SUPERVISORY CBP AGRICULTURE SPECIALIST (FIRST LINE)

Overview
Accepting applications

Open & closing dates
Opening and closing dates05/04/2021 to 05/10/2021
Service

Competitive

Pay scale & grade

GS 13

Salary
$98,151 to $127,597 per year
Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time
Duties SummaryAs our nation navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP is committed to delivering our mission to safeguard America's borders and enable legitimate trade and travel. Staffing mission critical positions remains a high priority. Be reassured that CBP is still hiring, despite potential hiring process step delays due to restrictions to in-person activities.ResponsibilitiesOrganizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Miami Field Office in West Palm Beach, FL.
This position starts at a salary of $98,151.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $127,597.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $127,597 (GS-13 Step 10).
In this first-line supervisory position you will become a key member of a team of Homeland Security professionals detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. Typical work assignments include:
Supervising a medium to large staff, and performing a full range of supervisory functions.Resolving conflicts between CBP Agriculture Specialists, travelers or importing public.Responding to and resolving technical and operational questions.Providing guidance and training, communicating intelligence and enforcement information.Monitoring methods and quality of services provided to customers.Travel RequiredOccasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Supervisory status

Yes

Promotion Potential

13
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this positionMales born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective ServicePrimary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures QualificationsExperience: 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:
analyzing a wide variety of agriculture-related material, pests or diseases including the very difficult, complex and unusual finds submitted by other agriculture inspection personnelserving as a consultant in identifying a wide range of insects and related pests associated with the inspection of conveyances and passengersserving as a trouble-shooter, handling the most unusual agriculture commodity or pest problems.Education Requirement: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences (including botany, entomology, and plant pathology), agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines (e.g., ecology). If you have not completed the above described education, you must have completed at least 24 semester hours in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or a related discipline at an accredited college or university plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience may include working in such areas as pest management, environmental monitoring, farm management, agricultural commodity importation and/or exportation, or other related experience in pest/pathogen detection, regulation, eradication, and control.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.
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; andMeet 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 05/10/2021.
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 more information visit this link.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 militaryA dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. governmentParticipation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or universityWorking as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. governmentProbationary 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.
This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.Supervisory Probationary Period: You may be required to serve an 18 month probationary period upon appointment.Supervisory Training: All newly appointed, first-time permanent 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 three weeks of in residence training in Harpers Ferry, WV. Note: This training may be waived if previously completed.Training: You may be required to attend 8-12 weeks of training at the Professional Development Center in Frederick, Maryland. Failure to successfully complete the training may be grounds for mandatory removal from the position. Such failure will result in either reassignment to another position, demotion, or separation by appropriate procedures.Data Systems: You will be required to maintain access to all data systems necessary for duty execution.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.Uniform: You will be required to wear an officially approved uniform while in a duty status.Medical Requirements: The Agriculture Specialist position has medical qualification standards. A pre-placement medical examination is required to ensure those tasked with the position's responsibilities are medically and physically capable of performing the essential tasks and job functions in an efficient and safe manner without endangering the health and safety of co-workers, the public, or oneself. Persons in this position must demonstrate they are physically and mentally capable of performing the essential functions of the position. The medical qualification standards cover any disease or condition that may potentially interfere with the safe and efficient performance of the job duties or training may constitute grounds for medical disqualification. The medical standards also include specific vision and hearing requirements as noted below.
Education
Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.Additional informationVision:
Distant Visual Acuity: Must be at least 20/30 or better in the best eye with or without correction. Individuals who have undergone refractive eye surgeries/procedures (e.g., photorefractive laser surgery, keratoplast, LASIK) may be qualified provided they have no post-operative adverse complications and they meet the vision requirements.Near Vision: Must be 20/30 or better Snellen with or without corrective lenses.Color Vision: Must be able to distinguish colors (i.e., red, green, yellow, blue, orange, purple, pink, brown, black, white, gray). Use of an X-chrome lens is not acceptable.Visual Fields: a minimum of 140 degrees in the horizontal meridian.
Hearing:

Hearing level in each ear must not exceed 40 decibels (dB) for the average of the following frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hertz (Hz).The difference in hearing level between the better ear thresholds and worse ear thresholds may not exceed 15dB for the average of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz.The difference in hearing level between the better ear and worse ear may not exceed 30dB at 4000 or 6000 Hz.The use of hearing aids to meet the standards is acceptable.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.
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.
Please view the video "Protecting America 24/7" to learn more about CBP's Office of Field Operations.
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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. How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.
The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:
Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements are required to possess certain Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, or Other Characteristics (KSAOs) to successfully perform the functions of this position. Candidates will be asked to demonstrate their attainment of these KSAOs in their resume. The KSAOs are:
Knowledge of and ability to interpret laws, rules, regulations and procedures related to passengers, mail and cargo.Knowledge of biological and agricultural science and of APHIS programs and regulations.Expert knowledge of elements of search, behavioral observation and questioning techniques.Knowledge of principles and techniques of management including responsibilities relative to bargaining unit employees.Agriculture Specialist Promotional Assessment: Qualified U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) candidates will be ranked on the basis of the scores received on your CBP Agriculture Specialist Promotional Assessment. Competitive applicants must have a valid test score when the announcement opens, otherwise we cannot consider you for this position. Alternate staffing (non-competitive) candidates need not have a current, valid test score. Alternate Staffing (Non-Competitive) candidates include applicants who have permanently held a position at the highest grade level announced or higher.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire 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 eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.
Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance
Not Required
Drug test required
Yes
This job is open to
Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.
Clarification from the agency
Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position