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CBP Agriculture Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Office of Field Operations, Preclearance

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, International Operations and Advisory Directorate (IOAD), International Field Office, Preclearance located in several overseas locations.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/08/2025 to 12/12/2025
Salary
$75,706 to - $98,422 per year

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

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Oranjestad, Aruba
Nassau, Bahamas
Hamilton, Bermuda
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
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
OFO-IMP-PC-ROB-12839888-MEK
Control number
851346700

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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Geographic Location: You may select up to two (2) locations where you would be willing to work.

This position starts at a salary of $75,706.00 (GS-12 Step 1) to $98,422.00 (GS-12, Step 10).

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

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:

  • Serving as a technical consultant and providing expert guidance to CBP Officers, travelers, host country agencies, and others on the interpretative techniques and regulatory requirements (including complex and unusual issues and requirements) pertaining to the processing of agriculture related material.
  • Interacting with other CBP units, other agencies, and foreign entities to exchange information and provide guidance on admissibility and/or compliance.
  • Responding to a wide range of technical and regulatory agricultural inquiries from within CBP, other agencies, the public and industry which requires expertise, experience, sound judgment, diplomacy, tact and in-depth knowledge of applicable laws, quarantines, regulations, regulatory requirements of other agencies, and port operations.
  • Participating in target and analysis teams (e.g., Manifest Review Units, Document Analysis Units, and Passenger Analysis Units) to collect and analyze advanced information, and identify potential high risk agricultural and biological targets (people or conveyance) based on anomalies, emerging agricultural and biological threats, lookouts, links analysis and/or other agency input.

This is a Reassignment Opportunity Bulletin. You must be currently serving or have previously 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 0401 series within the last five years to qualify under this Bulletin. If you are currently serving in the 0401 series as a GS-12 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 up to a maximum of six years depending on the host country and the Department of State. 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.

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 and your dependents must pass a State Department medical examination
  • You and your dependents must obtain a valid passport
  • 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
  • You and your dependent(s) must be able to obtain a valid UAE Visa, if selected for Abu Dhabi
  • 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.
  • Motor Vehicle Operation: You must possess the Ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid, non-restricted driver's license is required
  • 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

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 0401 series within the last five years.

Your experience as indicated in your resume must demonstrate the following:

  • Analyzing a wide variety of agriculture-related material, pests or diseases including the very difficult, complex and unusual finds submitted by other agriculture inspection personnel.
  • Serving as a consultant in identifying a wide range of insects and related pests associated with the inspection of conveyances and passengers.
  • Serving as a trouble-shooter, handling the most unusual agriculture commodity or pest problems.
  • Compiling data, maintaining logs, and preparing reports on inspection operations.
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 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 12/12/2025.
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

Polygraph Examination: The CBP Agriculture Specialist (CBPAS) 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.

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 2 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.

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.

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).

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 who accompany you on home leave to your residence in the United States.

You must be admissible to the country you are selected for before a final offer is issued. Employees must select the locations of interest and review the admissibility requirements of those countries. You must certify that if accompanied, your family members, are admissible to enter and temporarily reside in the country. Follow this link to the admissibility requirements of each country.

You 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 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: IOADSTAFFING@cbp.dhs.gov

Education

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

Living Quarters Allowances (not payable if claiming temporary lodging allowance): Employees receive 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 that 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.

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

Medical Requirements: The Agriculture Specialist position has medical qualification standards. A pre-placement medical examination is required to ensure those tasked with the position's responsibilities are medically and physically capable of performing the essential tasks and job functions in an efficient and safe manner without endangering the health and safety of co-workers, the public, or oneself. Persons in this position must demonstrate they are physically and mentally capable of performing the essential functions of the position. The medical qualification standards cover any disease or condition that may potentially interfere with the safe and efficient performance of the job duties or training may constitute grounds for medical disqualification. The medical standards also include specific vision and hearing requirements as noted below.

Vision:

  • Distant Visual Acuity: Must be at least 20/30 or better in the best eye with or without correction. Individuals who have undergone refractive eye surgeries/procedures (e.g., photorefractive laser surgery, keratoplast, LASIK) may be qualified provided they have no post-operative adverse complications and they meet the vision requirements.
  • Near Vision: Must be 20/30 or better Snellen with or without corrective lenses.
  • Color Vision: Must be able to distinguish colors (i.e., red, green, yellow, blue, orange, purple, pink, brown, black, white, gray). Use of an X-chrome lens is not acceptable.
  • Visual Fields: a minimum of 140 degrees in the horizontal meridian.

Hearing:

  • Hearing level in each ear must not exceed 40 decibels (dB) for the average of the following frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz (Hz).
  • The difference in hearing level between the better ear thresholds and worse ear thresholds may not exceed 15dB for the average of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz.
  • The difference in hearing level between the better ear and worse ear may not exceed 30dB at 4000 or 6000 Hz.
  • The use of hearing aids to meet the standards is acceptable.

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

Additional information

Responsibilities for Preclearance Employees Who Are Stationed in Canada with Privately Owned Vehicles: In accordance with 3 FAM 4124, All U.S. direct-hire Americans under Chief of Mission authority must obtain appropriate provincial vehicle registration, provincial license plates, provincial driver's licenses, and local insurance if they or their family members operate a privately-owned vehicle.

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

Data Systems: You will be required to maintain access to all data systems necessary for duty execution.

Shift work: You will be required to perform work on a shift and rotational basis.

Overtime: You must be readily available to work overtime on a scheduled or unscheduled basis in excess of the 40-hour work week.

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.

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 this link.

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.

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.

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/12839888

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.

Selection Certificates: Applications will not be rated. All eligible candidates will be referred to management in name order. A series of vacancy questions will be used to determine your eligibility.

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

  • Knowledge of biological and agricultural science and of APHIS programs, activities, and regulations sufficient to 1) independently apply established methods and procedures in the performance of survey, control, and regulatory work; and 2) generally recognize plant pests of environmental/economic significance.
  • Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, and procedures governing the importation and movement of passengers, as well as changing initiatives and threats to properly enforce CBP policy, APHIS regulations, and mitigate the potential introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and agro-terrorism into the United States.
  • Skilled in interviewing and observational techniques, document review, behavioral and cultural analysis, and decision-making in order to perform the risk assessment required to process, identify, release or refer persons, conveyances or cargo for compliance with agricultural regulations.
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.

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/12839888

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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