Federal

Special Agent (Lateral) Intelligence Operations Division (IOD)

U.S. Capitol Police · Legislative Branch
📍 Washington, District of Columbia LP-03 $90,853 - $147,928/yr
Posted: Feb 24, 2026 Deadline: Mar 31, 2026 (Closed days left)

About This Position

The United States Capitol Police (USCP) safeguards the Congress, Members of Congress, employees, visitors, and Congressional buildings and grounds from crime, disruption, and terrorism. The USCP protects and secures Congress so it can fulfill its constitutional and legislative responsibilities in a safe, secure, and open environment.

Qualifications

Must have completed the FLETC Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) or equivalent training program from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), or U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Certificate or FLETC transcript must be included with application.

If you need a copy of your FLETC transcript, you can request it by emailing [email protected], calling (912) 267-2457, or visiting the following URL: https://www.fletc.gov/request-your-transcript. Must be current law enforcement and possess 9 months of law enforcement experience post training at time of application. Must possess 52 weeks of law enforcement experience at time of appointment.

Must be current law enforcement employed outside of the USCP. Initial Assessment Phase Following the pre-employment screening, candidates may be invited to participate in the Initial Assessment Phase of the USCP hiring process, all facets of which will be conducted virtually at a location of their choice. This phase consists of an Orientation.

It provides the applicant with an overview of the USCP and its hiring process. Examination Phase The Examination Phase consists of psychological, medical, and polygraph examinations. This will be a candidate’s first required visit to our office in Washington, D.C. during the hiring process.

Efforts will be made to schedule these examinations consecutively to eliminate return visits to complete the examinations. ●Psychological – Candidates complete a battery of psychological assessments and a clinical interview. The psychological examination will last approximately four to six hours. Candidates are encouraged to be well-rested and eat prior to the examination.

The psychological exam will occur online and require the use of a desktop or laptop computer, camera, and microphone. ●Medical - The medical examination will determine if a candidate is medically qualified to perform the functional requirements of the job. Candidates will be required to fast (abstain from food) prior to the medical examination. ●Polygraph – The polygraph examination is used to confirm information obtained through the selection process. Background Investigation The final phase of the selection process requires candidates to undergo a full background investigation that will include a thorough review and verification of the candidate's employment history; employer, residential, and personal references; in depth criminal and credit history; and academic records.

Must be a United States citizen. Must meet position age requirements. Must possess and maintain a valid REAL ID U.S. driver's license. Must show evidence of responsible driving in the last one year. Male applicants must be registered for Selective Service.

Travel for hiring assessments and training is at applicant's expense. Must successfully complete a full field background investigation. Polygraph, medical assessment, criminal, credit, and tax check required.

Must successfully complete all required training. Must successfully complete a probationary period. Must have completed the FLETC CITP or equivalent training program from the FBI, DEA, or U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Must be in a full and unrestricted duty status at the time of application and at the time of appointment. Candidates must meet the following requirements to be minimally qualified for this position: U.S. Citizenship -- Only United States citizens will receive consideration.

Qualified applicants will be required to provide proof of citizenship early in the selection process. Naturalized citizens must be able to participate and complete a holistic and verifiable background investigation of their personal and professional background. Age Requirements – Sworn officer positions with the USCP are subject to the mandatory retirement provisions of the Capitol Police Retirement Act, which requires an officer to separate/retire from the USCP by age 57, but as the result of current critical mission requirement, the age has been increased to

59.

Applicants must be at least 21 years old at time of appointment and ordinarily not older than

  1. However, the maximum entry age has been increased to 39 years of age at the time of appointment (or 40 years of age if the individual turns 40 in the same month of their initial appointment), with required mandatory retirement after 20 years of Federal law enforcement service (e.g., employed at 39 years of age and retire at 59 years of age). ● As a lateral transfer, you may be older than age 39 only if you are currently serving in, or you previously served in, a Federal civilian law enforcement position that is subject to the mandatory retirement rules AND the years of law enforcement you already served PLUS the expected years you will serve as a USCP law enforcement officer will allow you to accumulate at least 20 years of combined total Federal law enforcement service by age
  2. If age 39 or above, must provide an SF-50 with application that indicates retirement coverage by special law enforcement retirement provisions. Education -- High School diploma or GED certificate is required.

