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Private Investigators Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Investigator

Arlington, VA · On-site +1

$121K - $158K/yr

... municipal, and private enterprises. * Produces clear, well-organized written products to document investigative activities, including interview summaries, evidence analysis, and other key ...

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Private Investigators information

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$16

$27

$59

How much do private investigators jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for private investigators in Reston, VA is $27.87, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $22.26 and $28.51 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much money can you make as a private investigator?

Private investigators typically earn between $40,000 and $70,000 annually, with experienced professionals or those working in specialized fields earning higher salaries. Income can vary based on location, experience, and the complexity of cases handled, and many private investigators work independently or as part of agencies, often requiring licensing and specific skills in surveillance and research.

What does a private investigator do exactly?

A private investigator conducts investigations to gather information, often related to legal, personal, or business matters. They may perform surveillance, interview witnesses, review records, and use specialized tools and techniques to collect evidence while adhering to legal standards.

What is the difference between Private Investigators vs Process Servers?

AspectPrivate InvestigatorsProcess Servers
CredentialsMay require licenses, certifications, or training in investigation techniquesOften need to be licensed; focus on legal process service
Work EnvironmentFieldwork, surveillance, interviews, and researchPrimarily fieldwork delivering legal documents
Employer & IndustryPrivate investigation firms, legal, insuranceLegal firms, courts, government agencies
Search & Comparison IntentInvestigations, surveillance, background checksLegal document delivery, court filings

While both roles operate within the legal and investigative industries, Private Investigators focus on conducting investigations, surveillance, and research, often requiring specialized training and licenses. Process Servers specialize in delivering legal documents and ensuring legal procedures are followed. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the investigative and legal support fields.

Are private investigators in high demand?

Private investigators are in steady demand due to ongoing needs for surveillance, background checks, and fraud investigations. Employment growth is expected to be about average, but demand can vary by region and industry needs, often requiring specialized skills and licensing.
What are popular job titles related to Private Investigators jobs in Reston, VA? For Private Investigators jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Private Investigators jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Private Investigators job openings:
Infographic showing various Private Investigators job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 21% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $57,975 per year, or $27.9 per hour.

Security Engineer Investigator, Integrity Investigations, Intelligence, and Events

Meta

Washington, DC

$184K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago


Meta rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 45 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

135th of 243 rated software companies


Job description

The Integrity, Investigations, Intelligence and Events (i3E) teams at Meta are dedicated to protecting the users of our family of applications (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus) from a multitude of threats including: criminal organizations, human trafficking and exploitation, and scams/fraud. We are seeking security engineers to investigate sophisticated threat actors, advance investigative methods, automate and mature team processes through tooling, and use innovative approaches to protecting people from offline harm. You will have the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging, complicated, and high-visibility risks the company is facing.Candidates should demonstrate experience independently identifying and pursuing investigative leads, delivering measurable outcomes aligned with team goals, and will be able to extract, assimilate, and correlate a wide variety of data in order to surface and disrupt threat actors across multiple spaces.
Security Engineer Investigator, Integrity Investigations, Intelligence, and Events Responsibilities:
  • Proactively hunt for threats and undetected abuse by leveraging internal data, open-source intelligence, and third party private intelligence
  • Investigate complex cases to understand how abuse is occurring and implement enforcement strategies to mitigate and/or detect harm
  • Identify areas to automate investigative tooling and tradecraft
  • Analyze and interpret large datasets to advance investigations, quantify trends or support findings
  • Implement effective strategies to prevent and disrupt abuse at scale
  • Address sensitive content issues, including but not limited to graphic images, videos and writings, offensive or derogatory language, and other objectionable material
  • This role involves exposure to graphic and/or objectionable content including but not limited to graphic images, videos and writings, offensive or derogatory language, and other potential objectionable material, i.e. child exploitation, graphic violence, self-injury, animal abuse, and other content which may be considered offensive or disturbing

Minimum Qualifications:
  • 8+ years of experience in cyber security, private sector security investigations, intelligence, or related fields
  • Experience working with Python, PHP or similar scripting languages
  • Proven experience conducting large scale data analysis and utilizing big data tools such as Maltego, Palantir, Tableau, etc
  • Track record of effective communication and presenting technical findings
  • Experience prioritizing and executing with minimal direction or oversight
  • Experience to work within a fast-paced environment where priorities shift and change
  • A combination of investigative skills and engineering skills
  • Experience working with a team spanning multiple locations/time zones
  • BS/MS or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Information Systems, Intelligence Studies, Cybersecurity or related field

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
  • Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
  • Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
  • Experience in deploying AI-driven solutions for detection, enforcement, and investigations
  • Familiarity with sophisticated cyber threats
  • Subject matter expertise with either criminal organizations, child safety, human exploitation, fraud/scams, information operations, malware, or account-based threats
  • Experience working or managing projects that have enterprise-wide impact and/or multi-organization cross functional stakeholders
  • Experience with open source investigation techniques and familiarity with a variety of internet research tools

About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$184,000/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.

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