PUBLIC NOTICE- DEA Criminal Investigators

Summary **THIS IS NOT AN OPEN JOB ANNOUNCEMENT** This is a public notice for Drug Enforcement Administration Criminal Investigator GL-1811-7/9/11 positions open to U.S. Citizens. A job announcement will be posted on USAJobs on July 20th and October 19th, 2026. PLEASE READ THE DUTIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTIONS. For more information or questions about Special Agent positions, please visit Talk to a Recruiter. Qualifications For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application that clearly displays conferred degrees and/or relevant credit hours. An unofficial transcript will be accepted at the time of application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. All applicants must meet one of the basic qualification requirements described below for this position. For the GL-07 Level: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GL/GS-05 level or pay band in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: Assisting in investigations of alleged or suspected violations of law; Writing reports of findings, results, or accomplishments for information or action relating to law enforcement activities and/or court cases; and Researching, collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources relating to investigations; -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: The experience requirement for the GS-7 level may be met by one full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to successfully perform the duties of the position, -OR- SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (SAA): Applicants who have completed (or expect to complete within 9 months) all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related competencies necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position. Courses should emphasize the development of skills in teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, flexibility, oral communication, interpersonal relations, and/or self-management. Eligibility for Upcoming Graduates: Senior students who are currently enrolled in a degree program and expect to complete all graduation requirements within 9 months of the closing date of this announcement, may be considered for a GL-7 appointment based on their grades at the time of application. To be considered: At the time of application, senior students must provide documentation confirming an expected graduation date AND; Prior to entry on duty, provide evidence that they maintained the required grades during their senior year. Failure to provide proof of graduation within the required timeframe OR failure to maintain the required grades through their senior year, may result in removal from consideration. S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership: Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class, based on completed courses; Grade Point Average: Applicants must have a grade point average of: 3.0 or higher: Based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR; 3.5 or higher: Based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR; Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society: Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies OR; COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. For the GL-09 Level: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GL/GS-07 level or pay band in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: Assisting in investigations of alleged or suspected violations of law; Collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources relating to investigations; Writing reports and conducting briefings of findings, results, or accomplishments for information or action relating to law enforcement activities and/or court cases; Meeting or corresponding with court officials and law enforcement personnel to discuss case-related materials; and Assisting prosecuting attorneys in preparation of technical aspects of cases; and/or testifying or presenting evidence for court, legislative, or administrative proceedings; -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: 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. -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. For the GS-11 Level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GL/GS-09 level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrate your ability in the following: Conducting or supporting federal criminal investigations in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies; Developing operational plans and determining investigative priorities of federal cases; Operating undercover, conducting surveillance operations, participating in raids, seizures and arrests etc.; Developing and eliciting information from confidential sources; Interviewing, and interrogating persons suspected of violations of law; and Organizing evidence for presentation to prosecution officials and testifying in court; OR; SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Have a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leader to a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or LL.M, if related; OR; COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook. Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/). Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One year of graduate education in considered to be the number of credit hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. How You Will Be Evaluated You are highly encouraged to review the Special Agent Test Preparation Guide in order to familiarize yourself with the required phases of the selection process. The guide will give you an opportunity to review some test question examples and provide you with an overview of the assessments you will be required to complete. Candidates who have successfully completed the pre-employment assessments and structured interview will be referred for employment consideration. Current or former 1811 applicants who have successfully completed a Federal Criminal Investigation training program through another federal law enforcement agency, may be considered for an abbreviated hiring process. Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed ahead of all candidates. Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants. View information on veterans' preference on OPM's Fed Hire Vets website. Required Documents All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. 1. Resume: must be no more than two pages in length; resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Resume should include applicants' name, email address, phone number, relevant work/volunteer experience, education and training. Include the start and end dates (from month/year to month/year), work schedule (e.g. part or full-time), the number of hours per week worked/volunteered, job title and description of duties performed. Education/Certification/Licensure when relevant or required for position. See Guidance for Applicants on 2-Page Resume and visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information. 2. SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), if applicable: SF-50(s) must show the effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, competitive status, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. 3. Transcripts, if applicable and you are qualifying based on education: See the Qualification and Education sections of this announcement for more information. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. 4. Federal Criminal Investigation Training (FCIT), if applicable: Transcripts for any FCIT and follow-on academy or in-service training should be submitted in order to be considered for an abbreviated hiring process and condensed 3-week DEA Special Agent Transition Program. Applicants who are unable to provide transcripts or proof of training will be required to complete all phases of the hiring process and a 16-week basic agent training course. 5. Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable: To claim 5-point preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. To claim 10-point preference, submit all required documentation outlined on the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) to support your claim (e.g., DD-214, official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.). If we cannot verify your 10-point preference claim, your application will be reviewed for 5-point preference. To claim 10-point derived preference (i.e., spouses, widows, widowers or mothers of veterans), submit a completed SF-15 and all required documentation listed on the SF-15 to support your claim. To claim 0-point Sole Survivorship preference, submit a copy of your DD-214 or another form of official documentation showing that your discharge or release from active duty occurred on or after August 29, 2008 and was based on a sole survivorship discharge. For all preference claims: DD-214 Member 4 copies are preferred and must show the dates of service, type of discharge, and any qualifying service campaign medals. For more veterans' preference information, visit the USAJOBS Help Center. How to Apply **THIS IS NOT AN OPEN JOB ANNOUNCEMENT** This is a public notice for Drug Enforcement Administration Criminal Investigator GL-1811-7/9/11 positions open to U.S. Citizens. A job announcement will be posted on USAJobs on July 20th and October 19th, 2026. PLEASE READ THE DUTIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTIONS. For more information or questions about Special Agent positions, please visit Talk to a Recruiter.