Job Description

Recent Graduate Employee Benefits Investigator

EBSA plays a vital role in protecting the retirement, health, and other job-based benefits of America's workers, retirees, and their families. We issue effective regulations, offer comprehensive education and assistance to workers, plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers, and rigorously enforce the law. We serve workers, families, and the broader employee benefits community by protecting the security and integrity of the nation's benefit systems.

Open to applicants who have graduated, within the past two years, (with an associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, diploma, vocational, technical degree, or certificate, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program (including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps). Students who will meet the education requirements at the end of Spring semester 2026 may apply.

Major duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Review and analyze voluntary compliance letters, transmittal memoranda, litigation referrals, and reports of investigation to ensure that the documents have legal and evidentiary sufficiency, and are written in conformity with national enforcement policy.
• Research and identify policy and program issues, relevant court cases, precedents and opinions and analyzes materials, discerns relationships and interrelationships, and reports findings logically and transparently.
• Conduct research, collect, and develop data reports for periodic and special reports required by management on the enforcement program and administrative operations and accomplishments of the regional offices.
• Conduct and/or participate in conducting novel, complex, multi-faceted, multiregional, and/or large investigations with assistance. This includes a thorough analysis of complex issues, effective and thorough gathering of evidence, identification of violations, the use of effective and innovative investigative techniques, and resolution of the issues identified.

Location Selection Limitation: Applicants may select up to two (2) duty locations when applying to this announcement. Please carefully consider and choose only the locations you can reliably and easily commute to or otherwise access, if selected. Locality Salary Ranges: Advertised salary reflects the minimum and maximum pay for the listed locations. Upon selection, the salary will be set in accordance with the selectee's assigned duty location. Below are the specific minimum and maximum salary for each location.

Boston, Massachusetts- $69,905-$109,959; New York, New York- $72,737-$114,413; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- $68,013-$106,982; Silver Spring, Maryland- $70,623-$111,087; Plantation, Florida- $65,735-$103,399; Dallas, Texas- $67,100-$105,547; Fort Wright, Kentucky- $64,290-$101,126; Kansas City, Missouri- $62,729-$98,671; Chicago, Illinois- $68,999-$108,533; Pasadena, California- $71,957-$113,185; San Francisco, California- $77,161-$121,371; Seattle, Washington- $69,373-$109,122

This appointment is under the DOL Recent Graduates program. The program duration is one year. The appointee must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for conversion to a permanent position in the competitive service upon completion of the program. Applicants must have graduated, within the past two years, (with an associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, diploma, vocational, technical degree, or certificate, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical educational program including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps). Students who will meet the education requirements at the end of Spring semester 2026 may apply. You must meet the requirements for the Recent Graduate - Employee Benefits Investigator, as described below.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

For GS-09: Applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-07 in the Federal Service OR meet the substitution of education OR combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described below. Applicants must demonstrate at least three (3) of the specialized experience statements listed here: (1) Participating in investigative projects and/or audits to gather and review information to help determine whether organizations are following applicable laws and requirements. (2) Utilizing investigative and/or auditing methods to carry out fact-finding steps, identify potential issues, and support actions that promote compliance. (3) Researching and reviewing reports, case documents, and other materials to identify important information and support the development of investigative findings. (4) Identifying and analyzing administrative or regulatory issues by reviewing the accuracy and relevance of information and suggesting practical solutions or next steps. OR - Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of graduate level education, or LLB. or J.D.; if related. OR - A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.

For GS-11: Applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-09 in the Federal Service OR meet the substitution of education OR combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described below. Applicants must demonstrate at least three (3) of the specialized experience statements listed here: (1) Applying investigative and auditing principles and techniques to programs and practices to determine compliance with administrative laws, policies, regulations, and established precedents, ensuring accurate evaluation and proper enforcement actions. (2) Planning and participating in investigative and enforcement projects involving potential fiduciary breaches, and/or prohibited transactions, and report and/or disclosure violations to gather evidence, document findings, and support corrective or legal action as appropriate. (3) Researching and reviewing plan reporting documents, disclosure filings, discovery materials, and other case evidence to identify key facts, develop investigative leads, and advance case strategy or resolution. (4) Identifying, analyzing, and resolving complex administrative and regulatory issues by assessing the accuracy and relevance of information, developing alternatives, and making evidence-based recommendations to support investigative or enforcement decisions. OR - Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related. OR - A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.

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