Private and background investigations
Private investigator, surveillance, corporate investigations and background investigator roles, including contractors that run federal background investigations.
What the work is
- Private investigators work for law firms, insurers and companies: surveillance, locating witnesses, interviews and reports.
- Corporate investigators handle internal misconduct, fraud and theft cases inside a company.
- Background investigators interview applicants' references, neighbors and employers, check records, and write reports. Some private contractors run background investigations for federal security clearances.
How your LE experience translates
Interviewing, report writing, surveillance, records checks, court testimony and careful case documentation are the core of these jobs. Detectives and investigators often move over directly; patrol officers bring interviewing and report writing.
What employers usually ask for
Many states require a license for private investigators, and some count prior law enforcement experience toward it; check your state's licensing board. Federal background investigation contractors often ask for the ability to get and keep a security clearance, a driver's license and a reliable car, and a lot of writing. Many roles are field-based with travel inside a region.
Getting started
- Look up your state's private investigator licensing rules before you apply.
- Keep writing samples ready (with anything confidential removed): clear reports win these jobs.
Typical pay
Not enough current listings in this field state pay for us to show a range. We only show pay that employers published.
Open jobs right now (0)
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