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Intelligence Research Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Field Operations
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 Operations, San Diego Field Office, Border Security Division, located in San Diego, California.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/18/2024 to 12/26/2024
Salary
$82,633 to - $128,752 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
San Diego, CA
Remote job
No
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
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
OFO-SMP-12649044-KMK
Control number
824705300

Duties

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This position will allow you to use your expertise to apply a full range of expert intelligence knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide insights that warn of potential threats and assessments on possible outcomes in regard to national security. Apply for this position and use your expertise to provide strategic, tactical and operational intelligence to management officials of The Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This position starts at a salary of $82,633.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $128,752.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $153,113 (GS-13 Step 10).

The work carried out by this position engages in the collection, evaluation, and analysis of intelligence information used for projecting data and/or estimates of future situations, developing trends and patterns, and producing studies and tactical data. In this position you will serve as an expert in the planning, evaluating, discussing and testing of intelligence information. Your duties will include:

  • Applying a full range of mastered analytical knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide finished intelligence in support of operations.
  • Identifying and prioritizing critical intelligence gaps; developing associated Essential Elements of Information required to satisfy and close the intelligence gaps and developing new intelligence processes and methods to support leadership threat prioritization.
  • Applying subject matter expertise in assigned functional, geographic and/or threat portfolios to ensure timely and accurate analysis and intelligence data derived is integrated into ongoing operations.
  • Identifying, reviewing, and evaluating large volumes of sensitive and complex information in support of strategic, operational, or tactical operations.

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
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
  • As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
  • 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.

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-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

  • Assisting with short- and long-term planning through development of basic intelligence planning documents such as Terms of Reference, researching specific topics.
  • Researching, evaluating, integrating, and analyzing all-source data in the preparation of clear, concise, in-depth intelligence analytical products focusing on the threats and all relevant information related to CBP operations.
  • Compiling, collating, extrapolating, and exploiting information from a variety of sources, using basic methodology and existing techniques.
  • Preparing a variety of speculative intelligence products based on analysis and evaluation of current intelligence information received from multiple sources.
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:
  • Ensuring that all intelligence analysis processes and products align with all CBP-relevant legal authorities, policies, and guidelines; and complies with accepted standards.
  • Identifying intelligence gaps and assisting with the development of associated Essential Elements of Information required to satisfy and close the intelligence gaps.
  • Identifying trends significant to the topic or intelligence goals and preparing portions of more complex intelligence studies and/or reports.
  • Preparing a variety of speculative estimative intelligence products based on comprehensive analysis and evaluation of current intelligence information received from multiple sources.
Education Substitution: GS-11: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M. degree may substitute for 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 three years of graduate study. If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours.

There is no education substitution for the GS-12 grade level.

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. More information on this qualification standard is located here.

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 12/26/2024.
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: 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.

Training: This position has a training requirement. Selectee(s) are required to attend and successfully complete paid mandatory training. Courses currently include (but are not limited to) the Intelligence Foundations Course, Systems Exploitation Training, and the CBP Intelligence Support to Operations Course. The location will be determined at the time of training. You may be required to successfully complete the training requirement as a condition of employment. Failure to successfully complete the required course(s) of training in accordance with CBP standards and policies will result in placement into either a former or different position, demotion, or separation as determined by management and appropriate procedures.

Additional information

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

Additional Hiring and Special Appointing Authorities: See "THIS JOB IS OPEN TO" section above for what additional Appointing Authorities may apply. Veterans, military spouses, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and people 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 and to understand what documentation would be required with your application, please click on the appropriate link below. You must provide documentation supporting your eligibility prior to the closing date of this announcement. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the CBP Hiring Center via the contact information listed at the end of this job opportunity announcement.

Promotion Potential: Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.
Please view the video "Protecting America 24/7" to learn more about CBP's Office of Field Operations.

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.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12649044

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.

This self-assessment will be used to assess the following competencies or KSAs:

  • Knowledge of Intelligence Enterprise (IC) systems, databases, and message traffic at all levels of security classification used to gather and develop content for analytic products and briefings to provide situational awareness for decision makers and operators.
  • Knowledge of CBP, DHS and federal law enforcement systems and databases, and their content and application for intelligence production.
  • knowledge of unclassified open-source information systems and databases and the navigation techniques used to gather and develop content for analytical products and briefings.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in order to convey information and intelligence in an impactful manner to operators and decision makers for operational application.
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 the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12649044

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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