Summary

Transportation Security Administration, is a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. Securing airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce in cities across the country. Investigations (INV) is responsible for overseeing, conducting criminal investigations, serious employee misconduct matters, and providing related services to the TSA.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens and U.S. Nationals

Duties

This vacancy will be filled through DHS/TSA's Direct-Hire Authority pursuant to TSA MD 1100.30-26. Under the Direct-Hire Authority, category grouping and Veterans' Preference does not apply.

This Supervisory Criminal Investigator- Special Agent in Charge (SAC) position is located in Investigations (INV), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Duties include but are not limited to:

Provide strategic planning and coordination of criminal and administrative investigations ranging from complex fraud investigations to employee misconduct matters.
Provide direction and oversight to TSA investigators to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse in TSA programs and operations which affect the integrity and efficiency of its activities and personnel.
Oversee the planning of investigative strategies, techniques and approaches to assist prosecuting attorneys in preparing materials necessary for indictments, arraignments, trials, sentencing and appeals before U.S. courts.
Provide technical guidance on sensitive cases and analyze the results of the investigations.
Coordinate with stakeholders in areas of responsibility regarding investigative activities that have broad impact on TSA programs.
Liaise and direct Federal Air Marshal Service and Federal Security Directors on efforts to detect and prevent regulatory and criminal violations.
Address stakeholders regarding interagency agreements and cooperation, and investigative and prosecutorial collaborations.
Direct programmatic improvements for investigative procedures, techniques and policies.
Set priorities to determine the quantity and quality of assignments, with tasks appropriate to staff capabilities, and guides employee developmental opportunities.

Supervisory/Managerial Probationary Period Requirements: Unless previously completed, you must satisfactorily complete a one-year supervisory probationary period to continue in this supervisory/managerial position.

This position is a secondary Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) position covered under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (6) Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), and General Provisions for Law Enforcement Officers 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The conditions for coverage of a secondary position are contained in 5 C.F.R. 831.902 (CSRS) and 5 C.F.R. 842.803 (FERS).

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.

You must have reached the minimum age (21) at the time of application.

You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).

Selective Service registration is required.

See additional "Conditions of Employment" and "Qualification" section

You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI Clearance.

Must pass pre-employment drug screening AND random drug/alcohol testing.

You may be required to complete a one-year Supervisory Trial Period.

This is an Emergency Essential Position.

Must have (Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) or equivalent)

Law Enforcement Polygraph Examination Testing is required

If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Qualifications

To qualify for the SV-K Pay Band (equivalent to GS-15), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-J or GS-14 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is defined as:

Experience managing and supervising criminal and administrative investigations. AND
Experience applying criminal statues, rules of evidence, and court decision for conducting investigations. AND
Experience in conflict resolution and applying appropriate investigative protocols with industry officials at, federal, state and local levels.

Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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; religious; 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.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Additional Condition of Employment:

Law Enforcement Polygraph Examination Testing is required.
Position is subject to drug testing.
Frequent travel (greater than 50%) is required.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret /SCI Clearance.
Incumbent is required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, (5CFR Part 2634, Subpart I USOGE, 6/08). Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report upon entering the position and annually, in accordance with TSA Directive 1100.73-5 Employee Responsibilities and Code of Conduct.
Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
The maximum entry age for this position is 37 years of age at time of acceptance of employment, unless the candidate has prior Federal service in a covered law enforcement position.
May be required to sign a mobility statement.
This position is emergency essential and may be subject to 24-hour on call duty in the event of an emergency. This service may require irregular working hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specific in the position description in support of TSA law enforcement investigations and activities. Must be able to relocate to emergency sites with little advance notice and function under intense physical and mental stress.
Required to carry a firearm and conduct full law enforcement activities. Required to maintain firearm proficiency. Failure to maintain firearm proficiency may result in either assignment to another position, demotion, or separation by appropriate procedures. Must be proficient in the use of hand weapons and be knowledgeable in unarmed combat.
Must meet and maintain medical requirements as stated in the TSA Medical Guidelines for Criminal Investigators.
Physical Demands: Must be able to perform the essential job functions described in the TSA Medical Guidelines for Criminal Investigators.
Physical Demands: Incumbent must maintain a high standard of physical condition enabling him/her to work long hours under adverse conditions with unscheduled travel.
LAUTENBERG AMENDMENT: This position may require the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g) (9)). A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is generally defined under the statute as any offense involving the use of attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim's current or former domestic partner, parent, or guardian. The term "convicted", as defined in the statute, excludes any person whose conviction has been expunged, set-aside, or pardoned or any person whose civil rights have been restored unless the pardon, expungement or restoration of civil rights expressly prohibits the possession of firearms or ammunition. Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the meaning of the referenced statue are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001).
Selectee is entitled to Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) of up to 25% of base pay for availability to work substantial amounts of "unscheduled duty."
Required to maintain the ability to be called as a law enforcement witness in administrative and judicial proceedings without the existence of potential impeachment information that casts a substantial doubt upon the accuracy of the testimony.

Education

There is no substitution of education at the the SV-K (GS-15) band level.

Additional information

For details on locality pay rates, click here.

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: www.opm.gov/

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of specialized experience required for this position.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority (DHA), rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. While veterans' preference does not apply in DHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Documentation is needed to verify the eligibilities you are claiming.

