GS9 or Higher DCSA investigator

As of recent, has DCSA hired BI’s at GS9 or above, coming in with 5+ years of experience? Is it typically non-negotiable?

Most of the postings for agents last year (2021) when I was looking were gg7. There were a handful of gg9 postings. You start as a step one at either level. They do not negotiate this. And if the posting is only at a GG7, they cannot hire you at a GG9 even if you have the experience to back it up.

I came over to Dcsa from peraton last year in October 2021. I was a level six, came over as a GG9 step one, but love the job and would do it again. The differences between the federal side and the contractor side are worth it.

(The agent position has not been a GS position for a while now, They are gg positions. google it, it doesn’t make a difference in pay between Gg/gs, it makes a difference when you go looking for other jobs in the government.)

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GG, I’ll have to look that up, I was unaware of the pay grade changes. You mentioned it makes a difference when looking at other govt jobs, how so regarding GG?

Excepted Service (GG) vs. Competitive Service (GS).

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The GG9 entry are normally because of the area labor market. They might be more common until the gov’t pay scale acknowledges that GG/GS 7 is barely above minimum wage offered in many states.

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Background investigator, I think what you’re trying to say is that a GG9 postings won’t be common until Dcsa recognizes that a gg seven is not competitive with the minimum wages in most areas.

GG7 isn’t even competitive with what the contractors are starting out at now in most areas.

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Yeah but ours comes with a gold badge and an ivory tower.

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