Summary
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Preclearance, in Abu Dhabi, United Emirates.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position.
Duties
Salary above excludes COLA. Please see here for specific COLA Rates.
Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to detect and prevent terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. This position starts at a salary of $88,520.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $115,079.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $99,691 ( Step 10). In this first-line supervisory position you will become a key member of a team of Homeland Security professionals detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. Typical work assignments include:
- Ensuring current selectivity techniques are used to distinguish and concentrate on potential violations while facilitating legitimate arrivals and proper trade activity.
- Providing guidance and training, communicating intelligence and enforcement information, disseminating new procedures and policy changes to direct reports, assuring work is performed so that legitimate traveling and importing public will experience as little delay as possible.
- Resolving conflicts between CBP Agriculture Specialists, travelers or importing public.
- Considering requirements of laws, regulations and procedures, facts surrounding a particular situation, intent of rules discussed, and local and national priorities in determining a course of action.
For information regarding Preclearance Operations and location specific details, please see the Preclearance SharePoint page: https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/SitePages/Home.aspx
The following link provides an overview of Preclearance overseas locations, the benefits of working in Preclearance and the pre-deployment process.
https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/HR/PreDeprt/Pages/default.aspx
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, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process.
Requirements
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
- You may be required to pass a background investigation and/or polygraph
- Upon appointment, you may be required to undergo random drug testing
- You and your dependents must pass a State Department medical examination
- You and your dependents must obtain a valid passport
- You must possess the ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid, non-restricted driver's license is required.
- 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.
- You must be able to obtain and maintain a CBP Travel Card
- You must attend a one to two week FACT course in VA or WV prior to deployment
- This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.
- You and your dependent(s) must be able to obtain a valid UAE Visa.
- Promotional Assessment
Qualifications
You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
- Analyzing a variety of agriculture-related material, pests or diseases including the very difficult, complex and unusual finds submitted by other agriculture inspection personnel.
- Providing technical advice on import and export of cargo and merchandise.
- Serving as a consultant identifying a range of insects and related pests associated with the inspection of conveyances/ passengers.
- Resolving conflicts between CBP Agriculture Specialists, travelers or importing public and handling the most unusual agriculture commodity or pest problems.
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.
You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience as described above and meet the basic requirement listed below.
Basic Education/Experience Requirement: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences (including botany, entomology, and plant pathology), agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines (e.g., ecology). If you have not completed the above described education, you must have completed at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or a related discipline at an accredited college or university plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience may include working in such areas as pest management, environmental monitoring, farm management, agricultural commodity importation and/or exportation, or other related experience in pest/pathogen detection, regulation, eradication, and control.
Transcripts: If you have never held a position in the GS-0401 series with Customs and Border Protection, you are required to submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
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 07/08/2024.
Polygraph Examination: The Supervisory CBP Agriculture Specialist position is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination.
Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package.
Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package.
Tour of Duty: The employee will serve a two (2) year initial tour, with an opportunity for the Employee to apply for two (2), two (2) year extensions. As an exception to this general rule, tour duration is subject to the host country and the Department of State. At the end of the reassignment, you will be returned to a position at the same level as this Preclearance position. At the discretion of management, the assignment may be extended for additional periods, up to a maximum of six years. You may be returned at any time to your former position or to a different position of equivalent grade as this Preclearance position. Employees who have not served 4 years at a domestic duty station, subsequent to their initial overseas tour of duty, should not be considered for a second tour of duty in any foreign assignment.
NOTICE: THE FOUR YEAR RETURN SERVICE PERIOD REQUIREMENT IS WAIVED FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. Applicants who have NOT completed the required 4 year return service period after an overseas tour will be considered.
Return Rights: No more than one hundred and fifty (150) calendar days before the end of tour, but not less than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the end of the initial tour, as well as the conclusion of any extensions, employees are expected to formally request, through a fully completed Notice of Intent (NOI), express intent to return to the United States. Please refer to Article 40 Section 6 of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement for additional information with regards to Extension Request and Return Procedures.
Annual Leave Accumulation: Employees assigned to Preclearance ports may carry over 360 hours of annual leave to the next leave year (as opposed to 240 hours).
Home Leave: In addition to annual leave, you will earn five, ten, or fifteen days home leave on each two year assignment depending on your foreign post assignment and the post differential rate. This leave is granted to you when you have your Preclearance assignment extended for another tour and is to be used between tours. The Government pays your per diem and transportation expenses from your post of duty in a Preclearance station to your former official residence in the United States. In addition, it also pays for the transportation expenses of your dependents who accompany you on home leave to your residence in the United States.
