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BORDER PATROL AGENT (RESIDENT AGENT)

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Border Patrol
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As our nation navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP is committed to delivering our mission to safeguard America's borders and enable legitimate trade and travel. Staffing mission critical positions remains a high priority. Be reassured that CBP is still hiring, despite potential hiring process step delays due to restrictions to in-person activities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/17/2021 to 05/21/2021
Salary
$86,283 to - $112,172 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Bath, ME
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
USBP-IMP(ROB)-11110402-CJH
Control number
600982200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current U.S. Customs & Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position

Duties

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Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Houlton Sector, in the following locations:

  • 1 vacancy - Bath, ME
This position will allow you to use your expertise to prevent illegal entry of aliens into the United States by land, water, or air; enforce criminal provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Laws; and seek out and apprehend smugglers or aliens who are in the United States illegally. Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen the Department's ability to protect the homeland.

This position starts at a salary of $86,283.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to $112,172.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $112,172.00 (GS-12 Step 10).

As a Border Patrol Agent (Resident Agent) you will serve as a primary law enforcement officer (under 5 U.S.C. 8331 (6C) and 8412 (d) and be responsible for:
  • Preventing the entry of terrorists and their weapons on terrorism;
  • Enforcing the laws that protect America's homeland by the detection, interdiction, and apprehension of those who attempt to illegally enter or smuggle any person or contraband across our Nation's sovereign borders

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You 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 below)
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation and/or polygraph
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
  • You must be able to meet job-related medical and/or fitness standards

Who May Apply:
  • This is a Voluntary Reassignment Opportunity for current U.S. Border Patrol GS-1896 employees with competitive status in one of the following positions: a current GS-1896-12 BPA OR a current GS-13 (or higher graded) SBPA/BPA employee who is willing to take a voluntary change to lower grade.

Qualifications

Basic Qualification Requirements:

The basic qualification requirements include experience in law enforcement or other responsible work that demonstrates the ability to make arrests and exercise sound judgment in the use of firearms; to deal effectively with individuals or persons in a courteous, tactful manner; and to analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions.

AND

You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

  • Interpreting and enforcing immigration or comparable laws, rules, and regulations
  • Performing intelligence, prosecutions, investigations, anti-smuggling
  • Identifying operational problems, devising solutions
  • Ensuring compliance of enforcement and operational practices
  • Apprising management of deficiencies or noted problems


Language Requirement: Must be proficient in the Spanish language. (i.e., able to speak and read in Spanish).

Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm while on duty. Anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C. Section 922 (g) (9)). You will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense.

Physical and Medical Requirements: Because the duties of the position are of a strenuous nature and require a high degree of interaction and responsibility to the public, you may be required to undergo and successfully pass our medical screening process. We will schedule, provide and pay for the required basic medical examination. For more information, visit this link.

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 05/21/2021.
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 more information visit this link.

Polygraph Examination: This is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination.

Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package.

Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package.

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

Age Requirement: Provisions of Public Laws 93-350 and 100-238 allow the imposition of a maximum age for initial appointment to a primary Law Enforcement Officer position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In accordance with DHS Management Directive 251-03, the "day before an individual's 37th birthday" is the maximum age for original appointment to a position as a primary law enforcement officer within DHS.The age requirement is also necessary to ensure that you are able to complete the 20 years of applicable service for retirement. NOTE: The Commissioner of CBP has approved a temporary increase in the maximum allowable age to 40 for original placement into a BPA position. Unless the below criteria applies, you must meet this age requirement by the 05/21/2021AND enter-on-duty no later than the day prior to your 40th birthday, in order to achieve the required 20 years of service for retirement.

Creditable law enforcement officer service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), or creditable service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8401(36) (as a Customs and Border Protection Officer) on or after July 6, 2008, may be applied toward the maximum age requirement. This age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving in a federal civilian (not military) law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d).

Veterans Preference Eligibility: To ensure compliance with statutes pertaining to the appointment of preference eligible veterans as determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board in its recent decision of Isabella v. Dept. of State, the maximum age for original appointment articulated above shall not apply to the hiring of individuals entitled to veterans preference eligibility under 5 U.S.C. § 3312. You must submit proof of Veteran's Preference (DD-214 Member 4 Copy) at the time of application.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

This is a Bargaining Unit status position.

Motor Vehicle Operation: You must have a valid automobile driver's license at the time of appointment.

Shift Work/Overtime: This position requires regular and recurring shift work. You must be willing and available to work rotating shifts. You may also be rotated between assignments and duty locations. You could be required to work overtime on a daily basis and will be compensated up to an additional 25% of your base pay in accordance with the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act of 2014.

Travel: Overnight travel may be required on a regular and recurring basis.

Uniforms: This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in duty status.

Security Clearance: You may be required to obtain a Secret or higher level clearance for this position.

Law Enforcement Retirement: This position meets the eligibility criteria for law enforcement retirement. For more information on required years of service and retirement age clink on this link. For further information on when an employee continues or discontinues coverage under the special retirement system for law enforcement officers, please see the CSRS and FERS handbook, Chapter 46, pages 12-13.

Resident Agent Information: Agents selected for this position will be expected to reside within 50 miles of the Resident Location unless otherwise approved by the Chief Patrol Agent. Resident Agents will be assigned a government owned vehicle (GOV) to respond from his/her resident post and will be subject to callouts during non-working hours.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Selection Certificates: Your application will not be rated, and will be referred to management in name order. A series of vacancy questions will be used to determine your eligibility. If you meet those basic requirements, your application package may be referred to management for selection consideration. Falsification of your application will remove you from consideration and could subject you to disciplinary action.

The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are

  • Knowledge of Immigration and Nationality Laws
  • Knowledge of proper law enforcement methods
  • Skill in analyzing disparate facts, events, and other types of intelligence material
  • Skill in using a variety of automated information systems to gather information for intelligence, enforcement, prosecutions, and to facilitate decision making

Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11110402

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 eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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