Valid Driver's License -- Applicants must possess a valid REAL ID U.S. driver's license that has not been revoked or under suspension for the past one year. Criminal History Check -- Must successfully pass a comprehensive criminal history check of the past 10 years. ●A criminal history check will be performed on all qualified applicants. ●USCP Police Officers are required to possess a firearm and ammunition. Applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition and are ineligible for the position.

Credit Check -- Must successfully pass a credit check.

Applicants must not be in default or delinquent on any Federal guaranteed student loans. Selective Service Registration -- Male applicants must provide verification of registration with the Selective Service System or must verify exemption from the Selective Service System registration because of age or military status. Female applicants are exempt from Selective Service System registration. https://www.sss.gov/verify Fingerprint Check -- Applicants' fingerprints will be submitted to the FBI for a check of the criminal history record.

Background Investigation -- Must successfully complete all components of the USCP full field background investigation. There are few automatic grounds for rejection in the USCP background investigation process. Issues of misconduct, such as illegal drug use, arrests, or convictions may not be automatically disqualifying.

However, deliberate misstatements, omissions, or intentionally withholding required information at any phase of the hiring process will result in a candidate's disqualification regardless of the nature or reason for the misstatement or omission. The primary reason candidates fail a background investigation is due to deliberately withholding or omitting material facts. Providing false and/or misleading information may be grounds for removal from the application and selection process.

Major Duties

Are you looking for a rewarding career in law enforcement? Join our team of dedicated, mission-driven agents in protecting Congress and the legislative process.

This position is located within the Intelligence Services Bureau (ISB), Intelligence Operations Division (IOD). ISB gathers and disseminates intelligence to the USCP workforce and external partners in support of the protection of Members of Congress and the Capitol Complex, while also supporting investigative efforts through participation on various law enforcement task forces. Specialty units under IOD utilize investigative and all-source intelligence techniques to identify and mitigate domestic and international security risks to the U.S.

Capitol, Members of Congress, congressional facilities, congressional employees, United States Capitol Police (USCP), and the visiting public. A USCP Special Agent (SA) within ISB performs a full range of protective and investigative functions. SAs assigned to IOD lead counterterrorism, suspicious activity, counterintelligence, and cyber threat investigations in accordance with D.C.

Code and Title 18 of the U.S. Code as defined by 2 USC § 1966(a) & (f) to ensure the congressional community’s security concerns are represented. SAs assigned to IOD are also responsible for conducting a range of protective intelligence operations.

Duties include but are not limited to: IOD Special Agents – Perform a full range of comprehensive investigative functions to include planning, organizing, fact-finding, and reporting results on cases ranging from routine to highly complex; conducting protective intelligence operations, to include coordinating investigative and operational efforts with sworn law enforcement officers and partner agency officials; and conducting surveillance and countersurveillance operations. Serve legal processes to include arrest and search warrants and work with judicial officials for prosecution. Assist in the protection of congressional leadership, including domestic and international travel, through on-the-ground protective intelligence operations.

Conduct vulnerability assessments in support of congressional protection efforts and provide protective coverage for congressional events.

Conditions of Employment

You must obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Your completed application and required documents must be submitted by the closing date of this vacancy announcement to receive further consideration.

Your online application and answers to the attached assessment questionnaire will be reviewed and evaluated. As a result of this initial review, qualified applicants will be required to submit additional biographical information and supporting documents. A list of these documents will be provided to you during the selection process.

For further consideration, qualified candidates will be required to submit an Authorization for Release form and additional information via a Personal History Statement (PHS) for further pre-employment screening. The information provided, along with a review of a candidate's credit, criminal history, and their driving record, will be reviewed. ESOPH is an automated system used by investigators to efficiently manage background investigations.

Candidates will receive an e-mail from ESOPH, where they will be instructed to provide their PHS.

