CBP OFFICER (INTERNATIONAL)

Full Job Description

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

Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, International Operations and Advisory Directorate, International Field Office, Immigration Advisory Program Division located in Madrid, Spain.

GS-12 Experience: You qualify for this position if you are currently serving or have served as a full-time permanent GS-12 with U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and are currently serving or have served in the 1895 series within the last five years.

Additionally, you qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Demonstrating responsibility in detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering United States, enforcing applicable laws, and facilitating the orderly and efficient flow of legitimate trade and lawful travelers.

Performing the full range of inspection, intelligence analysis, examination, and law enforcement activities relating to persons, conveyances, and merchandise crossing United States borders.

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 04/03/2026 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 CBP OFFICER (INTERNATIONAL) 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.

Probationary Period: Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Tour of Duty: Employees will serve a two (2) year initial tour, with the potential opportunity to apply for additional tours subject to the duration as defined by the host country and Department of State, and at the discretion of management.

At the end of the assignment or at the discretion of management, you will be returned to a position at the same level as this Immigration Advisory Program position.

Employees who have not served two (2) years at a domestic duty station, subsequent to their initial overseas tour of duty, will not be considered for a second tour of duty in any foreign assignment.

Employees who have not served two (2) years at a domestic duty station, subsequent to their initial overseas tour of duty, will not be considered for a second tour of duty in any foreign assignment.

Return Rights: No more than one hundred and fifty (150) calendar days before the end of tour, but not less than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the end of the initial tour, as well as the conclusion of any extensions, employees are expected to formally request, through a fully completed Notice of Intent (NOI), express intent to return to the United States.

Please refer to Article 40 Section 6 of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement for additional information with regards to Extension Request and Return Procedures.

Annual Leave Accumulation: Employees assigned to IAP posts may carry over 360 hours of annual leave to the next leave year (as opposed to 240 hours).

Home Leave: In addition to annual leave, employees at IAP posts earn ten days home leave on each two-year assignment.

This leave is only granted to those employees who have their IAP assignment extended for another tour and is to be used between tours.

The Government pays the employee per diem and transportation expenses from the employee's post of duty in IAP to the employee's former official residence in the United States .

In addition, it also pays for the transportation expenses of dependents who accompany the employee on home leave to the employee's residence in the United States.

Living Quarters Allowances (not payable if claiming temporary lodging allowance): Employees receive payment of an annual tax-free quarters' allowance for housing while at an IAP post.

This allowance is intended to cover the cost of suitable, adequate living quarters for the employee and his/her family plus the cost of heat, light, fuel, gas, electricity, and water.

However, at some foreign posts government subsidized housing is provided.

Primary CBPO Special Retirement Coverage: This is a primary position subject to mandatory retirement under the special retirement provisions for Customs and Border Protection Officers (5 CFR 842.1003; 5 USC 8425(b); 5 USC 8335(b); and 5 USC 8412(d)).

For more information on required years of service and retirement age, click on this link.

If you have questions regarding your retirement coverage provisions, please contact the CBP Retirement Operations Center at (202) 863-6180.

The Customs and Border Protection Officer mandatory separation provisions of 5 USC 8425 do not apply to an individual first appointed as a Customs and Border Protection Officer before July 6, 2008.

This position meets the criteria defined in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as an exempt position.

Therefore, while serving in this foreign duty location, the FLSA code will be categorized as "Exempt".

Exempt employees receive an overtime rate defined under Title 5 rather than that defined under FLSA.

For more information on Title 5 pay, please see the following link: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/overtime-pay-title-5/ Major Duties:

It is recommended that you apply as soon as possible in order to receive consideration as this announcement will close on 04/03/2026 at 11:59 p.m.

ET or on the day we receive 150 applicants (whichever comes first.) 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.

Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen Homeland Security by performing law enforcement activities such as inspection, intelligence analysis, examination, and interpretation of laws and regulations.

This position starts at a salary of $78,581.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to$102,157.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $102,157.00 GS-12Step 10). Salary above excludes COLA.

Please see here for specific COLA Rates. This is a Reassignment Opportunity Bulletin: You must be currently serving or have previously served as a permanent GS-12 with U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and are currently serving or have served in the 1895 series within the last five years to qualify under this Bulletin.

If you hold or have previously held the GS-1895-13 level or higher and are willing to take a change to lower grade, you will also be considered for this position.

In this position you will become a key member of a team of homeland security professionals detecting and preventing terrorists and instruments of terror from entering the U.S.

Typical Job Duties Include: Working extensively with the host nation's Customs and Immigration Services and National Police to examine high-risk targeted shipments and people.

Assisting investigations of complex and serious violations of applicable U.S. law, or in concert with foreign partners.

Examining documents to determine legitimacy, answers questions, conducts interviews to determine admissibility into the United States.

Interviewing and examining applicants seeking admission to the United States. Additionally, assisting in interviews with foreign host government with subjects of mutual interest.

Resolving complex and sensitive immigration issues; advising consular and foreign government officials of especially sensitive issues.

Conduct Responsibilities on Overseas Assignment: Employee will be subject to the laws of the United States while posted overseas to include those specifically applicable to Federal employees including the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees in the Executive Branch and the DHS Ethics/Standards of Conduct.

While posted overseas, the employee will conduct themselves in a manner that reflects honorably on the United States of America and which is consistent with any applicable diplomatic agreements between the United States and the host country.

This includes, but is not limited to: Excessive consumption of alcohol, or if the country forbids consumption of alcohol, the consumption of alcohol.

Recreational use of controlled substances such as marijuana, whether prescribed or not, even if legal in the geographic location.

Using the services of a commercial sex provider, even if legal in the geographic location.

Any conduct that could disgrace, embarrass, or discredit the Department of Homeland Security or the United States of America.

Failure to adhere to the above may subject the employee to disciplinary action, up to and including removal, the loss of security clearance, and the immediate expulsion from the host country.