Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Houston Field Office, located in Houston, TX.

Duties

Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to detect and prevent harmful pests and diseases, illegal drugs and contraband, importation/exportations contrary to law and trade agreements from entering/exiting the U.S. This position starts at a salary of $134,346.00 (GS-14, Step 1) to $174,647.00 (GS-14, Step 10) with promotion potential to $174,647 (GS-14 Step 10). Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen Homeland Security by providing advice and consulting on programs that involve law enforcement activities related to the import and export of agriculture, commodities and baggage entering and/or exiting the United States. In this second-line position you will become a key member of a team of Homeland Security professionals detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. Typical work assignments include: Providing guidance and leadership to CBP, Field Operations, and Agriculture Programs staff Developing and/or implementing new operational program activities or enhancements Coordinating the implementation of USDA policy and other guidance for CBP agriculture port operations and reviewing and providing recommendations for necessary changes in field evaluations Overseeing the planning, direction, and timely execution of work Providing technical and administrative supervision to the unit

Requirements

Qualifications

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: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Developing overall operational plans to accomplish border security needs in the agriculture environment Instituting and monitoring performance measures and other performance evaluation-related metrics; and, reporting on program activities Coordinating the implementation of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy and other guidance for CBP agriculture port operations Providing for evaluation and quality assurance and/or quality control of port activities, including agriculture related port systems and processes Developing and prescribing procedures and techniques and furnishing policy guidance to subordinates Education/Experience Requirement: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences (including botany, entomology, and plant pathology), agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines (e.g., ecology). If you have not completed the above described education, you must have completed at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or a related discipline at an accredited college or university plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience may include working in such areas as pest management, environmental monitoring, farm management, agricultural commodity importation and/or exportation, or other related experience in pest/pathogen detection, regulation, eradication, and control. Transcripts: If you have never held a position in the GS-0401 series with Customs and Border Protection, you are required to submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. 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 01/08/2024. 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, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process. Polygraph Examination: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the Supervisory Agriculture Specialist position, however, at this time a polygraph is not a pre-employment requirement. If CBP decides to implement the polygraph as a pre-employment requirement while you are in the hiring process, CBP will notify you and provide additional information. 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.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Medical Requirements: The Agriculture Specialist position has medical qualification standards. A pre-placement medical examination is required to ensure those tasked with the position's responsibilities are medically and physically capable of performing the essential tasks and job functions in an efficient and safe manner without endangering the health and safety of co-workers, the public, or oneself. Persons in this position must demonstrate they are physically and mentally capable of performing the essential functions of the position. The medical qualification standards cover any disease or condition that may potentially interfere with the safe and efficient performance of the job duties or training may constitute grounds for medical disqualification. The medical standards also include specific vision and hearing requirements as noted below.

Vision:

• Distant Visual Acuity: Must be at least 20/30 or better in the best eye with or without correction. Individuals who have undergone refractive eye surgeries/procedures (e.g., photorefractive laser surgery, keratoplast, LASIK) may be qualified provided they have no post-operative adverse complications and they meet the vision requirements.
• Near Vision: Must be 20/30 or better Snellen with or without corrective lenses.
• Color Vision: Must be able to distinguish colors (i.e., red, green, yellow, blue, orange, purple, pink, brown, black, white, gray). Use of an X-chrome lens is not acceptable.
• Visual Fields: a minimum of 140 degrees in the horizontal meridian.

Hearing:

• Hearing level in each ear must not exceed 40 decibels (dB) for the average of the following frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz (Hz).
• The difference in hearing level between the better ear thresholds and worse ear thresholds may not exceed 15dB for the average of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz.
• The difference in hearing level between the better ear and worse ear may not exceed 30dB at 4000 or 6000 Hz.
• The use of hearing aids to meet the standards is acceptable.

Contacts

• Address Office of Field Operations Please read entire announcement Please apply online Washington, DC 20229 US
• Name: CBP Hiring Center
• Phone: 952-857-2932
• Email: [email protected]