Intelligence Research Specialist

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, National Targeting Center located in Sterling, VA or Washington, DC.

This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first. It is recommended that you apply as soon as possible in order to receive consideration.

Duties

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This position conducts all-source intelligence research, targeting, and analysis in support of counterterrorism, border security, homeland security, and related missions. The incumbent collects, evaluates, integrates, and analyzes information from classified and unclassified sources to identify potential threat actors, associations, travel patterns, movements, and other indicators. The incumbent develops targets; produces analytic assessments, intelligence reporting, and other mission-related products; and coordinates with CBP personnel and mission partners to support targeting and operational decision-making. This position starts at a salary of $121,785.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $158,322.00 (GS-13, Step 10). Apply for this exciting opportunity to direct programs that strengthen the Department's ability to protect the homeland.

Major duties for this position include but are not limited to:

• Conducting all-source, multi-disciplined research using limited derogatory information, threat indicators, or other leads to identify potential threat actors, associations, travel patterns, and movements, and to develop targets in support of a counterterrorism mission.
• Leveraging classified and unclassified tools, systems, and datasets to create analytical assessments on known or previously unidentified threat actors, with emphasis on technical signals analysis, network development, and pattern-of-life analysis.
• Conducting follow-on analysis of selected targets using interview notes, document exploitation, media exploitation, and other available reporting or source material.
• Drafting, editing, and publishing analytical findings and summaries of action in standardized cable or intelligence reporting formats for dissemination to partners and the broader intelligence community.
• Establishing and maintaining working relationships with unit personnel and mission partners through training, instruction, and knowledge sharing to facilitate the transfer of intelligence knowledge, techniques, expertise, and best practices in support of CBP's targeting mission.

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 position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Conducting targeting or target development in support of intelligence, counterterrorism, law enforcement, border security, homeland security, national security, or related missions;
• Reading, evaluating, extracting, synthesizing, and writing relevant information from serialized reporting, finished intelligence, operational reporting, law enforcement information, or other source material;
• Analyzing and integrating information from multiple intelligence, law enforcement, technical, open-source, travel, trade, immigration, biometric, biographic, financial, or other datasets to support intelligence production, targeting, or operational decision-making.

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 by 10/28/2026.

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.

Education

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

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and 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 eligible under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well-Qualified category for this position, as described within this announcement. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this job announcement.

Additional information

Security Clearance: If selected for this position, you will be required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information security clearance.

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.

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

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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.