General | Special Agent | National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime |
FD-140 Form

General

What types of jobs are there in the FBI?
In addition to the Special Agent position, other positions are listed under the professional, administrative, technical, and clerical categories, which include Attorney, Intelligence Research Specialist and Secretary.

How can I obtain an application for FBI employment?
You can apply for jobs at the FBI, including Special Agent, online at FBIJOBS.COM. If an individual does not have access to the Internet, please contact the Applicant Coordinator or Special Agent Recruiter of the FBI field office nearest his/her residence.

What are the qualifications for Professional Support Personnel positions?
Qualifications for Professional Support Personnel positions depend on the specific job. Specific knowledge, skills, and abilities are defined for each position and assessed during the selection process. All applicants must be U.S. citizens. A high school diploma (or its equivalent) is the minimum educational requirement. Examples of Professional Support Personnel positions are Financial Analyst, Program Analyst, Computer Specialist, Nurse, Auditor, Language Specialist, and Photographer.

What about a background investigation?
Applicants are thoroughly investigated for FBI employment. The background investigation takes from one to four months and encompasses contacting former and current employers, references, social acquaintances, and neighbors, as well as reviewing school, credit, arrest, medical and military records. The complete background investigation is assessed before a final decision on employment is rendered.

Is the FBI considered a career service?
The FBI offers challenging and rewarding opportunities with a variety of career paths that could lead to management positions. Promotional opportunities are consistent with an individual's overall qualifications and proficiency. The FBI is firmly committed to developing fair and valid selection systems for all FBI positions. All applicants are given an equal opportunity, consistent with established rules and procedures to compete for vacancies. The overall attrition rate for FBI employees, including retirements, is approximately five percent.

What protections are provided by the FBI's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs?
The role of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs is to provide equal opportunity in employment for all persons; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap; and to promote the full realization of equal employment opportunity through a continuing affirmative action program.

How often are Special Agents or Professional Support Personnel rotated in their assignments?
Upon completion of four years in his/her first office of assignment, and until reaching ten years in the same office, a Special Agent can be considered for a nonvoluntary rotational transfer to a second field office depending on the staffing needs of the FBI. Special Agents who remain in their first office of assignment for over ten years generally will not be considered for a nonvoluntary rotational transfer. A few Professional Support Positions (e.g., Language Specialist and Investigative Specialist) do require incumbents to be available both for transfer and/or temporary duty assignments wherever the needs of the FBI dictate. However, the majority of Professional Support Employees are in positions which do not have this requirement.

What type of college course should I be enrolled in to provide a solid educational foundation in forensics?
A major in the sciences such as biology, chemistry, molecular biology, and anthropology would provide a good basic foundation. A master's degree or Ph.D. would provide more opportunities.

 

Special Agent

What are the qualifications for the Special Agent position?
To qualify for training as a Special Agent, an individual must be a US citizen, or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands, and have reached his/her 23rd but not 37th birthday. All candidates must possess a valid driver's license and must pass a polygraph examination, a drug test, and a color vision test. Other requirements include uncorrected vision not worse than 20/200 (Snellen) and corrected 20/20 in one eye and not worse than 20/40 in the other eye. Applicants must possess a four-year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.

What is the application process for Special Agent?
If you have previously applied for the Special Agent position via mail, you need not apply on-line. Your application is being processed within your local field office.

For those candidates who have not submitted an FBI Special Agent application please apply on-line at FBIJOBS.COM.

What kind of training do FBI Special Agents receive?
Newly appointed Special Agents are given 16 weeks of intensive instruction at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia. The program consists of 708 instructional hours in the categories of Academics, Firearms, Physical Training/Defensive Tactics, and Practical Exercises. After graduating from the FBI Academy, Special Agents have a two-year probationary period and periodically attend in-service seminars to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?
The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with the duty of investigating violations of federal laws of the United States. An accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations. Special Agent Accountants often testify in such cases as expert witnesses.

What is a typical day like for a Special Agent of the FBI?
A Special Agent does not have a typical day. As a Special Agent, your day varies depending on the nature of your work assignment. You could be assigned to a squad where your day starts with an early morning raid, an interview, or a surveillance. There are so many variances in a Special Agent's job which make this work so unique and special. Although the work is challenging and exciting, a Special Agent still has the opportunity to spend quality time with their families.

