MISSION SUPPORT ASSISTANT

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Laredo Field Office. Vacancies are located in the following areas:

• Laredo, TX - 2 vacancies
• Brownsville, TX - 2 vacancies
• Del Rio, TX - 2 vacancies

Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified and for other organizational divisions or units within the listed duty locations.

Duties

• Assisting in preparing press releases and planning public affairs campaigns, including arranging meeting space and drafting handouts.
• Assisting with administrative requirements for reprogramming and transferring funds between accounts and offices.
• Coordinating and monitoring the organization’s property management and space utilization programs.
• Assisting with onboarding processes.
• Preparing, following, and assisting with changes in protocols, including distributing taskers for higher-graded employees and supervisory personnel.
• Performing general clerical duties in support of various specialty areas within the organization.

Requirements

• 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 apply).
• All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English.
• Must pass a background investigation.
• CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures.
• Conduct is subject to government ethics standards and criminal conflict-of-interest statutes.
• Outside employment or business activity may require approval to ensure no conflict with official duties.
• DHS uses E-Verify to confirm eligibility to work in the United States.

This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

Qualifications

You qualify for the GS-05 grade level if you possess one of the following:

• Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Providing routine clerical support to an organization.
  • Disseminating informational material to target audiences.
  • Ensuring receipt of ordered items and processing vouchers and invoices.
  • Assisting with annual physical inventory of nonexpendable property and equipment.
  • Using software packages (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing) to produce and retrieve information.
• Education Substitution: Successfully completed education above the high school level in any field from an accredited institution. One year of full-time academic study is defined as:
  • 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours at a college or university, or
  • At least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks at a business, secretarial, or technical school.
• Combining Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements, except for Reporting Stenographer, GS-5. For GS-5, only education beyond the first 60 semester hours (beyond the second year) is creditable. One full academic year (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

Experience includes paid and unpaid work, such as volunteer experience through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations.

You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable, by 08/28/2026.

This position requires an online assessment measuring critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

Pay

This position starts at a salary of $40,736 (GS-05, Step 1) to $52,957 (GS-05, Step 10) with promotion potential to $56,039 (GS-7, Step 10). Salary reflects the rest of U.S. scale and may be adjusted for locality pay or cost of living expenses. Some positions may qualify for special pay rates depending on series, grade level, and location.

For locality pay tables, visit the OPM locality pay tables. If your geographic area is not listed, use the "Rest of United States" pay table. For special pay rates, visit OPM special pay rate charts.

Additional Information

• All employees new to the federal government must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Residency requirement: Applicants not currently employed by CBP must have physically resided in the U.S. or its protectorates for at least three of the last five years. Exceptions may apply for those working for the U.S. Government, dependents of federal employees, participants in study abroad programs, or contractors supporting the U.S. government.
• The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions (200 words or less each) to highlight your dedication to public service. Responses are optional and not scored but must be your own words.
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) requests for the online assessment are accepted for disabilities covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Requests must be submitted before starting the assessment.
• Background investigation: Applicants will be asked about felony convictions, illegal drug use (including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and non-prescribed controlled substances.