I wouldn’t base you’re taking this job off of what users comment on here. Most of the people who comment are burned out and cynical about this job. There are 1000s of other investigators who still enjoy this job and are not totally burned out, I am one of them.
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Depending on where you live in GA will more than likely depend on what your coverage area is. That is a question you can ask the recruiter or your potential supervisor, if you interview with them. I went from a metro area, where I was able to take the public transportation to a rural area with a 100 mile radius. So yes, I put miles on the car. You’ll submit expense reports with your mileage and get paid whatever the going federal mileage rate is…around .55/mile (i forget what it is exactly).
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Yes, there is job security. Regardless of who wins the rebid, the companies on the contract will still need investigators. There are also multiple contracts, all need investigators. With that being said, if this isn’t the job for you, there will not be job security because what you transmit and the quality of your work is closely monitored. So basically if you’re not good at the job, you’ll be put on a performance improvement plan, and ultimately fired if you can’t cut it. You’ll be given tools/mentor to do the job.
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You will need to keep a daily log of your time (and mileage) and enter it on a timecard. You can be audited at any time and will have to show how you spent your day. You’re time on your computer is also monitored so they’ll know when you log in/off
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50K is good and once you get promoted, you’ll get a raise
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This job is not for everyone. If you want recognition, low stress, and want to move up in the career into management etc… this is not the position. If you don’t want the gov’t knowing everything about you, if you don’t like following 1000s of pages of guidance - not the job for you. You will have days where you want to bang your head against the wall and quit. There are times where it is stressful - your first year will be horrible. If you want a job with a flexible schedule, work independently, and have the potential to get paid pretty decent in low cost of living area, not want to be a supervisor, then this is a good job.
Make sure you understand all of the benefits Paragon is offering now. You won’t be able to start until after your investigation is completed (unless you already hold a TS), and that might not be until after the rebid. Ask questions about the rebid to the recruiter and what that would mean for your investigatin.
I agree with the duetooversight who said to find a mentor to bounce questions off of. Your teammates and investigators you go through training with will be your support, there will be weeks you will talk to them multiple times a day. It is very solitary, especially with a lot of work being conducted from home.