Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters, Office of the Chief located in Washington, D.C. Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Experience: 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: Writing and editing highly sensitive and confidential written products (e.g., memos, retirement letters, issue papers, etc.) for USBP leadership, tailored to the specific engagement and personal style of the principal; Making recommendations regarding product changes and improvements, and avoiding errors (e.g., grammar, lexicon, format, style, spelling, tone, etc.) while consulting with USBP subject matter experts, as necessary; Discussing changes to substance or manner of presentation of reports with the author using diplomatic skills to resolve all disputes; Timely preparing of answers to anticipated questions from the audience; and Reviewing news accounts and feedback from speakers and attendees to acquire lessons learned to use to enhance the effectiveness of future speeches. 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. 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 07/22/2025. 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 use your expertise to administer writing and editing guidance, as a subject-matter expert, on all written products of the USBP Chief and related USBP managers, program officials, and leading figures of government. You will demonstrate effective written communication to other writer-editors and correspondence analysts, as it pertains to the promotion of the mission and functions of DHS and CBP. This position starts at a salary of $120,579.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $156,755.00 (GS-13, Step 10). As a Writer-Editor, you will be responsible for facilitating communication of complex and potentially controversial CBP and USBP national security and law enforcement subjects to all levels of leadership, sensitive to process, protocol, deadline and timetable requirements. Typical work assignments will include: Writing and editing highly sensitive and confidential written products (e.g., memos, retirement letters, issue papers, etc.) for the Chief and other high-level officials within USBP. Memos and Congressional responses will address USBP missions, functions, goals, programs, priorities, activities, accomplishments, and issues or events requiring public response; Reviewing and editing written products prepared by other CBP or DHS offices to ensure they are suitable in terms of grammar, syntax, tone, lexicon, and formatting, and to ensure adherence to product objectives; and Performing research to develop authoritative information to be reflected in memos, retirement and condolence letters, issue papers, Congressional responses, and other written products pertaining to the organization's missions, functions, goals, programs, priorities, activities, and accomplishments. 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.