Assistant Inspector General for Investigations

Robert Steinau serves as the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG). On September 28, 2026, Steinau’s nomination for Inspector General was sent to the Senate. He is currently awaiting his confirmation hearing.

Steinau has more than 26 years of federal law enforcement, oversight, and leadership experience. He has led complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations involving fraud, cybercrime, procurement fraud, grant and research fraud, public corruption, and other misconduct affecting federal programs. Since joining NASA OIG in 2009, he has held a series of leadership positions with expanding scope and impact, spanning investigative operations, cybersecurity, information technology, and organizational management.

From December 2024 until his September 2026 nomination, Steinau served as the NASA OIG Senior Official. Prior to this, he was the Acting Assistant Inspector General for Management, overseeing the organization’s information technology, budget, procurement, human resources, and administrative functions. He has also served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Cyber Crimes Division.

Now, as Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, he directs investigative operations and oversees criminal, civil, and administrative investigative programs across all NASA centers. Under his leadership, the organization created and institutionalized an advanced data analytics program, investigative support initiatives, and cyber investigative capabilities that enhanced investigative effectiveness and contributed to significant recoveries through criminal convictions and civil settlements.

Before joining NASA OIG, Steinau served as a Special Agent with the Department of Energy OIG, as well as a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service. During his Secret Service career, he conducted financial crime investigations and served in the Vice-Presidential Protective Division, providing protection for the Vice President of the United States and other senior government officials.

In addition to his current duties at NASA OIG, Steinau also serves as Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Technology Committee and is a member of the CIGIE Executive Council. In these roles, he works with Inspectors General and senior oversight officials across the federal government to advance cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies that strengthen oversight and accountability across government programs and operations.

Steinau served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati.