Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, located in Detroit, MI.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-7 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Assisting with planning to gather and interpret information and data for problems, issues, and unusual circumstances; Assisting with identifying ways to improve or enhance current services; Reviewing information in order to analyze basic facts and draw conclusions; Assisting with reconciling conflicting incomplete information, maintain files and preparing monthly reports Experience: You qualify for the GS-9 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and procedures; Analyzing and reconciling discrepancies or inconsistencies; Resolving a moderate range of problems or situations requiring the use of established analytical techniques; Developing supportable conclusions based on standardized research 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. Education Substitution: GS-07: Successful completion of one year of full-time graduate education from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the skills necessary to do this job. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hour. OR A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) may also substitute for the experience required. It is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher of a possible 4.0, excluding pass/fail credits. Pass/fail credits cannot be more than 10% of total credits), or (3) honor society membership. Review Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) to see if you qualify under this provision. Please see www.opm.gov for additional information. Education Substitution: GS-09: You may substitute a Master's degree or 2 full years of graduate education in any field or a L.L.B. or J.D. degree for the experience required at the GS-09 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the skills necessary to do the work. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. More information on this qualification standard is located here. 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 05/02/2025. 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. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.
In this position, you will serve as a Mission Support Specialist, providing guidance and technical advice in a variety of mission support functional areas for a Field Office or Port of Entry. This position starts at a salary of $55,107.00 (GS-7, Step 1) to $87,627.00 (GS-9, Step 10) with promotion potential to $87,627 (GS-9 Step 10). GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position. Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts. Typical Duties Include: Assisting with planning to gather and interpret information and data for problems, issues, and unusual circumstances. Helping to determine the most effective and efficient approach to meet customer requirements. Assisting with identifying ways to improve or enhance current services and to ensure that such services meet management's business objectives; Assessing situations that are complicated by conflicting and/or incomplete data, requiring general problem solving to isolate issues. Participating in analyzing the effects of changes in law and regulations as they pertain to management services; Assisting with reconciling conflicting incomplete information; Helping to identify and extract additional pertinent information required; Defining issues or problems in terms that are compatible with appropriate laws, policies, or regulations; Weighing pertinent facts in formulating a legal and/or factually supportable position.