Part of the physical requirements for a Special Agent comprises of a shuttle run for all candidates, and a modified pull up for women. Can you provide details regarding the modified pull up and the shuttle run?
At the beginning of the shuttle run, the candidate lies flat on their back with their head towards the first cone; a whistle is blown; then the candidate jumps up and runs as fast as they can in a zig-zag direction through cones spaced evenly for 60 yards. Without stopping, the candidate comes back through the cones to finish where they started, for a total of 120 yards. A modified pull up is for women only because a man's upper body strength is, for the most part, more muscular. The protocol for a modified pull up for women consists of a bar that is about 3 feet above the floor; you lie under it with your heels on the ground. While your legs and body are completely straight, you grip the bar with both hands, then pull up until your chin is over the bar. Further details regarding the modified pull up can be obtained from an FBI Recruiter.

Will having laser surgery or uncorrected vision disqualify me from applying for the Special Agent position?
An applicant must wait one year from the date of surgery and then have the results of the procedure and the recovery of the eye tissue certified.

Is there a waiver regarding the maximum age limit of 37?
The only position in the agency that has an age restriction is the Special Agent position. The maximum entrance age is mandated by Public Law 93-350, enacted July 12, 1974, which allowed the heads of agencies to establish a maximum age for original entry on duty in federal law enforcement positions. Under this authority, the Attorney General, with the concurrence of the Office of Personnel Management, set the date immediately preceding one's thirty-seventh birthday as the last date for original entry on duty as a law enforcement officer in the Department of Justice.

Is there waiver of the four year degree if an applicant has military service?
No. All applicant's must have a four year degree when applying for the Special Agent position.

 

National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

I just want to be an FBI "Profiler," where do I begin the application process?
You first need to realize the FBI does not have a job called "Profiler." The tasks commonly associated with "profiling" are performed by Supervisory Special Agents assigned to the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) at Quantico, Virginia. These FBI Special Agents don't get vibes or experience psychic flashes while walking around fresh crime scenes. It is an exciting world of investigation and research—a world of inductive and deductive reasoning; crime-solving experience; and knowledge of criminal behavior, facts, and statistical probabilities.

In addition to constructing "profiles" (descriptions of the traits and characteristics of unknown offenders in specific cases), the NCAVC staff provides many services to law enforcement agencies around the world. These services include major case management advice; threat assessment; and strategies for investigation, interviewing, or prosecution.

What is an average day like for an NCAVC Special Agent?
One of the attractions of the position, and indeed most FBI jobs, is that there is no "average" day. Many days might be spent in a normal office setting, working about 10 hours per day. The Special Agents might review crime scene photos and case materials to prepare an analysis for the requesting agency. Perhaps investigators or prosecutors meet with a group of Special Agents to discuss their cases. On any given day, emergency calls from FBI offices, local police, prosecutors, etc., interrupt a Special Agent's plans. When an emergency call comes in, a group of Special Agents familiar with the type of case involved might gather for a telephone conference with the requesting agency.

NCAVC Special Agents and Professional Support staff also share results of research and general information about the unit and services through presentations to such audiences as professional conferences or law enforcement training programs. Staff members publish articles in professional journals regarding research and practices of the NCAVC.

What basic requirements do I need to join the NCAVC?
You do not complete training (at Quantico, Virginia), and instantly get assigned to the NCAVC. One of the basic requirements is that you must have served as an FBI Special Agent for 3 years, but because the positions are so competitive, individuals selected usually possess 8 to 10 years of experience as a Special Agent. The NCAVC employs Special Agents with a variety of backgrounds; however, the most important qualifications include overall experience as an investigator specializing in violent crimes, particularly homicides, rapes, child abductions, and threats.

What type of degree is preferred for NCAVC Special Agent positions?
The jobs within the NCAVC typically require experience and demonstrated abilities as a Special Agent rather than specific degree majors. There are usually no set degree criteria, although job advertisements typically list an advanced degree in a Behavioral or Forensic Science as a "preferred qualification." Applicants interested in eventual employment with the FBI's NCAVC should pursue a degree in the discipline that most interests them. Remember, becoming a Special Agent does not guarantee eventual assignment to the NCAVC.

