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Telecommunication Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Information and Technology

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Information and Technology, Field Support Directorate, West and Southwest Region.

Vacancies are as follows:

  • 3 - San Diego, CA
  • 2 - Wellton, AZ
  • 1 - Tucson, AZ
  • 1 - Douglas, AZ
Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/16/2026 to 01/23/2026
Salary
$74,678 to - $116,362 per year

Salary reflects the Rest of U.S. scale and, if applicable, will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the duty location upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Locations
7 vacancies in the following locations:
Douglas, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Wellton, AZ
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
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
OIT-IMP-12863054-SY
Control number
854626000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position; Career Transition Assistance Plan CBP employees.

Duties

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Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Information and Technology will allow you to use your communication skills to design, develop, and monitor voice, data, and video surveillance systems. This position starts at a salary of $74,678.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $116,362.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $116,362 (GS-12 Step 10).

In this Telecommunications Specialist position, you will become a key member of Homeland Security professionals by coordinating and conducting performance measurements on new and advanced wireless telecommunication equipment and techniques. Typical work assignments include:

  • Installing, troubleshooting, repairing, redesigning, and maintaining telecommunications systems.
  • Configuring and maintaining telecommunication networks and applications, such as intrusion detection systems, land, mobile radio communication, and video surveillance.
  • Resolving telecommunication equipment failure and unsatisfactory performance problems.
  • Providing recommendations and proposals on new and advance equipment and techniques based on performance capabilities, limitations, and cost.
GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position.Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts.

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)
  • All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English
  • 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.
  • Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU

Qualifications

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement.

Experience:
Experience in evaluating, analyzing, developing, managing, or improving communications systems, procedures, and requirements that demonstrated knowledge of current developments and trends in communications concepts and technology.

Along with the basic requirement listed above you must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience and or education described below to qualify for this position.

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:

  • Maintaining telecommunication system performance through use of established tools and instructions.
  • Assisting in installing, configuring, troubleshooting, repairing, maintaining and operational testing of telecommunications systems including, but not limited to: voice communications, telecommunications, stationary and mobile video and radar surveillance systems, microwave systems, fiber optic equipment, wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), switched equipment, intrusion detection and access control systems.
  • Assisting with the installation of permanent and temporary tower related equipment, ie Antennas, transmission lines, emergency generators, RF/Wireline and AC polyphaser (lightening protection) grounding rods and other peripheral site equipment as required.
  • Monitoring and alerting telecommunication managers regarding deterioration in system performance
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:
  • Inspecting newly installed telecommunication equipment for conformance to performance requirements.
  • Revolving telecommunications equipment failure or unsatisfactory performance problems.
  • Installing, configuring, troubleshooting, repairing, maintaining and operational testing of telecommunications systems including, but not limited to: voice communications, telecommunications, stationary and mobile video and radar surveillance systems, microwave systems, fiber optic equipment, wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), switched equipment, intrusion detection and access control systems.
  • Configuring and maintaining the telecommunications network to service applications such as intrusion detection systems, encrypted voice land/mobile radio communication systems, and the local area network (LAN).
  • Overseeing the installation of permanent and temporary tower related equipment, ie Antennas, transmission lines, emergency generators, RF/Wireline and AC polyphaser (lightening protection) grounding rods and other peripheral site equipment as required.
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: Please see education section for additional details regarding education substitution.

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 01/23/2026.
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 on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

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.

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. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.

Education

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

Education Substitution GS-11: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent Doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in an accredited college or university, or an LL.M. (if related), may be substituted for experience at this grade level. Such education must have a major study in electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields related to the position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 54 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 3 years of full-time study requirement.

Education Substitution GS-12: There is no education substitution at the GS-12 grade level for this position.

Combining Experience and Education (GS-11): To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. The combined total of your percentage of education and experience must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert the quarter hours into semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by the fraction 2/3. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, you must divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages of education and experience. The two percentages must total at least 100%.

Additional information

Location Preference: You may select only ONE location where you would be willing to work.

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

Commercial Driver's License (CDL): You may be required to maintain a valid commercial driver's license (CDL).

Overtime: This position may require uncontrollable, unscheduled overtime in excess of the 40-hour work week.

On Call: This position may require the incumbent to be on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Passport: There may be international duty assignments which would require you to obtain and maintain an official passport.

Physical demands:

  • You will be required to climb tall ladders, towers, and other structures.
  • You will be required to perform lifting and/or moving of equipment in excess of 50 pounds.
  • The work may be performed in an electronics shop, remote sites (which may require alternative modes of transportation), and/or in outlying and remote stations.
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.

Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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/12863054

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. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics).

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

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Decision Making
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
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/12863054

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.

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