Education

High School diploma or GED certificate is required. Must have completed FLETC CITP or equivalent training program from the FBI, DEA, or U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Certificate or FLETC transcript must be included with application. If you need a copy of your FLETC transcript, you can request it by emailing [email protected], calling (912) 267-2457, or visiting the following URL: https://www.fletc.gov/request-your-transcript.

How You Will Be Evaluated

The evaluation consists of the following: o Full Field Background Investigation o Medical Examination o Polygraph Examination o Psychological Examination. Failure to successfully pass a full field background investigation and all segments of the pre-employment evaluation process will result in disqualification from further consideration under this vacancy announcement. Additional Job Requirements: Must successfully complete the 5-week USCP Basic Investigations Training Program (BITP) for retention in the position.

Firearm Proficiency - USCP Special Agents must be able to carry and maintain proficiency in the use of a firearm. Shift Work - The USCP operates 7 days per week and 24 hours per day. Special Agents will be required to work any assigned shift.

Duty hours are subject to change to accommodate the needs of the Department.

Applicants must be willing and able to work nights, weekends, and holidays. Probationary Period - This appointment requires the employee to complete a one-year probationary period that begins on the first official day of on-boarding with the USCP and concludes one year later, inclusive of successful completion of required training. During the probationary period, the employee's conduct and performance will be monitored to determine if the employee will be retained.

Additional Information

The USCP offers a competitive starting salary of $90,853 with opportunities to earn overtime up to the maximum allowable pay rate. Upon validation of current annual base salary, selectees whose base salary meets or exceeds this starting salary will receive a base salary offer that equals or exceeds their current annual base salary. A recruitment bonus of $5,000 will be provided following appointment, with another $5,000 provided following completion of 18 months of service.

Provision of these payments requires the execution of a two-year service agreement with the Department. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health insurance, dental insurance, vision care, life and long-term care insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, flexible spending accounts, and access to an employee assistance program. USCP employees are covered under the law enforcement provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System.

A Student Loan Repayment Program Incentive of up to $10,000 annually with a maximum of $80,000 per employee is available, subject to budget availability. Upon receipt of proper certification, sick leave balances will be transferred from other branches of the Federal Government. While previous creditable Federal service is used to determine the appropriate leave accrual category, annual leave balances are transferable only from other Legislative Branch organizations.

Transit subsidy benefits for your commuting costs may be provided to you as a tax-free benefit. USCP has several on-site state of the art fitness centers with access to personal trainer consultants and locker room facilities. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The USCP is an equal opportunity employer in accordance with applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT: This position is non-exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act provisions.

How to Apply

Navigate to the following URL to apply to this job: Apply here: USCP Careers

1.

Follow the prompts to upload your resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2.

Click the Submit Application button to submit your application package.

  1. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.
  2. To verify that your application is complete, log into your account and select the job posting for this position. The page will display the status of your application, the documentation received, and any correspondence the Department has sent related to this application.
  3. Failure to provide all required documents and information requested by the closing date of this announcement may result in your application not being considered.

The complete application package must be submitted by 7:59 PM (ET) on the closing date to receive consideration.

Required Documents

1) Resume; 2) Copy of FLETC CITP or USCP Basic Agent Training Program (BATP) or equivalent training program from the FBI, DEA, or U.S. Postal Inspection Service certificate(s) or FLETC transcript; 3) SF-50(s) showing 1811 series in your career. If you need a copy of your FLETC transcript, you can request it by emailing [email protected], calling (912) 267-2457, or visiting the following URL: https://www.fletc.gov/request-your-transcript.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Special Agent (Lateral) Intelligence Operations Division (IOD) position at U.S. Capitol Police?
The salary range for this position is $90,853 - $147,928/yr. This is a LP-03 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Special Agent (Lateral) Intelligence Operations Division (IOD) job located?
This position is located in Washington, District of Columbia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
Must have completed the FLETC Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) or equivalent training program from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), or U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Certificate or FLETC transcript must be included with application. If you need a copy of your FLETC transcript, you can reques...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Mar 31, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
What does LP-03 mean?
LP-03 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.