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Posted: April 3, 2026 (1 day ago)

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Aviation Enforcement Agent

Customs and Border Protection

Department of Homeland Security

Fresh

Salary

$120,657 - $156,857

per year

Closes

April 9, 2026More CBP jobs →

GS-13 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $88,520 - $115,079

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-12. Expert-level knowledge in field.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves working as a law enforcement agent on aircraft for U.S.

Customs and Border Protection, focusing on detecting smuggling activities through advanced technology and intelligence analysis.

You'll communicate between leaders and field teams, operate detection systems, and write reports to support legal cases.

It's a good fit for someone with experience in aviation security, law enforcement, or intelligence who thrives in high-stakes, mobile environments.

Key Requirements

  • One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 level, such as law enforcement communications, aircraft operations, or intelligence evaluation
  • Ability to operate advanced systems like laser systems, infrared detectors, and radars
  • Experience evaluating intelligence to identify smuggling patterns
  • Skill in writing detailed narrative reports for prosecutors
  • Successful completion of a thorough background investigation
  • Passing a polygraph examination (or qualifying for reciprocity/waiver)
  • Meeting Time in Grade requirements (52 weeks at GS-12 or equivalent for current federal employees)

Full Job Description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S.

Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, Special Programs Division, Mobile Command Program, Detroit, Michigan.

Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

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: Ensuring communications are sent between leadership and frontline law enforcement.

Serving as a primary law enforcement agent on AMO aircraft. Operating technologically advanced systems such as laser systems, infrared detectors and radars to aid in detecting targets of interest.

Evaluating intelligence to determine aviation smuggling patterns. Writing concise, in-depth narrative reports to assist government prosecutors.

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.

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 04/09/2026.

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: The Aviation Enforcement Agent 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.

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 eligibility on OPM's 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.

Age Requirement: Provisions of Public Laws 93-350 and 100-238 allow the imposition of a maximum age for initial appointment to a primary Law Enforcement Officer position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In accordance with DHS Management Directive 251-03, the "day before an individual's 37th birthday" is the maximum age for original appointment to a position as a primary law enforcement officer within DHS.

In accordance with Department of Homeland Security Directive 251-03, unless the below criteria applies, you must meet this age requirement by the date of referral to the hiring manager.

Creditable law enforcement officer service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), or creditable service covered by Title 5 U.S.C.

8401(36) (as a Customs and Border Protection Officer) on or after July 6, 2008, may be applied toward the maximum age requirement.

This age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving in a federal civilian (not military) law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C.

8412(d).Veterans Preference Eligibility: To ensure compliance with statutes pertaining to the appointment of preference eligible veterans as determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board in its recent decision of Isabella v.

Dept. of State, the maximum age for original appointment articulated above shall not apply to the hiring of individuals entitled to veterans preference eligibility under 5 U.S.C. § 3312.

You must submit proof of Veteran's Preference (DD-214 Member 4 Copy) at the time of application. For more information on Veterans' Preference eligibility please see the OPM Veterans' Guide.

Major Duties:

This position is ideal for a law enforcement professional with deep aviation enforcement experience. This position starts at a salary of $120,657.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $156,857.00 (GS-13, Step 10).

Typical work responsibilities include: Participating in the formulation and implementation of Aviation policies, activities and operations.

Establishing relationships within DHS and other federal, state, and local agencies to coordinate joint enforcement efforts.

Serving as tactical team leader or member of air tactical response team; acts as aerial interdiction surveillance coordinator.

collects intelligence information and analyzes, evaluates and interprets intelligence data and prepares reports.

Working with the Mobile Command Program Exercising authority to conduct law enforcement operations.

operates advanced databases, laser systems, night vision goggles and radars providing enforcement personnel with critical data required to make sound investigative and law enforcement decisions.

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.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 4/3/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 4/4/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: AMO-IMP-12918855-AGJ