MISSION SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Customs and Border Protection
Posted: February 26, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Customs and Border Protection
Department of Homeland Security
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).
This job involves helping manage the workforce for U.S.
Border Patrol by improving processes, handling workers' compensation claims, dealing with employee complaints and accommodations, analyzing performance data, and updating policies to support the agency's goals.
It's a senior-level role in human resources for a federal law enforcement agency.
A good fit would be someone with experience in HR analysis, policy development, and federal government operations who enjoys solving people-related challenges in a high-stakes environment.
Organizational Location: USBP Headquarters, Mission Support Directorate, Human Capital and Training Division. This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol. Please see "Duties" section for a list of availalbe duty locations.
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: Analyzing workforce management processes and recommending improvements that involves redesigning, automating, and re-engineering to meet changing requirements.
Managing a workers' compensation program, to include coordination of claims and reviewing eligibility of benefits.
Researching, collecting, and analyzing data to assist with the agency's response to complaints, grievances, arbitrations, and reasonable accommodation.
Analyzing employee performance award and appraisal data to develop guidance in compliance with existing laws, regulations, and policies.
Researching, revising, and drafting policy to assist with executing agency priorities and mission.
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 03/04/2026.
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 senior advisor who analyzes and improves workforce programs-position management, long-range hiring plans and resource analysis, performance and awards administration, and workers' compensation-and conducts complex cross program studies to inform policy and operational decisions.
The position strengthens mission readiness and the efficient accomplishment of USBP operations by aligning staffing, structures, and workforce programs with USBP's evolving requirements and ensuring effective execution and oversight.
This position starts at a salary of $106,437.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $138,370.00 (GS-13, Step 10) As a Mission Support Specialist (Workforce Management), you will be responsible for advising the supervisor of the existence, nature, and possible ramifications of proposed policies or courses of action as well as propose alternative courses of action as required to accommodate the division's needs.
Typical duties will include: Contributing to the implementation of policies relating to the division's workforce and administrative support programs.
Advising on changes to organizational structures, organizational charts, and mission and function statements to implement reorganizations, or changes in program administration, to reduce or eliminate functional overlap among the assigned programs.
Providing analytical support on a variety of programs in support of the Workforce Management Division's mission including performance management, awards programs, workers compensation, vetting ,use of collective bargaining agreements and employee relations.
Performing complex studies looking at the interrelationships of the several programs assigned (Performance Management, Awards, Staffing Plans, etc.).
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.
Upon selection, the Selectee must be able to work within a U.S.
Border Patrol Facility located in the following locations: Big Bend Sector, TX Blaine Sector, WA Buffalo Sector, NY Del Rio Sector, TX Detroit Sector, MI El Centro Sector, CA El Paso Sector, TX Grand Forks Sector, ND Havre Sector, MT Houlton Sector, ME Laredo Sector, TX Miami Sector, FL New Orleans, LA Rio Grande Valley Sector, TX Ramey Sector, PR San Diego Sector, CA Special Operations Group (SOG), TX Spokane Sector, WA Swanton Sector, VT Tucson Sector, AZ Yuma Sector, AZ Minneapolis, MN Washington, DC Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
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