Compliance Specialist

Summary

The Compliance Specialist for the OIEA Enforcement Operations Staff (EOS) develops and executes Agency-wide criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement programs, and administrative actions. Major duties are criminal and civil prosecutions, program surveillance, policy guidance, coordination with agencies, preparing responses to violation reports, imposing civil monetary penalties, and refusal and withdrawal of Federal Inspections services to uphold food safety and regulatory compliance.

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Duties

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• Conduct complex enforcement casework in federal and USDA administrative court systems, providing technical and program expertise to support criminal, civil, administrative, and compliance actions.
• Review, analyze, and evaluate investigative, compliance, surveillance, and program evaluation reports for statutory or regulatory violations, ensuring sufficiency of evidence, accuracy, and consistency.
• Coordinate with Regional and District Offices, CID investigators, OIG, and other partners to resolve deficiencies in reports and ensure recommended actions align with statutory and policy authorities.
• Prepare referrals and recommendations to OGC, DOJ, U.S. Attorneys, and other entities for criminal, civil, administrative, and civil penalty actions, including product seizure and related enforcement work.
• Draft proposed legal and administrative documents including legal complaints, legal settlement agreements, legal plea agreements, notices of warning, "Present Your Views" letters, and related enforcement correspondence.
• Provide technical assistance, subject-matter guidance, and enforcement expertise to CID, OFO, OGC, OIG, and other federal, state, and local partners to support investigations and compliance outcomes.
• Maintain ongoing liaison and working relationships with U.S. Attorneys, OGC, OIG, compliance divisions, District Offices, and other agencies to facilitate coordinated enforcement strategies.
• Participate in the development, evaluation, and improvement of enforcement and compliance programs, including recommending operational changes, process improvements, and new or revised program instructions.
• Draft and contribute to enforcement protocols, directives, guidelines, bulletins, and regulations supporting compliance, investigative, and enforcement activities.
• Communicate statutory authorities, enforcement processes, case disposition criteria, and food safety principles to regulated entities and public audiences to support understanding and compliance.
• Represent FSIS in meetings, presentations, and outreach activities with regulated industry, government agencies, academic institutions, trade associations, consumer groups, and other stakeholders.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary or trial period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit
• False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
• If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Time in Grade : Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service performing duties which include:

• Utilizing meat, poultry, egg, humane slaughter, and related statutes, regulations, and policies to identify and assess alleged violations and make recommendations for enforcement or legal action;
• Working with due process and procedural requirements to initiate and execute enforcement or legal action;
• Experience with operations and activities of regulated and allied food manufacturing, processing, distribution, and related industries;
• Knowledge of food safety, animal and food science, hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP), sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP), sanitation performance standards (SPS), and pathogen reduction regulations;
• Conducting inspections, investigations, compliance reviews, administrative enforcement activities, and/or recall activities, and assessing compliance or noncompliance;
• Preparing case evidence, case files, and case reports to support regulatory, enforcement, and/or legal actions;
• Gathering facts; analyzing factors, relevant issues, and data; identifying noncompliance, violations, or trends; and developing corresponding findings, conclusions, and recommendations;
• Communicating with industry officials and/or their representatives; communicating statutory, regulatory, food safety, compliance, and/or investigative findings orally to industry and/or government officials; and
• Drafting written correspondence, decision documents, reports, and other technical documents on regulatory, compliance, investigative, and enforcement matters.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

There are no educational requirements or substitutions for experience for this position.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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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.

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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.