Supervisory CBP Agriculture Specialist

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Baltimore Field Office, Port of Norfolk, located in Norfolk, VA .

Duties

• CBP employees demonstrate the highest level of commitment to protect and serve the United States of America and to exemplify the CBP Core Values of Vigilance, Service to Country and Integrity. Learn more about CBP's mission, core values and careers at https://www.cbp.gov/about Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to perform a full range of inspection, intelligence, analysis, examination, and regulatory enforcement activities of agricultural commodities in various environments. Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen Homeland Security by that protect America's homeland through the detection, interdiction, and apprehension of those who attempt to illegally enter or smuggle any person or contraband at the POEs; and to facilitate the orderly and efficient flow of legitimate trade. This position starts at a salary of $108,019.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $140,426.00 (GS-13, Step 10) In this first-line supervisory position you will become a key member of a team of Homeland Security professionals responsible for directing 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 Port of Entries (POEs). Typical work assignments 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. Providing guidance and training, communicates intelligence and enforcement information, disseminates new procedures and policy changes to direct reports, and assures work is performed so that legitimate traveling and importing public will experience as little delay as possible.

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 expert guidance to CBP Officers, researchers, brokers, industry, travelers, Federal/state/local agencies, and others on the interpretative techniques and regulatory requirements pertaining to the processing of agriculture-related cargo and material. Conducting visual and physical inspection of cargo, baggage, conveyances, packing materials, and persons for regulated agricultural items using a wide array of non-intrusive technology. 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. Gathering and analyzing information from all available sources, conducts a wide range of record checks using a variety of databases and systems and uses tactical intelligence to identify associated risks. Serving as coach and mentor of subordinate 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. 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 09/14/2026. 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 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 Supervisory CBP Agriculture 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. Polygraph Examination: The Supervisory CBP Agriculture Specialist position is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination. Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package. Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package. 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.

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 and/or polygraph 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.

Education

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

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 09/14/2026. 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. 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.