CHEMIST (PETROLEUM)

Full Job Description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Laboratories and Scientific Services, Newark, NJ.

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

Degree: Physical sciences, life sciences or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours in physics.

OR B.

Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics plus appropriate experience or additional education.

You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience or substitution of education, if applicable, as described above AND meet the basic requirement listed 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: Directing the development and modification of sample preparation and analytical methods for situations related to petroleum chemistry.

Providing information on technical matters pertaining to petroleum, petroleum products. Implementing and maintaining petroleum industry policies and procedures.

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.

Education Substitution: Combining Education and Experience: 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 04/16/2026.

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 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. Major Duties:

In this position you will serve as a specialist and one of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) leading scientists in the analysis of petroleum and petroleum products.

As a technical authority, the incumbent is responsible for the technical operation of the Petroleum Program in their service area.

This position starts at a salary of $125,431.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $163,062.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $163,062 (GS-13 Step 10).

Typical duties include: Maintaining and evolving the petroleum program and monitoring petroleum transactions by verifying the technical aspects of entry documentation, the procedures and products of refineries; Making recommendations to the Laboratory Director on the technical adequacy of commercial petroleum operations such as refineries, blending plants, gauging, and metering facilities; Analyzing and providing advice/recommendations and solutions to CBP officials on some of the most difficult problems confronting CBP petroleum issues such as gas-metering discrepancies, motor fuel adulteration, Custody Transfer Points, CBP Approved Gauger issues, and country-of-origin determinations.

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.