Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Mission Support Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Field Operations-Preclearance
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/12/2024 to 08/16/2024
Salary
$74,441 to - $96,770 per year

Salary above excludes COLA. Please see the link below for specific COLA rates.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Calgary, Canada
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation expenses will be paid in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation limits and agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
OFO-IMP-PC-12502371-BLS
Control number
803437500

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

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

Duties

Help

Salary above excludes COLA. Please see here for specific COLA Rates.

In this Mission Support Specialist position, you will become a key member of a team of homeland security professionals responsible for planning and carrying out a wide variety of mission support, administrative research, logistics, customer service and other program planning activities related to the missions and functions of CBP.

This position starts at a salary of $74,441.00(GS-12, Step 1) to $96,770.00(GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $96,770.00 ( Step 10).

Typical work assignments include:

  • Providing senior level advice in an administrative specialty area. Participates in and makes contributions to management decisions in assigned program areas.
  • Applying a wide range of administration program concepts, laws, policies, practices, and analytical/diagnostic methods and techniques to address substantive technical issues or problems characterized by complex, controversial, and/or sensitive matters that contain several interrelated issues.
  • Providing comprehensive advisory and technical services on substantive organization functions and work practices. Developing new or modified administrative program work methods, approaches, or procedures for delivering effective services to customers.
  • Developing and delivering briefings, project papers/staff reports, and correspondence to managers to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations.
For information regarding Preclearance Operations and location specific details, please see the Preclearance SharePoint page: https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/SitePages/Home.aspx

The following link provides an overview of Preclearance overseas locations, the benefits of working in Preclearance and the pre-deployment process.

https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/HR/PreDeprt/Pages/default.aspx

Requirements

Help

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 and/or polygraph
  • Upon appointment, you may be required to undergo random drug testing
  • You and your dependents must pass a State Department medical examination
  • You and your dependents must obtain a valid passport
  • You must possess the ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid, non-restricted driver's license is required.
  • DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a CBP Travel Card
  • You must attend a one to two week FACT course in VA or WV prior to deployment
  • Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit designated position, covered under the National Treasury Employees Unions- NTEU. NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU.

Qualifications

Experience: 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: 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.
  • Developing new or modifying administrative program work methods, approaches, or procedures for delivering effective service to customers.
  • Participating in studies and projects designed to develop broader expertise in the assigned specialty areas.
  • Applying knowledge of basic concepts, principles, regulations, and policies related to one or more mission support functions sufficient to contribute to planning, organizing, and evaluating mission support services.
  • Identifying problems, studying, analyzing and making recommendations concerning the efficiency and productivity of administrative operations in different components of an organization.
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 08/16/2024.
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.

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

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. 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, up to a maximum of six years. You may be returned at any time to your former position or to a different position of equivalent grade as this Preclearance position. 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.

NOTICE: THE FOUR YEAR RETURN SERVICE PERIOD REQUIREMENT IS WAIVED FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. Applicants who have NOT completed the required 4 year return service period after an overseas tour will be considered.

Return Rights: No more than one hundred and fifty (150) calendar days before the end of tour, but not less than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the end of the initial tour, as well as the conclusion of any extensions, employees are expected to formally request, through a fully completed Notice of Intent (NOI), express intent to return to the United States. Please refer to Article 40 Section 6 of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement for additional information with regards to Extension Request and Return Procedures.

Living Quarters Allowances (not payable if claiming temporary lodging allowance): Employees receiving payment of an annual tax-free quarters' allowance for housing while in a preclearance station. This allowance is intended to cover the cost of suitable, adequate living quarters for the employee and his/her family plus the cost of heat, light, fuel, gas, electricity, and water. However at some duty stations government subsidized housing is provided.

Temporary Lodging Allowance (not payable if claiming living quarters allowance): A temporary lodging allowance is a tax-free quarters allowance, which is granted to you for the reasonable cost of temporary quarters, which are incurred by you and your family for a period not to exceed (1) 60 days after first arrival at a new post in a foreign area, or a period ending with the occupation of permanent quarters, if earlier; and (2) 30 days immediately preceding final departure from the post subsequent to the necessary vacating of residence quarters.

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

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.

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

Education

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

You must be admissible to the country you are selected for before a final offer is issued. Employees must review the admissibility requirements of the country. You must certify that if accompanied, your family members, are admissible to enter and temporarily reside in the country. A link to the admissibility requirements of each country is located at: https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/sites/OFO/FO/pre/HR/PreDeprt/Pages/default.aspxYou should review the below concerning inadmissibility:

  • If you are not admissible to a specific country, your applications for that location will not be considered further.
  • If your fail to certify that you have reviewed the admissibility requirements of the country you are applying for, your application will not be considered further. If you certify that you are admissible, and the Agency later learns that the you were inadmissible, your application will not be considered further, and the Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary.
  • If you are selected and report to the country, and the Agency later learns that you were inadmissible, the Agency may curtail the assignment, and require you to return to your permanent position in the United States. The Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary.

Any additional questions for applicants on Preclearance can be sent to: preclearancemissionsupport@cbp.dhs.gov

Additional information

Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.

Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilitiesPlease view the video "Protecting America 24/7" to learn more about CBP's Office of Field Operations.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

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.

This position meets the criteria defined in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as an exempt position. Therefore, while serving in this foreign duty location, the FLSA code will be categorized as "Exempt". Exempt employees receive an overtime rate defined under Title 5 rather than that defined under FLSA. For more information on Title 5 pay, please see the following link: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/overtime-pay-title-5/

Please view the video "Protecting America 24/7" to learn more about CBP's Office of Field Operations.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which you claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. You will not be considered for Eligibilities for which you did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12502371

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

The USA Hire Assessment will be used to assess the following general competencies:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading
  • Reasoning
  • Self Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview. As a part of the interview process, additional selection criteria may be administered by the hiring manager. Preview https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12502371

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.