Experience Requirements for GS-5 level: You must have at least three (3) complete years of general experience that requires the ability to meet and deal with people and the ability to learn and apply a body of facts. Examples of such duties include explaining administrative requirements and procedures to others and screening forms to ensure that they are completed properly in accordance with requirements. Positions involving lead and supervisory duties or operating a business should also have provided the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The performance of predominately typing, filing, copying, messenger duties, or other purely mechanical tasks is not creditable as general experience, nor is experience in trades, crafts, or equipment operator work.
Experience Requirements for GS-7 level: You must have one (1) complete year of specialized experience that entails performance of substantive duties in inspections work at borders, seaports, airports or other ports of entry and/or work involving preliminary screening of persons for entry and immigration status, or compliance/regulatory work. Inspections experience must have demonstrated the ability to apply specialized knowledge of the laws, regulations, and procedures for importing and exporting merchandise to and from the United States and/or law enforcement work at the local, State and Federal levels, which included dealing with persons suspected of entering the United States illegally. Compliance/regulatory work experience must have demonstrated the ability to collect, develop, and evaluate facts, evidence, and pertinent data in assessing compliance with or violations of laws, rules or regulations. Specialized experience is generally gained in the performance of the duties of the following kinds of positions in the private/public sectors: Inspector, Auditor, Analyst, Examiner, Administrator, and Investigator as well as some Technicians and Assistants.
Substitution of Education: If you do not have the work experience described above, four (4) academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree or a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university can be substituted and is fully qualifying for the GS-5 grade level. For the GS-7 grade level, one (1) full year of graduate education in law or in fields related to law enforcement (e.g. criminal justice, police science, etc.) is qualifying. You may substitute superior academic achievement for the experience required at the GS-7 level. You must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; class standing in the upper third of a graduating class or major subdivision; or membership in a national scholastic honor society.
Combining qualifying experience and education: If you do not qualify based on experience or education alone, you may be able to qualify based on a combination or your experience and education.
Firearm Proficiency: Firearm proficiency is required for all CBP Officers and is part of the training provided at the academy.
Current Federal Employees: Current federal employees who apply to this announcement will be required to serve a probationary period in accordance with 5 CFR 315 and may be required to accept a change to lower grade which may reduce their salary based on Federal pay regulations. Note: If you are a current GS-12 step 1 your salary will be reduced to a GS-7 step 10 which equates to an approximate $20,000 salary reduction (based on locality). Re-promotion is not guaranteed. Timeframes and grade level re-promotion is at the discretion of the agency and will be subject to a probationary period.
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.
Formal Training: New CBP Officers will complete a paid pre-academy orientation for approximately 30 days at their home port prior to attending the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) for approximately 17-19 weeks at Brunswick, GA. Candidates selected for duty locations where they are required to be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish will be required to either pass a Spanish language proficiency examination or attend a 6-week long Spanish immersion class at FLETC. For more information on training at FLETC please visit the website at: www.FLETC.gov/
Uniform: This position requires wearing an officially approved uniform while in a duty status. CBP Officers receive a uniform allowance to offset the cost of purchasing the required CBP Officer uniform.
Shift Work: This position requires regular and recurring shift work. You must be willing and available to work rotating shifts. You may also be rotated between assignments and duty locations.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Your resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to ensure you meet the qualification requirements. If you meet the qualifications, you must take and pass the CBP Officer Entrance Examination; you will receive an email invitation to schedule a date/time/place to complete the exam.
The examination contains the following (3) assessments: Reasoning Skills, Writing Skills, and the CBP Experience Record. To be eligible, applicants must pass the examination with a score of at least 70. Proper test preparation is essential for the successful candidate. We strongly encourage you to review the study guide available at: http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cprepmanual_3.pdf
You should also take the CBP Officer Pre-test (sample entrance exam). The pre-test will give you a preview of the types of items/questions you can expect to see on the actual exam.
The pre-test can be found at: https://www.usajobsassess.gov/assess/pretest/landing
You will not be able to retake the examination for one year (from the date of exam) regardless of whether you pass or fail.
Exam scores prior to June 2014 are not valid.
Reasonable Accommodations for taking the entrance examination are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, both as amended. If you believe you have a physical or mental disability that would interfere with completing the entrance exam, you must (1) indicate your request for a reasonable accommodation in the online questionnaire associated with this announcement, (2) complete the necessary request form before the last day of the job opening. You are required to submit proper documentation supporting your reasonable accommodation request. For more information about the reasonable accommodation process and to access the request form, please go to: https://www.usajobs.gov/content/pdfs/CBPAssessReasonableAccommodation.pdf. If your request is approved, you will be allowed to test with an accommodation. If your request is not approved, you will be allowed to take the standard version of the exam.
If you pass the entrance examination, you will be placed in one of the following categories for referral and consideration:
• Best Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications.
• Very Highly Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a very considerable extent, the minimum qualifications.
• Highly Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds, to a considerable extent, the minimum qualifications.
• Well Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that marginally exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and who demonstrate average proficiency in most of the critical competencies.
• Qualified: Applicants possessing the type and quality of experience that meets the minimum qualifications.
Veterans with 5-point preference or 10-point non-compensable preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on grade levels.
Passing the entrance exam does not guarantee selection.
