Would You Take This Job? – Background Investigator

Background Investigator

Employer: Potomac Management
Location: Los Alamos, NM (remote fieldwork; travel required within assigned service areas)
Pay: Not listed (industry-leading reimbursement rates claimed on posting)
Type: Full-time / Contractor — Background Investigator (federal suitability & national security investigations)

What You’ll Do:
Conduct federal background and suitability investigations: perform face-to-face interviews with applicants and associates, retrieve records from law-enforcement agencies/courthouses/financial and educational institutions, synthesize findings, and prepare clear, timely Reports of Investigation that meet federal/NTS standards. Coordinate with team leads and case review officers and meet production, quality, and timeliness metrics.

Why It Stands Out:
• Focused federal work — casework supporting national-security and suitability investigations.
• Contractor schedule flexibility — work as much or as little casework as you want (independent-contractor model).
• Company emphasizes ongoing mentoring, in-person support, and no anti-compete restrictions.
• Opportunity to work with an 8(a) minority/woman-owned small business that markets high reimbursement rates for investigators.

Potential Trade-offs:
• Requires an active TOP SECRET clearance and prior federal background-investigator contract experience — high bar for entry.
• Must have completed OPM/NTS investigator training and typically 2+ years (recommended 3+ years) of federal field-investigator experience.
• Contractor status means no guaranteed hours/benefits — you’ll manage travel, vehicle, and expenses.
• Role requires travel, remote fieldwork, and regular in-person interviews (so reliable vehicle and clean driving record needed).

Qualifications:
• Completion of an approved OPM / National Training Standards (NTS) investigator program.
• Active TOP SECRET clearance.
• Minimum ~2 years federal background-investigation experience (3+ years recommended for strong candidacy).
• U.S. citizenship and at least 18 years of age.
• Strong written/verbal communication, record-search skills, ability to apply federal/state/local investigative rules, and PC/software competency.

Here is the link to view more job details or apply.

This role fits experienced cleared investigators who want contract flexibility and access to federal casework — would you take it, or should I pull comparable cleared investigator contractor roles with different contract structures or locations?

I’d take a look if the “industry‑leading reimbursement rates” are real, but as a full-time contractor doing remote fieldwork around Los Alamos you’ll want clarity on mileage, per diem, and how big your assigned service areas are. I’d ask for specifics on case volume and expected travel days before committing, and double-check reviews from other Potomac investigators.

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I did BI contract runs around northern NM; the miles creep up fast between Los Alamos and Española, so get their mileage rate, drive-time, and any printing/parking reimbursements in writing — not just “industry‑leading” talk. Also ask what a typical caseload and interview window looks like; if they want 48‑hour turnarounds while you’re doing 60+ miles a day, it’ll eat your evenings, ugh.

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Biggest gotcha for me was all the unpaid admin: hours of write‑ups and rewrite requests that don’t count. Ask Potomac whether cancellations and editing time are reimbursed, not just interviews and travel, since the pay isn’t listed. And do they issue a GFE laptop/PIV sponsorship for federal suitability cases or expect you to buy FIPS‑compliant gear yourself.

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