Customs and Border Protection Officer

About the role

Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) With more than 69,000 employees, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is one of the world’s largest law enforcement organizations and the largest federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security. Discover a challenging and rewarding career with the sole organization responsible for securing the nation's borders from terrorism, human/drug smuggling, illegal migration, agricultural pests, and enforcing legitimate travel and trade. CBP employees demonstrate the highest level of commitment to exemplify the core values of Vigilance, Service to Country and Integrity. As a Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) within CBP, you will be a valuable member of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) profession. CBP is urgently hiring to fill full-time, entry and mid-level, career positions where your education OR prior general or experience in public safety, security, military police or law enforcement may qualify.

Responsibilities

• Enforcing customs, immigration, and agriculture law and regulations
• Enforcing the flow of legitimate trade and travel
• Conducting inspections of individuals and conveyances
• Determining the admissibility of individuals for entry into the United States
• Preventing the illegal entry of individuals and prohibited goods and the smuggling of illegal drugs and other contraband

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship
• Primary U.S. residency (including protectorates) for at least three of the last five years
• Age restriction: candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday (law enforcement retirement provisions); the restriction does not apply if currently serving or previously served in a federal civilian law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), or if eligible for Veterans' Preference
• Veterans' Preference eligibility may apply
• Formal training: 103‑day basic law enforcement instruction at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA; possible Spanish training for certain duty locations
• Applicants selected at the GS‑5 or GS‑7 grade levels must complete and pass the CBP Officer Entrance Exam
• This is a Direct Hire Authority announcement; Veterans' Preference and traditional rating do not apply

Qualifications

GS‑5: You qualify if you possess one of the following:

• Experience: Minimum 3 years of general experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least GS‑4, performing duties that required the ability to meet and deal with people and the ability to learn and apply a body of facts
• Education substitution: A conferred bachelor's degree or successful completion of a full 4‑year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Combination of experience and education: A combination of general experience AND successfully completed college education (calculated from resume and transcripts)

GS‑7: You qualify if you possess one of the following:

• Experience: Minimum 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, including:
  • Performing physical inspections of persons, documents or goods for criminal activity, fraud, and/or illegal operations
  • Utilizing observational techniques, evaluating facts, and reviewing documentation while applying Federal, State, or local laws and regulations
  • Making determinations in compliance with laws and regulations that may lead to arrests, seizure of property, fines, and/or penalties based on findings
• Education substitution: A conferred bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement (SAA) based on class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0, or honor society membership (transcripts must show ≤10% pass/fail courses)
• One full year of graduate level education from an accredited college or university
• Combination of experience and education: A combination of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level AND successfully completed graduate level education (calculated from resume and transcripts)

GS‑9: You could qualify via experience, education, or a combination:

• Experience: Minimum 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level that includes:
  • Detaining suspected violators of Federal, State, or local laws and/or arresting violators using proper law enforcement methods
  • Enforcing laws and regulations relating to importing, exporting, and/or international shipping to and from the United States
  • Utilizing intelligence techniques and behavior analysis to identify potential threats and perform risk assessments for violations of laws and threats to national security
  • Conducting interviews in a law enforcement capacity to gain information from suspected violators to determine appropriate course of action
• Education substitution: A conferred master's (or higher) degree, or two or more years of progressively higher‑level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. from an accredited college or university
• Combination of experience and education: A combination of specialized experience AND successfully completed graduate level education beyond the first 18 semester hours (calculated from resume and transcripts)

Skills

• Knowledge of CBP laws, regulations, and precedents, as well as CBP Officer processes, techniques, activities and law enforcement procedures to enforce and administer laws related to the arrival and departure of persons, conveyances and merchandise