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Discover a challenging and rewarding career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the sole organization responsible for securing the nation's borders. CBP employees protect our Nation's borders from terrorism, human and drug smuggling, illegal migration, and agricultural pests while simultaneously facilitating the flow of legitimate travel and trade.
12/01/2018 to 12/31/2018
$33,394 - $98,733 per year
GS 5 - 7
Many vacancies in the following location:
No
Occasional travel - Travel may be required based on operational needs
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
12
No
Yes
CBPO 19-3
517645400
A fully trained Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) is eligible for up to $45,000 in overtime pay in addition to the starting salary. The starting salary for this position may be higher in certain duty locations, please visit the OPM website for salary information.
"Preferred Location" means the duty location offered in your final offer may include any geographic location within the United States that meets operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs. You may choose your preference from the following: Anchorage, AK; Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; Miami, FL; Tamuning, Guam; Honolulu, HI; Chicago, IL; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA; Coburn Gore and Jackman, ME; Detroit, Port Huron and Sault Sainte Marie, MI; Champlain and Queens NY; Pembina and Portal, ND; Saipan, MP; Derby Line and Highgate Springs, VT; Dulles, VA; Blaine and Seattle, WA.
If you accept one of the following duty locations you may be eligible to receive an additional 15-25% (based on location below) of your salary each year for the first 3 years of employment in addition to any overtime pay. This incentive only applies to new federal employees and is dependent upon the availability of funds.
Duty locations offering up to 25% recruitment incentives: San Francisco, CA; Coburn Gore and Jackman, ME; Pembina, ND
Duty Locations offering up to 15% recruitment incentives: Portal, ND
You may want to consider locations along the Southern Border by applying here!
This is a career ladder position with a grade level progression of GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, and GS-12. You will be eligible for a promotion to the next higher grade level (without re-applying) once you successfully complete 52 weeks in each grade level (with supervisor approval). For example you could:
Firearm Proficiency: Firearm proficiency is required for all CBP Officers and is part of the training provided.
Probationary Period: You must serve a one-year probationary period during the first year of your initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment.
Formal Training: You will complete a paid pre-academy orientation for approximately 30 days at your home port prior to attending the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) for approximately 17 - 19 weeks at Glynco, GA. Candidates selected for duty locations where they are required to be proficient in reading, writing and speaking Spanish will be required to either pass a Spanish language proficiency examination or attend a 6-week long Spanish immersion class at FLETC.
Uniform: This position requires wearing an officially approved uniform while in a duty status.
Residency Requirement: To be considered for this position, an applicant must meet the residency requirement for three years before his or her application by:
See the Qualifications Section for education substitution.
Polygraph Examination: The CBP Officer position is a polygraph-required position. You must take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. For more information and videos about the polygraph 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.
Background Investigation: This position is a sensitive National Security Position and, upon selection, candidates will be required to undergo, and must successfully pass, a Tier 5 investigation or equivalent for placement and retention in this position. For more information, please see Background Investigation.
Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence: The CBP Officer position is a weapons-carrying position. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. Therefore, if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you are not qualified for this position.
Medical/Physical Requirements: This position has medical/physical requirements. Click here for position specific requirements. You must complete the medical screening process and be found to meet the medical standards for the position. Employees in this position may be required to undergo a medical examination/evaluation at the request of the Agency. If you do not meet the medical standards for the position, you may request a waiver of the medical standard by demonstrating with non-medical information that, with or without reasonable accommodation, you can safely perform the essential duties of the position.
Drug Testing Requirements: This is a drug testing designated position. You must complete a drug test as a condition of employment. Employees are subject to drug testing in compliance with the Agency's Drug-Free Workplace Program.
Physical Fitness Screening: You will be required to successfully pass the Pre-employment Fitness Test. Please see the Pre-Employment Fitness Test Readiness Program for additional information. This is a 6-week program designed to assist you in achieving a level of physical fitness that will help you successfully pass the CBP fitness test.
Interview Process: You will be required to pass a face-to-face structured interview (SI).
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on your passing entrance examination score (external assessments), resume, supporting documents, and responses to the job questionnaire. Test scores prior to August 5, 2018 are no longer valid.
The entrance exam (external assessment) contains the following four (4) assessments: CBP Officer Experience Record, Logical Reasoning, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Writing Skills. To be eligible, applicants must pass the exam with a score of at least 70. Proper test preparation is essential for the successful candidate; therefore, we strongly encourage you to review the CBP Officer Study Guides. You should take the CBP Officer Pre-Test (sample entrance examination). The pre-test will give you a preview of the types of questions you can expect to see on the actual exam. Applying early and scheduling the online entrance exam as soon as possible will ensure the most options for testing. The last day of online testing is January 14, 2019. You will not be able to retake the entrance exam for six (6) months, regardless of whether you pass or fail. If you pass the exam and meet minimum qualifications, you will be placed into the pre-employment process.
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990, as amended, that would interfere with completing the CBP Officer Entrance Exam, click here for more information about the request process: Reasonable Accommodations Request Process. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the CBP Officer Entrance Exam must be received before the announcement closes to be considered for this job opening. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. After notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the CBP Officer Entrance Exam.
If you pass the entrance exam and meet minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories for referral and consideration:
Best Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications
Very Highly Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a very considerable extent, the minimum qualifications
Highly Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a considerable extent, the minimum qualifications
Well Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that marginally exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and who demonstrate average proficiency in most of the critical competencies
Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that meets the minimum qualifications
Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on grade levels. Veterans with 5-point preference or 10-point non-compensable preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible within the category in which they qualify.
Resume: A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history, a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), as well as your hours worked per week.
NOTE: Most applicants are screened out for insufficient information on their resume. Please see the CBPO Resume Aid for specific information and examples.
Transcripts: Required if basing any part of your qualifications on education and must be in English from an accredited institution. Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended are required. Official transcripts preferred, but will accept unofficial transcripts at the time of application. Official transcripts are required upon receipt of a final offer of employment. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
Veterans' Preference Documents: If you claim Veterans' Preference you will be required to submit proof of eligibility (DD 214, Member-4 copy, Certificate of Release or Discharge). Those applying for 10-Point preference must submit documentation that demonstrates preference eligibility. Please see the documentation as listed on the SF-15.
Statement of Service (Certification letter): If you are still on active duty you must submit certification from the Armed Services showing you will be discharged or released from active duty. This certification should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) campaign badges and expeditionary medals earned; and (3) the character of service. View more about Veterans' Preference.
Age Requirement Documents: If you are over the age of 40 you will need to submit proof you are eligible for the position of CBP Officer. If you are claiming an age waiver based on Federal law enforcement service; you must submit copies of your SF-50s reflecting the beginning date and end date of creditable Federal civilian (not military) service under Title 5 U.S.C. 8331(20), and Title 5 U.S.C. 8401(17). Block 30 of your SF-50 should show Retirement Code M or O. If you do not meet the age requirement and you are unable to provide this required documentation, you will not receive consideration under this announcement. If you are claiming an age waiver based on Veterans' Preference, submit the required Veterans' Preference documents.
Reasonable Accommodation Documents: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the Customs and Border Protection Officer external assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Program (CTAP) and/or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Please submit:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To begin your online application, sign into USA Jobs or create a USA Jobs account if you do not already have one. Click Apply and follow the prompts to fill out the online questionnaire and submit your application. You may only apply and submit once, 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. If you are planning to apply using your phone or tablet, see Browser Compatibility.
NOTE: Applicants may not update assessment responses after submitting the application. You must submit your resume, application questionnaire and any supporting documents at the time of application. Please see the Next Steps section for more information.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address posted below is for inquiries only.
Duty Locations: In the on-line application, you will be asked to provide your preference for one of the following mission critical locations: Anchorage, AK; Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA; Miami, FL; Tamuning, Guam; Honolulu, HI; Chicago, IL; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA; Coburn Gore and Jackman, ME; Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Sainte Marie, MI; Champlain and Queens NY; Pembina and Portal, ND; Saipan, MP; Derby Line and Highgates Springs, VT; Dulles, VA; Blaine and Seattle, WA
Locations offered are based on operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs for entry level CBP Officers as determined by the CBP Office of Field Operations. The above preference locations are expected to have vacancies available at the time of final offer, however, if the duty locations do not have vacancies, you may be offered a duty location in another geographic location within the United States.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP and/or ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under CTAP and/or ICTAP, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package. For more information, 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.
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.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. View more information on applying for federal employment. View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.
CBP encourages women, minorities, and Veterans to apply for an exciting career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Twitter @CustomsBorder
Once you submit your application, you will receive an email from assessments@usahire.opm.gov with a link to complete the CBP Officer Experience Record assessment of the CBP Officer Entrance Examination. You must complete this portion of the exam on a personal computer within 72 hours of receipt. Upon completion, you will receive a second email from USAHire_support@panpowered.com to schedule the three remaining assessments of the CBP Officer Entrance Examination at a local testing center. Please be sure to check your email, spam, and junk folders daily. A copy of this email will be retained in your USA Jobs account. Proctored testing will be conducted December 2, 2018-January 14, 2019. The proctored assessments may take up to four (4) hours to complete. After test scores are uploaded, we will assess your experience and training. If you meet the qualifications for this position and have a passing score, you will be considered for future openings in "category order" in accordance with Veterans' Preference regulations. Applicants will be referred for selection consideration throughout the announcement open period as they successfully complete the entrance exam and meet minimum qualifications. A passing score does not guarantee selection. Your status will be updated on USA Jobs throughout the process. To check your status, log into your USA Jobs account and go to your home page to view active applications. For detailed status, click on the plus sign (+) next to the announcement.
NOTE: You must submit your resume and supporting documentation at the time of application.
If you are already in the pre-employment process for a competitive CBP Officer position and you reapply under this announcement and are referred for a position, your new referral will replace any existing CBP Officer referral regardless of preference location for which you are currently in process, and may delay your pre-employment processes.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/517645400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.
Being a Customs and Border Protection Officer makes you a valuable member of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) profession. Typical assignments include:
