Federal Trade Investigator
Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia
Salary Range: $70623 - $91815 Per Year
Job Summary: The positions are located in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Division of Financial Practices. The Bureau of Consumer Protection investigates and litigates civil actions to enforce federal consumer protection laws, including unfair and deceptive acts and practices.
Major Duties:
- The positions are located in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Division of Financial Practices, Division of Enforcement, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.At the full performance level of the Federal Trade Investigator position, the incumbent will perform the following duties: Conduct and direct the full range of functions for investigations and projects of the greatest scope and complexity concerning enforcement of consumer protection statutes and rules under FTC jurisdiction, and make recommendations whether investigations should be initiated. Gather and objectively review and evaluate leads and evidence from various databases and other sources, including consumers and businesses such as financial institutions, telecommunications services providers, and internet service providers, to identify potential targets for law enforcement action and support litigation. Conduct undercover investigations and purchases online, via telephone or in-person. Utilize and master a variety of software and hardware tools to capture and preserve evidence from a variety of internet-connected or other devices for use in litigation. Interview consumers and draft declarations summarizing consumer experiences to use in litigation. Analyze and synthesize financial records such as bank account statements, credit card statements, payment processor records, peer to peer and other payment system records, balance sheets, income statements, tax returns, ledgers, statements of cash flow and other financial documents and reports. Utilize financial documents and reports to assist in identifying the extent of ill-gotten gains and consumer harm, location of assets, and determination of culpable parties. Draft reports and memoranda summarizing complex financial information from multiple sources. Analyze and synthesize non-financial records from such diverse sources as telecommunication service providers, internet service providers, utility providers, payroll service providers, mail service providers, government entities, among others. Draft declarations and other written materials that clearly and accurately describe investigational findings and analytical conclusions of the evidence obtained to prove allegations in court. Be deposed and testify in court regarding all aspects of an investigation. Identify software and hardware tools as well as new techniques to assist with the research and investigation of deceptive and unfair practices that involve all facets of the FTC's consumer protection mission. Train and offer assistance to attorneys and other staff on the use of these tools and techniques. Plan, arrange and execute all aspects of highly complex investigative actions, including locating witnesses, interviewing witnesses, and coordinating with appropriate officials from multiple jurisdictions. Provide investigative support to plan, coordinate, and participate in hearings and trials. Draft and assist in drafting questions to ask during the hearing/trial. Testify at hearings, trials and depositions. Provide substantive ideas for material or evidence to subpoena. Conduct discreet, confidential, formal and informal fact-finding examinations. Provide expert technical advice and recommendations to agency officials. Analyze investigative reports for the presence of critical and sensitive issues that may warrant special handling and provide advice to agency officials for subsequent action needed. Present conclusions and recommendations in writing in investigative declarations; prepare case summaries and brief appropriate persons. If involved in Take It Down Act enforcement (Division of Privacy and Identity Protection only), investigate sensitive matters, including those involving the publishing of non-consensual intimate visual depictions, including Child Sexual Abuse Material. Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications: To qualify for a Federal Trade Investigator at the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following requirements: You must have completed a completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or have two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR You must have at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: providing investigative support to Senior Investigators in investigations, including interviewing consumers and business representatives and obtaining their declarations to determine if a business has misrepresented its products or services; reviewing financial records, company records, and consumer complaint data, tracking evidence; conducting legal research, records searches; automated information retrieval and document reviews. OR You must have a combination of post baccalaureate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. 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.
How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. 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 resume 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. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://login.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/.
Application Deadline: 2026-03-27