Compare your current skills to what this opportunity needs—we'll show you what you already have and what could strengthen your application.
Job Description
This position is based at Raymond G Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, NM, within Police Services. The role involves handling serious crimes comparable to homicides, including large-scale fraud, drug diversion, prostitution rings, and multi-state schemes targeting VA property, Veterans, and staff.
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2026.
Time-In-Grade Requirement :
Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
Note:
Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: This position has an Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR): 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 himself/herself, or others is disqualifying.
Specialized Experience:
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Conducting investigations of complaints, tips/leads, obtaining physical evidence, testimony, etc.; researching and utilizing applicable federal guidelines to investigate crimes; analyzing raw investigative data and converting it comprehensive written reports; and possessing excellent communication skills when interacting with the general public and other law enforcement agencies in a positive and respectful manner.
NOTE:
Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
OR, Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a field related to Criminal Investigation that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
NOTE:
TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.
Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
OR, Combination:
A combination of successfully completed graduate level education and experience as described above that equates to 100%.
NOTE:
TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.
Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
1. Required to attend an 8-10-week POST course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas (if not already completed). Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment. 2. Must successfully attend and complete the FLETC Law Enforcement Criminal Investigator Training Program (FLETC CITP) within one year if not already completed. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Note :
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Physical Requirements:
Physical Requirements:
The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, such as long periods of standing, walking, bending, stooping, reaching, crawling, and similar activities. Performance of work may take place in attics, crawlspaces, walls, ceilings, and other limited access spaces, or in rough terrain. The work may require some common characteristics and abilities of physical agility and dexterity to work in confined spaces and to move or lift moderately heavy objects. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ .
