Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, Trade Regulatory Audit, (TRA), located in the following locations: Buffalo, NY Laredo, TX Long Beach, CA Miami, FL Seattle, WA

Duties

This is a Recent Graduate appointment in the Pathways Program. Selected individuals are placed in a dynamic one year development program in the excepted service designed to lead to a competitive civil service career in the Federal government. At the successful conclusion of this program, the agency may non-competitively convert individuals to a term (position lasting 1-4 years with an extension up to 120 days) or permanent position within the competitive service. Conversion to a Federal competitive service position will be at the discretion of the agency and is neither guaranteed nor implied. Joining U.S. Customs & Border Protection will allow you to use your expertise by providing assistance as an audit team member. This position starts at a salary of $49,025.00(GS-07, Step 1) to $63,733.00 (GS-07, Step 10) with promotion potential to $113,047 (GS-12 Step 10). Salary listed reflects the rest of U.S. scale and will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the duty location upon selection. CBP Office of Trade is the architect of the most robust customs system in the world and the second largest revenue source for the U.S. Government. We facilitate legitimate trade, enforce U.S. laws, and protect the American economy as well as consumer health and safety. Collaborating with industry and government partners, we create a fair, competitive, and safe trade environment, and we enforce U.S. trade law to protect national economic security. Our expertise in the trade community allows us to lead the development of streamlined and efficient processes that provide certainty for legitimate importers, while combatting transnational crime. Typical duties include: Serving as a trainee and team member on audits or other assignments of external entities that are importing, exporting, or facilitating the international flow of merchandise into or out of the United States. Examining records, books, ledgers, purchase vouchers, inventory receipts and other documents with oversight to determine if transactions are properly supported in accordance with DHS/CBP and/or other Partner Government Agencies (PGA) laws and regulations. Documenting work performed, audit conclusions, findings, and recommendations in work papers/audit reports in a clear and concise manner and assisting in communicating findings and recommendations that may impact an auditee's decision to enhance its import/export operating procedures and/or result in penalty or other enforcement actions. Ensuring audit program timelines and budgeted hours are met to ensure timeliness of audit completion. Preparing audit documentation by recording the information, records, conditions and/or findings on a prescribed format or report; referring unusual or questionable transactions or when problems encountered that do not fit instructions or guidelines to a supervisor or higher-level auditor

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the basic requirement below: A. Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. Transcript must include date degree was awarded or conferred. OR B. A combination of education and experience - at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following: 1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law (provide transcripts); OR 2. A certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination (provide certification); OR 3. Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A (provide transcripts), provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal non-conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements. C. Pending Graduates: I be completing the education requirements above, within 9 months of the closing of this announcement. Applicants that will meet the educational requirements outlined in the education section of this announcement within 9 months of the closing date of this announcement may be found provisionally qualified. Applicants qualifying under this provision must complete the required educational requirements within 9 months. If selected, I understand that I am required to submit proof of ALL my education claims (Transcript(s) required). You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience as described below and meet the basic requirement listed above. Experience: You qualify for the GS-07 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Working as a trainee auditor applying a practical application of accounting principles audit standards procedures and technology; Verifying that accounting systems are set up and maintained according to accepted accounting principles; and Examining program documents as well as previous audit report to determine compliance with governing. 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: Successful completion of one year (or more) 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 the work. 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 hours. OR 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 http://www.opm.gov/ for additional information. OR Pending Graduates: I will be completing the above education requirements listed in responses B, C, or D above, within 9 months of the closing of this announcement. If selected, I understand that I am required to submit proof of ALL my education claims (Transcript(s) required). Combining Experience and Education: When combining education with experience, first determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. 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 by 04/10/2024. You are eligible for this appointing authority if you are an individual who: Completed, within the previous two years by04/10/2024 , a qualifying associates, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. If you are a veteran who was unable to apply within two years of receiving your degree due to military service obligation, you have as long as six years after degree completion to apply. You must submit a copy of your transcripts showing type of degree received and date degree was received. In addition, if you are a veteran who was unable to apply within two years of receiving your degree due to military service obligation, please provide a copy of your DD-214 or a written statement from the armed forces certifying your dates of service and your rank, expected type of discharge and anticipated date of separation. To be eligible for conversion, Recent Graduates must: Successfully complete at least one year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the program; Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted; Meet agency-specific requirements and expectations as specified in the Participant's Agreement; and Perform their job successfully.

Education

EXPECTED TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

• Orientation program for Recent Graduates hired for the program;
• Mentorship throughout the program;
• Individual Development Plan to create and track Recent Graduates' career planning, professional development, and training activities;
• At least 40 hours of formal, interactive training each year of the program;
• Positions offer opportunity for career advancement.

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information.

Recent Grad Promotions: Per CBP Policy, Recent Graduates are not eligible for promotions while in the one (1) year program.A Recent Graduate may be eligible for a promotion upon successful completion of the program if he/she meets the OPM qualification requirements for the position for which the Recent Graduate is being considered. Advancement to the next level upon successful program completion is approved by the Recent Graduate's supervisor and certified by HRM.

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.

Contacts

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