Supervisory CBP Agricultural Specialist

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Tucson Field Office, Area Port of Nogales, Nogales, Arizona. Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Duties

• You will serve as a first-line Supervisory CBP Agriculture Specialist (SCBPAS), responsible for directing, coordinating, assigning, organizing, and evaluating work activities, such as inspection, intelligence analysis, examination, and enforcement activities relative to the importation and exportation of plants, plant products, restricted or prohibited miscellaneous articles, meat, and animal by-products in commercial cargo, by passengers and their baggage, foreign mail, and via all means of conveyances at Ports Of Entries (POE). This position starts at a salary of $108,455.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $140,994.00 (GS-13, Step 10). Typical work duties include: Supervising shift operations and oversees the Agriculture Program within the Ports of Entry (POE). Providing technical advice on the interpretive techniques and regulatory requirements pertaining to the processing of all agriculture-related cargo and material. Guiding CBP Agriculture Specialists and interacts with carriers, brokers, researchers, industry, travelers and other agencies and foreign entities to exchange information and provide guidance on agriculture cargo admissibility and/or compliance. Applying the laws and regulations of a wide range of Federal, state, and local agencies, including those relating to the admissibility of agriculture commodities and the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States. GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position. Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts.

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement in order to be considered for this position. Eligibility will be verified based on your submitted transcripts and resume. More information on this requirement can be found in the CBP Agriculture Specialist Qualification Aid and in the OPM Qualification Standards. Basic Requirement for the CBP Agriculture Specialist: 1. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, animal science, plant science, pest management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR 2. Combination of education and experience: Completed at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in a qualifying field of study, as shown above, PLUS qualifying experience or additional education. To determine if you meet the combination, you must divide the months of qualifying experience by 48; next, divide the number of undergraduate semester hours by 120 (or 180 for undergraduate quarter hours) and the two percentages must total at least 100%. You qualify for this position if you meet the basic requirement listed above and possess one year of specialized experience as described below. Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Serving as a technical consultant and providing guidance to CBPAS, CBP Officers, researchers, brokers, industry, travelers, Federal/state/local agencies, and others on the interpretative techniques and regulatory requirements pertaining to the processing of all agriculture-related cargo and material. Advising CBP management and industry on a wide variety of complex determinations, including referral to other agencies, on the entry requirements of agriculture-related cargo. Compiling data, maintains logs, and prepares daily/monthly work accomplishment reports on inspection operations. Applying the laws and regulations of a wide range of Federal, state, and local agencies, including those relating to the admissibility of agriculture commodities and the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States. Serving as coach and mentor of lower level CBP Agriculture Specialists on a regular and recurring basis. 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. Transcripts: If you have never held a position in the GS-0401 series with Customs and Border Protection, you are required to submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. 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 . 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. 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. 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: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the position, however, at this time a polygraph is not a pre-employment requirement. If CBP decides to implement the polygraph as a pre-employment requirement while you are in the hiring process, CBP will notify you and provide additional information. 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. Data Systems: You will be required to maintain access to all data systems necessary for duty execution. Uniform: You will be required to wear an officially approved uniform while in a duty status. 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 and Environmental Conditions: The work environment includes offices, aircraft operation areas, airline passenger and cargo 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. 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 eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

Requirements

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. Leadership Training: All newly appointed first-time CBP Supervisors 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 3 weeks of in residence training in Harpers Ferry, WV. Note: This training may be waived if previously completed. All first-line appointed supervisors, who have never completed a supervisory probationary period are required to successfully complete the Essential Supervisory Skills (ESS) course during their supervisory probationary period. Failure to successfully complete the ESS course within the supervisory probationary period will result in the employee being removed from the position.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13000824 After CBP completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements. You will be ranked on the basis of the scores received on your Promotional Assessment. You must have a current, valid score by 07/21/2026 if you have not held the GS-13 on a permanent basis, or if you have been demoted due to performance or conduct reasons. You do not need to have a current, valid test score if you have permanently held a position at the GS-13 or higher. Your application record will remain in a pending status until after the announcement closes, at which time we will upload test scores. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics). Knowledge of biological and agricultural science and of APHIS programs, activities, and regulations. Knowledge of a wide range of analytical and evaluative methods plus a thorough understanding of CBP goals and programs to select and apply appropriate evaluation and measurement techniques to meet project needs. Knowledge of planning, programming, management techniques, strategies, and tools, used to examine and improve process operations. Ability to carry out and lead studies by applying advanced analytical and statistical methods and techniques. Ability to communicate orally and in writing used to direct, explain, guide, counsel, question, and respond to complex and complicated concepts and situations to a wide variety of people with varying technical expertise, educational background, organizational knowledge, and often, strongly held points of view. 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. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13000824 In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Education

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

Required Documents

Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords. Your resume must only be two pages or less and uploaded under the document type - Resume. No additional document types will be reviewed as part of your resume, only the most recently uploaded version of your resume will be reviewed. Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13000824 Your responses to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND an SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases, and accessions. Your transcripts: All applicants are required to submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable at this time; however, official copies will be required prior to entrance on duty) or a list of coursework with hours completed provided from the institution. If you are a current CBP employee within the position series announced, transcripts will not be required at the time of application; however, education will be verified if you are selected and you may be required to submit transcripts at that time. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials. Note: If submitting documentation of an evaluation, transcripts are still required. For a listing of some accrediting agencies see NACES | Credentials Evaluations Provided by NACES Members. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your initial and termination SF-50s, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards. Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

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 for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. 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 07/27/2026. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application and you must again upload it by the closing date. Please upload your resume under the "Resume" document type. Any other relevant supporting documents should be uploaded under their appropriate document types as mentioned above. Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Do not submit documents as a PDF Portfolios. You may submit a curriculum vitae (CV) and attach in the "other document" option. Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; 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 developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to [email protected]. View common definitions of terms in this announcement.

Security Clearance

Not Required

Other Information

Motor Vehicle Operation: You must possess the ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid, non-restricted driver's license is required. Rotational Assignments/Duty Locations: Mission needs may require rotation of assignments and duty locations. Must be willing to oversee multiple locations in multiple ports. Supervisory Probationary Period: You may be required to serve an 18 month probationary period upon appointment. Training: This position has a training requirement. Selectee(s) are required to attend and successfully complete a 59 days of paid training by the US Department of Agriculture and CBP Field Operations Academy (FOA) Prior to arriving at the FOA, you must complete 10 days of pre-academy training. Following the completion of the FOA, you must complete 13-weeks of post-academy training at 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. 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.