MISSION SUPPORT SPECIALIST (GENERALIST)

Full Job Description

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

Border Patrol, Tucson Sector, Mission Readiness Operations, located in Tucson, AZ.

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-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Identifying, evaluating, and recommending to management appropriate interventions to resolve complex interrelated problems and issues.

Collaborating with leadership and program managers to clarify requirements, discuss findings, and assist in implementing corrective actions.

Developing and delivering briefings, project papers, status and staff reports, and correspondence to managers to foster understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations.

You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Performing budget obligations and overseeing expenditures to ensure allocations, commitments, and expenditures are projected and spent accordingly.

Developing and implementing corrective action plans and process improvement strategies based on applicable policies, directives, and guidance.

Preparing reports with data from internal data sources as well as automated systems for regular and one-time informational needs.

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: GS-11: Successful completion of 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree from an accredited college or university, a doctoral degree and or LL.M., if related, may substitute for the experience required at this level.

This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education.

If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours. GS-12: No education substitution.

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages.

The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.

Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11.

More information on this qualification standard is located here.

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 03/18/2026.

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:

As a Mission Support Specialist (Generalist), you will carry out a wide variety of mission support, administrative management, and program planning activities.

This position starts at a salary of $76,095.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $118,569.00 (GS-12, Step 10).

Typical duties and responsibilities include: Performing significant review and analysis of budget, management, training, logistics, procurement, and all other areas of mission support resources.

Conducting basic program reviews and compliance audits to evaluate adherence to established policies, directives, procedures, and regulatory guidance.

Participating and contributing to management decisions in assigned program areas.

Analyzing complex operational processes, internal controls, and documentation to identify systemic issues, risks, and areas of non-compliance.

Preparing detailed audit reports and findings, briefings, and recommendations that support organizational accountability and policy compliance.

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.