Mission Support Specialist

In this position you will be responsible for providing guidance and technical advice across a variety of mission support functional areas for a Field Office or Port of Entry applying fundamental administrative principles and techniques.

By ensuring efficient compliant and well-coordinated mission support operations this position enables CBP operational staff and leadership to focus on core law enforcement and border security activities.

This position starts at a salary of $64111.00 (GS-09 Step 1) to $83349.00 (GS-09 Step 10).

You will perform assignments of moderate difficulty that will require reviewing interpreting and applying regulations policies and precedent cases.

Major duties may include but are not limited to:

• Providing management advisory services on mission support issues of limited scope analyzing segments of broader operational or administrative problems and presenting options to supervisors or managers.
• Reviewing and verifying documentation and data from multiple sources to assess relevant facts ensure regulatory and procedural compliance and identify or reconcile discrepancies and inconsistencies.
• Researching applicable regulations policies and precedent decisions to interpret guidance adapt existing procedures to specific cases and support recommendations on mission support matters.
• Analyzing mission support processes and administrative practices to identify interdependencies with related functions (e.g. logistics safety human resources) and recommending procedural or documentation changes when appropriate.
• Coordinating with managers and staff across CBP offices to plan and carry out mission support projects tracking actions and maintaining records that support executive-level administrative decisions and activities.

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 is a bargaining unit covered position represented under the National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see vacancy has a local commuting area requirement as defined below:
  • The area surrounding the duty station by which people reasonably travel back and forth from home to work; Or
  • The employees permanent duty station is located within the reasonable travel area surrounding the duty station of this vacancy; Or if applicable
  • For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted for more than 1 year to another duty location the detailed or temporary duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes. For employees detailed or temporarily promoted for less than one year the permanent duty location is considered the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.

  Qualifications

  Experience: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level performing duties such as:

  • Assisting with planning and information-gathering for mission support issues and unusual circumstances.
  • Assisting with identifying basic ways to improve mission support services in relation to managements objectives.
  • Assessing situations with conflicting or incomplete data using basic analytical techniques.
  • Participating in analyzing the impact of changes in laws regulations or policies on management services.
  • Assisting with reconciling conflicting information and defining issues in terms of applicable laws policies and regulations.
  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.
  
  Education Substitution: Successful completion of a Masters or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the experience required at the GS-09 grade level. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work and have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim
  
  Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the GS-09 grade level and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify for grade GS-09. More information on this qualification standard is located here.
  
  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; 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 02/05/2026.
  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 agencys 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.
  
  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 OPMs 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.

  Education

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

  Additional information

  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 CBPs 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.

  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.

  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.