Clarification from the agency

Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position; Career Transition Assistance Plan CBP employees.

This position serves as an Investigative Analyst within the US Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Threat Mitigation and Analysis Division.

This position starts at a salary of $89,508.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to $138,370.00 (GS-13, Step 10).

In this position, you would perform duties such as:

• Conducting research and analysis on a wide range of information for the purpose of identifying and investigating criminal and serious non-criminal administrative misconduct by agency employees, their associates, and criminal groups seeking to compromise CBP systems, processes, and procedures.
• Using skills to conceive of, identify, collect resources for, and execute proactive programs to identify potential targets for investigation.
• Providing analysis to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, in furtherance of CBP integrity promotion objectives.
• Conducting independent complex research and analysis on a wide range of information for the purpose of identifying and investigating criminal and serious non-criminal administrative misconduct by agency employees, their associates, and criminal groups seeking to compromise CBP systems, processes, and procedures.
• Gathering investigative information and data from public, commercial and private-sector databases and governmental/law enforcement systems, and conducting research and analysis on collected information regarding CBP Fact Finder inquiries.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
• All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English
• You may be required to pass a background investigation.
• CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures.
• As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
• DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
• Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 (one) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Researching, analyzing and evaluating investigative information and data from various databases to assist investigators in ongoing administrative or criminal investigations
• Producing written and oral products identifying analytical methodologies and models for responding to allegations of unethical practices and employee misconduct
• Coordinating investigative activities and collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to support criminal case development and promote agency integrity objectives

Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 (one) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Providing expert level experience in writing and briefing products adhering to organizational policy for formal written reports, produces presentations for leadership or customer-based audiences
• Implementing a broad range of advanced investigative techniques, research methodologies, statistical and financial analyses to perform complex analysis that can identify patterns and relationships across financial, criminal, public record, and other information, and presents findings in written analytical and research reports and investigative narratives or analytic products
• Using a wide range of commercial investigative and open-source tools used to conduct robust research that generate analytic products such as timelines, products and link charts

NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must:

• Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and
• Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 03/17/2026.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

• Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
• A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
• Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
• Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12874315

Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to ensure you meet the minimum qualification(s). Your resume must show both specialized experience requirements described in the qualifications section and proficiency in the skills/competencies. If you meet the qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using a Structured Resume Review process.

Your final rating will be based on a Structured Resume Review conducted by Subject Matter Experts (SME). This Structured Resume Review requires that candidates resume must demonstrate the competencies noted below:

• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Technical Credibility
• Teamwork

• Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, phone number, relevant work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords. Note: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12874315
• Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND an SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your initial and termination SF-50s.
• You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

Next steps