). Upon receipt of a zero score, you will be deemed “not minimally qualified,” and you will not be referred for further consideration.

Education

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation here: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred. Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education: Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.