NOTE: Your resume must clearly demonstrate how you meet this requirement or you will be deemed ineligible. Additionally, copying and pasting information from the announcement into your resume will not adequately convey your qualifications.

Resume Requirements:

1. All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
2. Narrative description of duties with start and end dates (including month and year) for work experience.
3. Number of hours worked in a position (i.e., full-time or part-time). If part-time, (i.e., less than 40 hours per week) state the total number of hours worked per week.
4. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your performance level for federal civilian positions (i.e., band or grade).

Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate content, classified information, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc. on your resume.

Using the USAJOBS Resume Builder and completing all available fields is recommended.

CITP Certificate: Applicants must attach a certificate showing the completion of the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) or other equivalent training (e.g., FBI, DEA, US Postal Inspection Service, Air Force OSI, Army CID, NCIS and DCIS).

Detail Documentation: Eligible applicants who wish to qualify for this position based upon experience obtained while serving on a detail with TSA must submit signed copies of the corresponding TSA form 1160, Terms And Conditions For Temporary Internal Assignment -Detail, or an SF-52, Request for Personnel Action, as supporting documentation along with their application otherwise the experience cannot be credited.

Law Enforcement SF-50 - Applicants age 37 or over, or those who will reach age 37 at any time during the process up to entry on duty must submit proof of a Federal civilian law enforcement position covered by Federal civilian law enforcement retirement provisions. Documentation must include two SF-50s with the earliest and most recent dates serving in a covered Law Enforcement Officer position or as defined in 5 USC 8336(c) so that the number of months can be determined. Examples of applicable retirement codes in Box 30 include but are not limited to: 6, E, M, MF, MR, O, OF and OR. Candidates who have a break in their time serving as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer must provide ALL applicable non-award SF-50s. (NOTE: Preference eligible veterans are permitted a waiver allowing for entry on duty prior to their 40th birthday).

Current TSA employees are strongly encouraged to submit the most recent non-Award SF-50, at the time of application, to support eligibility for Status consideration. TSA employees who do not submit the SF-50 with the application must document their current TSA position in their resume and may be required to provide the SF-50 document during the selection process. TSA employees may obtain a copy of their most recent non-Award SF-50 at https://eopf.opm.gov/dhs/.

Current or Former Federal Civilian employees (Non-TSA): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. The SF-50 block 24 must contain a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must contain a "1" or "2."

Individuals with Disabilities: Documentation of eligibility for employment under this hiring authority can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability.

Military Spouse Preference:If you are eligible based on one of the below, please submit the following:
(1) spouse of an active-duty member of the armed forces: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and PCS orders showing dependency (if applicable)
(2) a spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, and VA Letter or disability determination showing 100%
(3) spouse of a service member killed while on active duty: DD214 of spouse, marriage license, documentation from the Armed Forces casualty office.

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Note: This is an Open Continuous announcement; the first cut-off date is 11:59 pm (EST) January 21st, 2026. Additional application packages will be reviewed and issued to management on an as-needed basis. If hiring needs change during the open period, this announcement may be closed without any further notice.

All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered.

The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. Your application must include:

Resume

Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section)

To begin, click Apply to access the online application.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
We encourage you to apply online. If you have any questions, please see Agency Contact Information for further assistance.

Veterans and Persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the documentation that is required, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Agency contact information

Text "Hiring" to 275872

Phone

275872

Email

hc-serveu-donotreply@tsa.dhs.gov

Address

DR - Investigations
6595 Springfield Center Dr
Springfield, VA 22150
US

Next steps

If needed, applicants may request a religious accommodation as part of the hiring process from the designated contact noted in the vacancy announcement (for contact information please see 'Agency Contact Information' listed within the 'How to Apply' section of this job announcement).

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION: Selectees must successfully complete and achieve favorable results on a law enforcement pre-employment polygraph examination. (NOTE: This requirement also applies to any current TSA employee. An unfavorable polygraph examination may result in negative administrative actions, up to and including separation from federal service).

Polygraph Reciprocity: In accordance with Security Executive Agent Directive 2 (SEAD 2) Guidance, DHS polygraph programs will, to the fullest extent possible, reciprocally accepting valid, favorable, and current examinations as standardized and established by the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA), and SEAD 2; provided that the examination was conducted by a federal organization, occurred within the last two (2) year for non-federal employees, or occurred within the last five (5) years for federal employees, and the subjects of the examinations have not had a break in service longer than two (2) years, and no new derogatory information has been developed.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

01/12/2026 to 04/30/2026

Salary

$126,384 to - $164,301 per year

The salary information above does not include locality pay. See the Additional Information section for more details on locality pay by region.

Pay scale & grade

SV K

Locations

Atlanta, GA

Many vacancies

Las Vegas, NV

Many vacancies

Philadelphia, PA

Many vacancies

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

No

Travel Required

76% or greater - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Excepted

Promotion potential

K

Job family (Series)

1811 Criminal Investigation

Supervisory status

Yes

Security clearance

Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process

Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
National security

Financial disclosure

Yes

Bargaining unit status

No

Announcement number

DE-12862033-26

Control number

854220500

TSA (Transportation Security Administration)

ABOUT_COMPANY

Supervisory Criminal Investigator (Direct Hire)