What type of training is available or required for NCAVC staff once they are selected?
Staff members are strongly encouraged to take classes and attend training that will enhance their work products. Periodically, a structured training program of more than 500 hours is run for newly assigned personnel. Special Agents and Professional Support staff join professional associations and actively participate in annual conferences. Through a monthly "staff development program," prominent speakers are brought in for a day of discussion on topics of interest.

I do not want to be a Special Agent, but I do want to work in the Unit. What Professional Support positions are available?
One of the missions of the NCAVC is to conduct research into violent crime from a law enforcement perspective. Of primary interest to researchers is how the offenders in the study committed their crimes and how they avoided detection, identification, apprehension, and conviction.

Professional Support staff are integral members of the research teams within the NCAVC. These positions include Intelligence Research Specialists, Violent Crime Resource Specialists, and Crime Analysts. Qualifications for the Professional Support positions will vary with the specific job, but most require a solid foundation in research and analysis.

The NCAVC also hires Major Case Specialists. These GS-14 jobs require a background in investigations and are generally held by retired police officers with experience in interpersonal crimes, particularly homicide.

 

FD-140 Form

When do I need to complete the FD-140 form?
If you meet entry-level criteria and are competitive with other candidates applying for the position, you will be considered for further processing. The FD-140 should only be completed when requested to do so by an official FBI representative. If you have difficulty navigating the Final Application for Employment in Adobe Actobat Reader, you can use the individual page links.

If you meet entry-level criteria and are competitive with other candidates applying for the position, you will be considered for further processing, including applicant testing. You may be competitive for testing purposes if you possess a special skill needed by the FBI, an advanced degree, professional certifications or licenses, supervisory experience, and/or complex work experience.

The below-listed form should be completed when requested to do so by an official FBI representative. If you have difficulty navigating the Final Application for Employment in Adobe Actobat Reader, you can use the individual page links below.

UNSOLICITED FD-140 APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

• Final Application for Employment (FD-140_pref.pdf)
  • Page 3 (FD-140_pg3.pdf)
  • Page 4 (FD-140_pg4.pdf)
  • Page 5 (FD-140_pg5.pdf)
  • Page 6 (FD-140_pg6.pdf)
  • Page 7 (FD-140_pg7.pdf)
  • Page 8 (FD-140_pg8.pdf)
  • Page 9 (FD-140_pg9.pdf)
  • Page 10 (FD-140_pg10.pdf)
  • Page 11 (FD-140_pg11.pdf)
  • Page 12 (FD-140_pg12.pdf)
  • Page 13 (FD-140_pg13.pdf)
  • Page 14 (FD-140_pg14.pdf)
  • Page 15 (FD-140_pg15.pdf)
  • Continuation Sheet (FD-140a.pdf)

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Competitive candidates will be required to complete a battery of written tests and, in some cases, specialized testing in their field of expertise. If you pass these tests, you may be eligible for an interview based upon your overall qualifications, your competitiveness with other candidates, and the needs of the FBI.

Successful completion of the written test and an interview will be followed by a thorough background investigation that will include: credit and arrest checks; interviews of associates; contacts with personal and business references, past employers and neighbors; and verification of educational achievements.

Certain factors will disqualify a candidate from selection as a Special Agent. These factors include: conviction of a felony or major misdemeanor; use of illegal drugs; or failure to pass a drug-screening test. All candidates will be given a polygraph examination to determine the veracity of information provided in their application for employment, to include the extent of any illegal drug usage and issues surrounding security concerns.

A medical examination must be passed to determine physical suitability for the Special Agent position. You are expected to be physically fit to participate in the demanding physical training conducted at the FBI Academy, and upon graduation, to execute the duties of a law enforcement officer.

All candidates must meet a standardized weight to height ratio and/or body fat requirement to be qualified for appointment.

More information about the Special Agent hiring process can be found on FBIJOBS.COM or the Special Agent Selection Process Application Booklet either in HTM or PDF.