Two weeks ago, we started a series on jobs in international trade. The first article introduced USAJOBs, the official job website of the U.S. government. Last week we explored jobs at the Department of Justice. This week, we will explore trade-related jobs at U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
As part of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs & Border Protection “CBP” is now one of the largest government law enforcement agencies. By combining the employees of the U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Immigration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the entire U.S. Border Patrol, CBP became the single unified border law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CBP is responsible for protecting U.S. borders while also facilitating trade and travel, enforcing import regulations and the regulations of more than 40 other government agencies. Let’s go see what types of jobs are available working for CBP!
On the CBP home page, you’ll find a tab titled “Careers” on the top right side of the page. The next page provides links to information such as study guides, instructions on how to apply, tips on how to prepare resumes and KSAs (knowledge, skills & abilities) and more. We should first review the types of CBP careers to determine the types of jobs that may interest us. Employing over 55,000 people, CBP offers positions on the frontline of law enforcement as well as support operations. Clicking on “About CBP Careers,” we find a list of positions, such as CBP Officer, CBP Agriculture Specialist, Border Patrol Agent, Import Specialist and Contract Specialist. Let’s take a look at a couple of jobs.
CBP OfficerThe CBP Officer's primary responsibility is to detect and prevent terrorists and weapons of mass destruction from entering the United States, while facilitating trade and travelers. This requires enforcing laws related to revenue and trade, seizure of contraband, interdiction of agricultural pests and diseases, and admissibility of persons. CBP Officers perform the full range of inspection, passenger and cargo analysis, examination and law enforcement activities relating to the arrival and departure of persons, merchandise, and conveyances such as cars, trucks, aircraft, and ships at the ports of entry. CBP Officers must wear a uniform, work overtime and/or shift work, qualify regularly with and carry firearms, and are subject to random drug testing. Newly hired employees must successfully complete 17 to 19 weeks of paid training at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Academy, located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) near Brunswick, Georgia.
Some of the basic requirements for becoming a CBP officer include
• U.S. Citizen
• Under age 37 prior to selection.
• U.S. Resident
• Valid state driver’s license at the time of appointment.
• Physical and medical requirements related to vision, hearing and fitness
The application process for the CBP Officer consists of registration, a written test, interviewing, medical and fitness requirements and a background investigation. Instructions for the application process are contained in the vacancy announcement. CBP provides an FAQ document that answers a lot of questions concerning the process.
The starting salary of a CBP Officer is $31,315 or higher at the GS-5 level and $38,790 or higher at the GS-7 level. Advancement goes through the GS-12 level with a pay of $68,809. Rates may vary based on the assigned duty station.
Contract SpecialistCBP contract specialists negotiate, administer, close and terminate purchase orders and contracts. CBP purchases a wide variety of goods and services such as furniture, computer equipment, ammunition, surveillance equipment, maintenance services and training. Contract Specialists may be involved in developing, implementing and reviewing contracting plans for pre-award, post-award, price/cost analysis and a wide variety of procurement activities. The specialist will also provide advice and legal interpretation in all areas of contracting.
Minimum qualifications for Contract Specialist require completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major in any field; or 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. Additional related experience may qualify the applicant for a GS-9 or GS-11 pay grade.
Scanning the list of jobs available with CBP on USAJobs.com today, we find a variety of positions such as Staff Assistant, Paralegal Specialist, Investigative Program Specicalist and International Trade Officer. The position of International Trade Officer sounds like an exciting and challenging job; however, that job would require me to leave the sunny warm state of Florida, so I’ll have to pass on it for now.
To learn more about jobs available at CBP, visit their website and select “Careers” or visit USAJOBS and search for positions under the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection. If you are serious about finding a job with the government, spend some time with these resources. Working for the government is a little different than the private sector, so learning the “language” can give you an advantage during the process.
Visit us next week when we explore jobs at the Department of Commerce!
No comments:
Post a Comment