Seized Property Specialist

Customs and Border Protection - Department of Homeland Security

Experience: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Making recommendations to the supervisor and/or senior Seized Property Specialist (SPS) on storage requirements and storage locations for all types of seized property to include controlled substances, currency, and firearms. Assisting with determining special handling requirements for hazardous materials, biohazardous, and any other property requiring special transportation and/or unique handling. Providing technical guidance to lower grade level employees on seized property related issues. Ensuring that all seized property stored in the certified OFO permanent seizure vault complies with the packaging, labeling, and storage requirements. Providing technical guidance to lower grade level employees on seized property related issues. Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Complying with the requirements established by CBP policy in the Seized Asset Management and Enforcement Procedures Handbook (SAMEPH) for the custody, preservation, and disposition of seized or forfeited property through to solution, within the FPF Officer’s (FPFO) authority. Planning, preparing for and participating in seized property destruction operations. Determining special handling requirements for hazardous materials, biohazardous, and any other property requiring special transportation and/or unique handling. Advising the supervisor on problems, recommending solutions, and broadening their operations scope by involving the FPF Office on various issues; providing guidance to CBP and other DHS entities concerning seized property processing. Testifying in court as to the amounts and condition of seized goods and/or including explaining a complex chain of custody pertaining to items of their responsibility. 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 GS-11: You may substitute a Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M for the experience required at the GS-11 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise three years of graduate study. If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim. There is no educational substitution at the GS-12 grade level. Combining Experience and Education: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant’s total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant’s 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 an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) 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 11/06/2024. 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, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process. Polygraph Examination: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the Seized Property Specialist 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.
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, San Francisco Field Office, located in Honolulu, HI.

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