This is a Reassignment Opportunity Bulletin: You must be currently serving or have served as a full-time permanent GS-12 with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and are currently serving or have served in the 1895 series within the last five years in order to qualify under this Bulletin. If you are currently serving in the 1895 series as a GS-13 or higher or have done so within the last five years and are willing to take a change to lower grade, you will also be considered for this position. This position will be filled through reassignment on a permanent basis through time-limited rotational assignments with a minimum tour of two years. At the end of the reassignment, you will be returned to a position at the same level as this Preclearance position. At the discretion of management, the assignment may be extended for additional periods. You may be returned at any time to your former position or to a different position of equivalent grade and pay as this Preclearance position.

In this position you will become a key member of a team of homeland security professionals responsible for detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. Typical work assignments include:

• Performing a wide range of inspections on passengers and passenger-related issues i.e. intelligence analysis, baggage examination, admissibility of aliens, and law enforcement activities relating to arrival and departure of persons, conveyances, and merchandise at Ports of Entry.
• Identifying potential terrorists and instruments of terror and perform layered enforcement activities relative to counter-terrorism
• Preventing the entry of terrorists and instruments of terror, harmful pests and diseases, illegal drugs and contraband, and illegal aliens and importations/exportations contrary to law and trade agreements, etc., from entering/exiting the United States.
• Interpreting the laws and regulations of a broad range of Federal, state, and local agencies relating to the admissibility of people, cargo, and conveyances

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
• You may be required to pass a background investigation
• You may be required to pass a polygraph
• You may be required to pass initial and random drug testing
• You and your independents must pass a State Department medical examination
• You and your dependents must obtain a valid passport
• You must obtain a valid driver's license

Annual Leave Accumulation: Employees assigned to Preclearance ports may carry over 360 hours of annual leave to the next leave year (as opposed to 240 hours).

Education Allowance: Payment for most actual costs of education for each dependent are determined by the Department of State and are subject to change

If you are not a current GS-1895, and you are selected, you will have to meet the following medical/physical standards:
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 must undergo and successfully pass our medical screening process. We will schedule, provide and pay for the required basic medical examination. For more information, go to https://www.cbp.gov/careers/frontline-careers/cbpo/app-proc

Physical Fitness Screening: Due to the strenuous nature of the CBP Officer duties and the associated training programs, fitness tests have been developed and will be used to screen candidates for CBP Officer positions. Candidates will be required to pass 2 pre-employment fitness tests. For more information on the requirements and a 6-week readiness program designed to assist you in achieving a level of physical fitness that will help you successfully pass the CBP fitness tests, please see the following links: http://www.cbp.gov/careers/join-cbp/which-cbp-career/cbp-officer and Pre-Employment Fitness Test-1 Physical Readiness Program http://docplayer.net/5647386-Cbp-officer-candidate-pre-employment-fitness-test-1-physical-readiness-program.html

Qualifications

You qualify for this position if you are currently serving or have served as a full-time permanent GS-12 with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and are currently serving or have served in the 1895 series within the last five years. Your experience must demonstrate responsibility in performing the full range of CBP Officer duties. This experience must include applying a comprehensive range of Federal laws, rules, regulations and procedures relating to inspection, inspection-related investigations and compliance activities governing the admission of travelers or the import/export of cargo in and out of the United States.

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, 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 07/25/2017.

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: The CBP OFFICER (PRECLEARANCE) position 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.

Probationary Period: Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Age Requirement: Pursuant to Public Law 110-161, this position is covered under enhanced retirement provisions for Customs and Border Protection Officers which allows for the imposition of a maximum age requirement. In accordance with Department of Homeland Security Directive 252-08, the day before an individual's 37th birthday is the maximum age for original appointment to a position as a Customs and Border Protection Officer. NOTE: The Commissioner of CBP has approved a temporary increase in the maximum allowable age for original placement into a CBPO position; therefore, candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday.

Creditable law enforcement officer service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C 8412(d), or Customs and Border Protection Officer service under Public Law 110-161 may be applied toward the maximum age requirement. This age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving as a CBPO covered by Public Law 110-161.

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

Firearms Requirement: Although firearms are not required for a Preclearance position, return to service in the United States after you have completed your Preclearance tour would require you to carry a firearm. Maintaining firearm proficiency is also mandatory. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment.

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

Shift Work/Overtime: You will be required to work on a shift and rotational basis and perform substantial amounts of overtime.

Physical and Environmental Conditions: The work environment includes offices, aircraft operation areas, airline passenger and cargo areas, rail passenger processing areas and marine docks. Periods of outdoor work may be required in snow, rain, or extreme heat. Occasional periods of outdoor work may be required in remote areas with no modern comfort facilities. The work may involve the use of toxic chemicals, pesticides and fumigants. Protective clothing may be required such as hard hats, gloves, goggles, hearing protection and respirators.

Tour of Duty: The employee will serve a two (2) year initial tour, with an opportunity for the Employee to apply for two (2), two (2) year extensions. As an exception to this general rule, tour duration is subject to the host country and the Department of State. Employees who have not served 4 years at a domestic duty station, subsequent to their initial overseas tour of duty, should not be considered for a second tour of duty in any foreign assignment.

Home Leave: In addition to annual leave, you will earn five, ten, or fifteen days home leave on each two year assignment depending on your foreign post assignment and the post differential rate. This leave is granted to you when you have your Preclearance assignment extended for another tour and is to be used between tours. The Government pays your per diem and transportation expenses from your post of duty in a Preclearance station to your former official residence in the United States. In addition, it also pays for the transportation expenses of your dependents that accompany you on home leave to your residence in the United States.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using an online self-assessment questionnaire that is based on the competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire, see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10023393.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics (KSAOs):
Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements are required to possess certain Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, or Other Characteristics (KSAOs) to successfully perform the functions of this position. Candidates will be asked to demonstrate their attainment of these KSAOs in their resume. The KSAOs are:

• Knowledge of U.S. Customs and Border Protection laws, regulations, and precedents, as well as CBP Officer processes, techniques, activities and law enforcement procedures.
• Ability to apply statistical processes to develop sophisticated analysis.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.