You must be admissible to the country you are selected for before a final offer is issued. Employees must select the locations of interest and review the admissibility requirements of those countries. You must certify that if accompanied, your family members, are admissible to enter and temporarily reside in the country. A link to the admissibility requirements of each country is located at: https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/HR/PreDeprt/Pages/default.aspx
You should review the below concerning inadmissibility:
- If you are not admissible to a specific country, your applications for that location will not be considered further.
- If your fail to certify that you have reviewed the admissibility requirements of the country you are applying for, your application will not be considered further. If you certify that you are admissible, and the Agency later learns that the you were inadmissible, your application will not be considered further, and the Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary.
- If you are selected and report to the country, and the Agency later learns that you were inadmissible, the Agency may curtail the assignment, and require you to return to your permanent position in the United States. The Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary.
Education
Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.
Living Quarters Allowances (not payable if claiming temporary lodging allowance): Employees receive payment of an annual tax-free quarters allowance for housing while in a Preclearance station. This allowance is intended to cover the cost of suitable, adequate living quarters for the employee and his/her family, plus the cost of heat, light, fuel, gas, electricity, and water. However, at some duty stations government subsidized housing is provided.
Temporary Lodging Allowance (not payable if claiming living quarters allowance): A temporary lodging allowance is a tax-free quarters allowance that is granted to you for the reasonable cost of temporary quarters, which are incurred by you and your family for a period not to exceed (1) 60 days after first arrival at a new post in a foreign area, or a period ending with the occupation of permanent quarters, if earlier; and (2) 30 days immediately preceding final departure from the post subsequent to the necessary vacating of residence quarters.
Education Allowance: Payment for most actual costs of education for each dependent are determined by the Department of State and are subject to change.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which you claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. You will not be considered for Eligibilities for which you did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12449213
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.
The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:
- Knowledge of and ability to interpret laws, rules, regulations and procedures governing the importation and movement of passengers, baggage, conveyances, mail, and cargo as well as changing initiatives and threats to identify possible violations and to distinguish criminal intent and admissibility.
- Knowledge of elements and circumstances of search, behavioral observation, questioning, and use of automated processing systems in order to: 1) detect suspect shipments; 2) further investigations, gather information for intelligence and enforcement, and facilitate decision-making; and 3) maintain current knowledge of APHIS regulation and policy.
- Knowledge of biological and agricultural science and APHIS programs, activities, and regulations sufficient to: 1) independently apply established methods and procedures in the performance of survey, control, and regulatory work; and 2) generally recognize plant pests of environmental/economic significance.
Promotional Assessment: You will be ranked on the basis of the scores received on your Promotional Assessment. You must have a current, valid score by 07/01/2024 if you have not held the GS-13 on a permanent basis, or if you have been demoted due to performance or conduct reasons. You do not need to have a current, valid test score if you have permanently held a position at the GS-13 or higher. Your application record will remain in a pending status until after the announcement closes, at which time we will upload test scores.
Required Documents
- 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. Your resume must be in English and must include your job titles and a detailed description of your duties and the dates you performed them (MM/DD/YY), as well as your hours per week for each position listed. Your resume should also contain your full name, address, phone number, email address, and salary. For additional requirements, 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.
- Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12449213
- 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, you 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 a 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 not required to submit SF-50s, but are highly encouraged to do so, especially if you are using federal experience outside of CBP as your highest full performance level or for meeting this position's time-in-grade requirement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
- Age Requirement Waiver Documents: If you do not meet the age requirement but are entitled to veteran's preference eligibility under 5 U.S.C § 3312 you must submit the following documents to verify your claim:
- DD 214 (Member Copy 4) and
- If you are a veteran with a service connected disability; A VA Disability Award letter dated 1991 or later
- If you are currently serving on active duty: A statement of service from your unit identifying the branch of service, period(s) of service, type of discharge, campaign badges or expeditionary medals earned, and the date you will be separated or on approved terminal leave. If you supply a statement of service at this stage, your preference will be verified by a DD 214 (Member 4 Copy) upon separation from the military.
- 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.
- Transcripts: If you have never held a position in the GS-0401 series with Customs and Border Protection, you are required to submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
How to Apply
To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and/or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 07/08/2024.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application and you must again upload it by the closing date.
Please upload your resume under "Resume" and any other applicable supporting documents mentioned above under the appropriate Document Type. If your Document Type is not listed, upload as "Other."
Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3)
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. Visit, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits". Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to hc-recordsmgmt@cbp.dhs.gov.
View common definitions of terms in this announcement.
Next steps
GS Salary: Visit this link to view the general (or base) pay table.
The open period for this job opportunity announcement may be extended to allow for a sufficient applicant pool.
Once the job opportunity announcement has closed, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. You will be notified by email after each of these steps has been completed. Stay informed of changes to your application status by signing up for automatic email alerts with your USAJOBS account. If you are referred, you will receive a final notification of the disposition of the announcement. We expect to make a tentative job offer within 60 days after the close of the announcement. If you are selected, we may conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
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