CBP Agriculture Specialist (Threat Analyst)

About the role

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Buffalo Field Office, located in Buffalo, New York.

What you will do

• Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to detect and prevent terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. This position starts at a salary of $111,301.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $144,694.00 (GS-13, Step 10).
• In this CBP Agriculture Specialist position you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S. Typical work assignments include: Collecting, evaluating, and analyzing data and intelligence related to agriculture and biological threats; Providing expert technical and regulatory guidance on agricultural quarantine, import and export requirements, admissibility determinations, enforcement actions, and biological threat mitigation; Preparing and disseminating high-quality reports identifying actionable intelligence regarding agricultural and biological threats; Establishing and sustaining working relationships with port and field office leadership, specialized targeting and intelligence units, and counterparts in federal, state, local, and international organizations;

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.
• This 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 employee's 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.
• 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 ***

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this 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. *** 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 09/11/2026 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. 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.

This self-assessment will be used to assess the following competencies or KSAs: Knowledge of agricultural and biological sciences, including intricate understanding of plant pests, animal diseases, invasive species, and biological threats, to assess and mitigate risks to national security, public health, agriculture, and natural resources.

Ability to analyze complex data, law enforcement information, and intelligence to identify trends, develop threat assessments, and support targeting, enforcement, and operational decisions.

Knowledge of and ability to interpret a wide variety of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures governing agricultural quarantine, import/export requirements, admissibility, biological commodities, and pest or disease prevention.

Knowledge of and ability to use targeting systems, databases, and analytical tools to analyze complex data, lead further investigations, and recommend improvements to these systems for agricultural and biological threats.

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, 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.

Preview the job questionnaire *** Failure to demonstrate sufficient detail in the body of your resume may impact your final rating. Please note you are not required to provide specific narrative responses to the skills and competencies described in this section.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview.

Documents you must provide

• 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, phone number, relevant 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.
• Note: Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
• The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire: *** 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.
• 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.
• You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

What to expect next

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. The open period for this job opportunity announcement may be extended to allow for a sufficient applicant pool.

Once the job opportunity announcement has closed, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. You will be notified by email after each of these steps has been completed.

Stay informed of changes to your application status by signing up for automatic email alerts with your USAJOBS account. If you are referred, you will receive a final notification of the disposition of the announcement. We expect to make a tentative job offer within 60 days after the close of the announcement.

If you are selected, we may conduct a suitability/security background investigation. Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty.

False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring.

These authorities are subject to change.

Additional information

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.

Rotation of Assignments/Duty Location: Applicants may be required to rotate assignments and duty locations. Uniform: You will be required to wear an officially approved uniform while in a duty status. Polygraph: Agriculture Specialist is an approved polygraphed position, but currently is not being polygraphed.

Motor Vehicle Operation: Agriculture Specialist is a position that requires a drivers license. Training: This position has a training requirement. Selectee(s) are required to attend and successfully complete a total of 10 weeks of paid training by the US Department of Agriculture and CBP Field Operations Academy in a combination of virtual and residential formats.

This is followed by 10 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.

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.