Supervisory CBP Officer (Assistant Port Director)

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, El Paso Field Office, Passenger Inspection Division, located in El Paso Field Office.

Duties

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This position starts at a salary of $152,040.00 (GS-15, Step 1) to $197,200.00 (GS-15, Step 10).

In this Supervisory CBP Officer (Assistant Port Director) position you will become a key member of a team of Homeland Security professionals leading and managing a variety of law enforcement programs. Typical work assignments include:

• Ensuring full and proper use of the Advanced Targeting Systems, non-intrusive inspection equipment, radiation detection devices and canine enforcement teams specially trained to detect chemical or biological weapons, narcotics, or currency.
• Managing highly-skilled and trained work unit that serves as first responders.
• Managing the myriad of cargo and passenger-related programs, processes, and facilities within their area of responsibility.
• Managing through subordinate supervisors significant programs that cross over functional areas to include the Bid, Rotation and Placement program, on-site operational training programs and Intelligence Driven Special Operations involving multiple locations and managers.
• Resolving conflicts between subordinate CBP employees, travelers or importing public that cannot be by subordinate supervisors or that require deviation from operational policy.

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 and/or polygraph
• CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
• Firearm Requirement:This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. An applicant whose background includes any of the following will be ineligible for consideration: 1) convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year; 2) has any outstanding warrants or is a fugitive from justice; 3) unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; 4) adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution; 5) illegally or unlawfully in the United States; 6) renounced U. S. citizenship; 7) subject to a court-ordered restraining (protection) order from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (spouse, former spouse, parent of applicant's child, individual who cohabitates or has cohabitated with the applicant), or child; or 8) convicted under Federal, State, or Tribal Court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against an intimate partner or child.
• Motor Vehicle Operation: You must possess the Ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid, non-restricted driver's license is required.
• Financial Disclosure is required.
• Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

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-15 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Managing and overseeing port operations across multiple environments (air, land, and/or sea), including the inspection and enforcement of persons, cargo, and conveyances at ports of entry.
• Interpreting and applying federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to admissibility, import/export compliance, anti-smuggling, and anti-terrorism activities.
• Providing technical guidance and making determinations regarding traveler and cargo admissibility, enforcement actions, and compliance with trade and security regulations.
• Executing budgets, approving overtime, and resolving operational conflicts between programs with competing priorities.
• Supervising a large bargaining unit workforce through subordinate supervisors, ensuring fair performance standards, applying collective bargaining agreements, engaging with union representatives, and addressing integrity and ethics concerns by resolving work problems and reviewing staff evaluations.

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.

Secondary CBPO Special Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary position subject to mandatory retirement under the special retirement provisions for Customs and Border Protection Officers (5 CFR [redacted]; 5 USC 8425(b), 5 USC 8335(b); and 5 USC 8412(d). Employees in secondary positions must meet the following conditions in order to be eligible for special retirement provisions: moved directly from a primary position to a secondary position without a break in service; complete 3 years of service in a primary position; and, if applicable, have been continuously employed in a secondary position or positions since moving from a rigorous position without a break in service exceeding 3 days. For more information on required years of service and retirement age, click on this link If you have questions regarding your retirement coverage provisions, please contact the CBP Retirement Operations Center at [redacted].

The customs and border protection officer mandatory separation provisions of 5 USC 8425 do not apply to an individual first appointed as a customs and border protection officer before July 6, 2008.

Administrative Secondary CBP Officer (CBPO) Special Retirement Coverage (SRC) Requirement: This position meets the definition of secondary administrative CBPO SRC under the laws and regulations defined in 5 U.S.C. 8331 (31), Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and General Provisions for CBPO defined in 5 U.S.C. 8401(36), Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The criterion is that knowledge, skill and ability in a position deemed to meet primary CBPO SRC is a mandatory prerequisite to satisfactorily perform the major duties and responsibilities of this job. The conditions for coverage of a secondary position are contained in 5 C.F.R. for CSRS and 5 C.F.R. for FERS. As defined in 5 C.F.R. CSRS and 5 CFR FERS, to be eligible for this secondary administrative CBP) SRC position you must have permanently served in a primary CBPO SRC position, e.g. Customs Inspector, GS-1890; Immigration Inspector, GS-1816; Canine Enforcement Officer, GS-1801; or CBP Officer, GS-1895.

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 10/23/2026.

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

Polygraph Examination: The Supervisory CBP Officer (Assistant Port Director) 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.

Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package.

Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package.

Probationary Period: Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

If you are not a current GS-1895, and you are selected, you will have to meet the following medical/physical standards:

Physical/Medical Requirements: Following a tentative job offer, candidates must undergo and successfully complete a medical screening process. Individuals must be medically and physically capable of performing the essential job functions and duties of the position safely and efficiently without endangering the health and safety of the individual, others, or national security. For more information regarding the medical screening process and requirements, check out our video and visit our website.

Physical Fitness Test: You will be required to successfully pass the Pre-employment Fitness Test. Please view both Hiring Process Deep Dive Video: The Fitness Test and Pre-Employment Fitness Test Physical Readiness Program, a 6-week program designed to assist you in achieving a level of physical fitness that will help you successfully pass the CBP fitness test.

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 101-days of paid training at the CBP Field Operations Academy (FOA) in Glynco, GA. Prior to arriving at the FOA, selectee's must complete approximately 7-10 days of pre-academy training. Upon successful completion of FOA training, selectee's must complete an additional 14-17 weeks of post-academy training the selectee(s) assigned duty station. 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

Supervisory Probationary Period: You may be required to serve an 18 month probationary period upon appointment.

Leadership Training: All newly appointed GS-15s are required to complete mandatory training. The training will be scheduled by the Office of Training and Development within the first 90 days of appointment. The duration of the training will include 5 weeks of in residence training in Harpers Ferry, WV. Note: This training may be waived if previously completed.

Selectees may be required to successfully complete the Essential Supervisory Skills (ESS) course. Failure to successfully complete t