Do you desire to protect American interests and secure our Nation while building a meaningful and rewarding career? If so, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism, secure borders, enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace and ensure resiliency to disasters. The vitality and magnitude of this mission is achieved by a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.
Discover a challenging and rewarding career in CBP, the sole organization responsible for securing the nation’s borders. At U.S. Customs and Border Protection, we:
- Screen passengers, vehicles, and shipments entering our country
- Seize illegal narcotics, vehicles, and agricultural products
- Prevent unauthorized entry into the country
- Rescue individuals who fall into dangerous conditions traversing our border
For more information about CBP’s mission, activities, and careers, please see http://www.cbp.gov/ .
This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Communications Center at a Border Patrol Sector. The Communications Center operates on eight hour shifts, seven days a week, on a rotational basis. This position provides information to assist officers in detaining, apprehending and deporting aliens from the United States and facilitates officer safety by monitoring radio transmissions utilizing various communications systems. This position starts at a salary of $31,944 (GS-5 Step 1), with promotion potential to $46,294 (GS-6 Step 10). Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen the Department’s ability to protect the homeland.
Who May Apply:
- Open to all U.S. Citizens.
- For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please see http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/careers/gc_1303762131481.shtm .
Organizational Location: This position is located within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, Rio Grande Valley Sector, Mcallen Annex, McAllen, TX and Brownsville Station, Olmito, TX.
One or more selections may be made using this job opportunity announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
The open period for this job opportunity announcement may be extended to allow for a sufficient applicant pool.
TRAVEL REQUIRED
- Occasional Travel
- Occasional travel may be required
RELOCATION AUTHORIZED
KEY REQUIREMENTS
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
- You may be required to pass a background investigation
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
- Primary U.S. residency for the last three years (see “Other Information”)
- You may be required to pass initial and random drug testing
DUTIES:
Your job will include:
Providing communications and information to assist officers in detaining, apprehending and deporting aliens from the United States
Facilitating officer safety by monitoring radio transmissions utilizing various communications systems
Searching, locating and transmitting information to agents/officers such as driver’s license information, social security numbers, passport numbers, criminal records, vehicle registrations and immigration checks
Monitoring adjustable cameras and alerting agents of illegal attempts to infiltrate the border
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
GS-5: You qualify at the GS-5 level if you possess one year of specialized experience that demonstrates the ability to gather, sort and relay information from files, records and/or databases. Examples include maintaining activity or communication logs, and providing information to others using computer and/or communications equipment.
EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION:
GS-5: Successful completion of a full four-year course of study above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite can be substituted for specialized experience. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45-quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.
COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, multiply by the fraction 2/3 to convert into semester hours then divide the semester hours by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, divide your total months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of qualifying experience. Add your percentages together. The total must equal at least 100% in order to qualify.
Education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.
You must m eet all qualification requirements, including education, if applicable , subject to verification at any stage of the application process by Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
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.
This position is covered under the bargaining unit.
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.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we will use an online self-assessment questionnaire to place you in one of three categories based on your experience, education and training. Your entire application package will then be reviewed. The final determination will be based on all the information provided in your application package.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:
Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is not considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. For more information on veteran’s preference, please see: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/index.aspx
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the job questionnaire, see View Occupational Questionnaire
Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements are required to possess certain Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, or Other Characteristics (KSAOs) in order to successfully perform the duties of this position. Candidates will be asked to demonstrate their attainment of these KSAOs in their resume. The KSAOs for this position are:
Ability to communicate orally in order to establish/maintain effective working relationships with OBP agents and other law enforcement entities and to receive, transmit and relay technical information
Skill in operating computers, radio based communications equipment, sensor indications, and phone systems to transmit and receive communications
Knowledge of the geographic area serviced by the sector, the location of each repeater site, locations of patrol stations and other law enforcement agencies territorial jurisdictions
Fundamental communications skills, i.e., keyboard, verbal, and written, for purposes of comprehensive data retrieval
Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal Government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. Information about ICTAP or CTAP eligibility can be found at: http://www.opm.gov/Reduction_In_Force/employee_resources/ctap/Employee-Guideline_CTAP.asp#3a . To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well-Qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.
BENEFITS:
DHS offers competitive starting salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, vision, dental, life and long-term insurance, Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k)), Flexible Spending Account, retirement plan, Employee Assistance Program, personal leave days and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules, telework, tuition reimbursement, transportation subsidies, uniform allowance, health and wellness programs, and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and development opportunities. For more information, go to www.dhs.gov/careers and select “Benefits”.
To compare cost of living data, calculate mortgage scenarios, or gather information on communities and school districts, please visit the website: http://www.relocationessentials.com/aff/lifecare/tools/salary/col.aspx
OTHER INFORMATION:
Residency: If you are not currently a CBP employee, you must meet one or more of the following primary residency criteria for the last three years prior to applying to this announcement:
Exceptions may be granted if you provide complete state-side coverage information regarding participation in “Study Abroad” programs, overseas church missions, or state-side addresses of anyone who worked or studied with you overseas. You must provide information and related documentation at the time of application.
Background Investigation: 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 (i.e., 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. Entry into this position may require that you successfully pass a polygraph examination. For more information, please see: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/apply/mandatory_back_invest.xml .
Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.
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.
CBP
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 here, http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify ,
including your rights and responsibilities.
Every individual receives a fair opportunity throughout the federal
recruitment and hiring process. To learn more, click on the link https://hru.gov/Studio_Recruitment/tools/Mythbuster_on_Federal_Hiring_Policies.pdf
Follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Twitter @CustomsBorder
HOW TO APPLY:
To begin your online application, click “Apply Online” to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and/or required supporting documentation. Please see the “Required Documents” section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may fax your resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documents to (478) 757-3144 . You must print a copy of and document your responses to the assessment questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire using OPM Form 1203-FX http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf , and the official fax cover sheet: http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf . Please include job opportunity announcement ID 1573804 and provide your SSN, name, and address using the exact name you used when you filled out the questionnaire. If you have uploaded documents into your application, you do not need to fax those same documents.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
Resumes stored on USAJOBS will not automatically carry over to this
announcement. You must upload or fax your resume and any other applicable
supporting documentation.
or a notification from the applicable Military Department or National Guard Bureau, that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
For more information about veteran’s preference, please click this link: http://www.opm.gov/employ/veterans/html/vetguide.asp .
Please upload your resume under
“Resume” and any other applicable supporting documents mentioned
above under “Other” documents. “Other” document may not be
applicable for each applicant, but should be utilized if you are submitting
veterans documents for preference eligibility, transcripts for qualifications,
etc.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered, uploaded, or faxed is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application and you must again upload or fax it by the closing date.
AGENCY CONTACT INFO: CBP Hiring USBP and AMO Staffing
Phone: (952)857-2932
Fax: (478)757-3144
Email: CBPHIRING-OBPSTAFFING@CBP.DHS.GOV
Agency Information:
CBP Minneapolis Hiring Center
5600 American Blvd
Suite 700
Bloomington,
MN
55437-1450
USA
Fax: (478)757-3144
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