Pension Examiner

Most days tend to involve plan document review, interviews with plan sponsors and administrators, testing of compliance items (nondiscrimination tests, vesting, fiduciary practices, prohibited transactions), and report writing on findings. You'll often work in exam teams or as a solo examiner depending on agency, request and review plan documents and operational data, and conduct on-site or remote field work with plan sponsors.

The variance between examiner types is real — DOL/EBSA investigators focus on fiduciary breaches, prohibited transactions, and reporting violations under ERISA Title I; IRS Employee Plans examiners focus on qualification issues, nondiscrimination testing, and Internal Revenue Code Title II compliance; PBGC examiners focus on defined benefit plan funding and reporting; some examiners work in joint exams or specific initiatives (Tip Compliance, missing participants). CRSP (Certified Retirement Services Professional) and similar credentials support specialty practice.

People who tend to thrive here are detail-oriented, comfortable with ERISA's regulatory complexity, and capable of report writing that withstands legal review. CPA, JD, or related background plus ERISA training anchors paths. The work tends to offer stable federal employment with pension benefits, intellectually engaging regulatory work, and meaningful impact on retirement security, with the trade-off being modest pay relative to private-sector ERISA practice and the politically complex environment around retirement policy — for those drawn to retirement plan regulation, the role offers durable purpose.