Lead Realty Specialist
Customs and Border Protection
Posted: April 10, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Customs and Border Protection
Department of Homeland Security
Location
Aliso Viejo, California
Salary
$106,437 - $138,370
per year
Type
Full-Time
More Real Estate & Property jobs →Closes
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 managing real estate for the U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, including acquiring properties, negotiating leases, handling paperwork like appraisals and titles, and overseeing projects from start to finish.
It requires traveling to sites for inspections and dealing with various experts on legal and environmental issues.
A good fit would be someone with experience in real estate deals, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to handle physical fieldwork in challenging environments.
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Facilities and Assets Management and Engineering. (FM&E).
In the following locations: Aliso Viejo CA, and Euless TX. Salary: Salary listed reflects the rest of U.S.
scale, if applicable, will be adjusted to meet the locality pay or cost of living expenses of the duty location upon selection.
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: Providing technical expertise to customers and external partners on a variety of real property actions to include fee acquisitions, leases, permits, and more covering the entire acquisition process from requirements development, market survey, instrument drafting and execution.
Negotiating, resolving, and implementing advice and technical guidance from a variety of sources to include legal, environmental, construction, and technical sources.
Obtaining, reviewing, and approving real property instruments such as surveys, title reports, appraisals, and title transfer documentation.
Performing lease administration capabilities including enforcement of lease provisions, requests for rent adjustments, and resolution of day-to-day lease issues and negotiations.
Developing project management strategies, schedules, requirements development, cost estimates, and coordination of various supporting activities (IT, security, furniture acquisition, etc.) to demonstrate project planning and management capabilities.
Physical Demands- During field inspections, remote properties, buildings and market surveys, the incumbent may be required to bend and climb ladders, walk numerous flights of stairs, standing, stooping, reaching, lifting heavy objects of fifty pounds or less, and work in unheated and unfinished buildings.
Work Environment- Incumbent may be required to travel throughout an assigned geographical area to complete his/her assignments.
Incumbent may be exposed to slippery or uneven ground, falling objects, or environmental and other construction hazards when working in undeveloped properties, in space/properties under alteration/construction, or when inspecting the space in a building.
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 by 04/16/2026.
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.
You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.
Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
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 Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible.
View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
To be considered eligible under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well-Qualified category for this position, as described within this announcement.
In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this job announcement. Major Duties:
Term Appointments: To meet agency needs, this position will be filled under a time-limited appointment, not-to-exceed (NTE) 09/30/2029.
This is not a permanent appointment, and does not allow for conversion to a permanent competitive service. You will be separated when the NTE date of this appointment is reached.
Probationary Period: The first year of service of a term employee is a probationary period regardless of the method of appointment.
Prior Federal civilian service is credited toward completion of the required probationary period.
Tenure of term employees: A term employee does not acquire a competitive status on the basis of his term appointment.
The employment of a term employee ends automatically on the expiration of his term appointment unless he has been separated earlier. Join the Mission. Build the Future.
Be a part of an historic opportunity to secure our Nation's borders. H.R.1 is driving the largest ever investment to modernize and construct cutting-edge Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities.
As a key member of CBP's Office of Facilities and Asset Management, you will play a critical role in construction projects that support frontline personnel, modernize federal infrastructure, protect Americans, and secure our Nation's borders.
This is more than a job. This is your chance to be a part of history by helping to lead America towards a safer, stronger future.
This position starts at a salary of $106,437.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $138,370.00 (GS-13, Step 10) The Realty Specialist is responsible for a combination of long- and short-range planning, space acquisitions, assignment, and lease administration and utilization work involving complex projects in support of assigned agencies.
The incumbent manages the region's real property portfolio, including owned, General Services Administration (GSA)-leased, CBP leased, permitting, licensing, etc.
and guides real property asset management program decisions including the acquisition, disposal, and overall management of real property owned, leased, or consigned to CBP.
Typical Work assignments include: Performing work involving complex issues within a realty program by assessing and delivering on the space needs of multiple organizations, providing guidance to supported organizations on property acquisition or disposal, managing overall space planning, and working to ensure issues for tenants or other affected parties are included when drafting documents and working on projects.
The programs represent the lifecycle process of acquiring, managing, and disposing of property and associated legal interests in property.
Performing in accordance with appropriate regulatory guidance, technical and administrative duties relating to real property accountability, real estate transactions, and real property assignments.
Working with extensive knowledge of real estate law, principles, practices, and markets.
Acting as the Spokesperson for Real Property matters including discussions with high level OFAM and CBP officials in all programs and with federal, state and local representative staffs.
Performing project planning and management functions, including the development of project management strategies, using CBP's Office of Information Technology and Office of Professional Responsibility tracking systems and budget estimates for approved and proposed projects.
Developing options and alternatives for property acquisition (lease, purchase/construction and condemnation) by preparing a lease versus purchase analysis.
Condition of Employment and Continued Employment: Position requires incumbent to have and maintain a Real Estate Contracting Officer (RECO) Warrant as outlined in DRS Instruction 119-02-002, DRS Real Estate Contracting Officer Warrant Program.
The incumbent must enter the Leasing Certification Program (LCP) Level 2, which is a prerequisite for DRS RECO Warrant Appointment.
The incumbent must meet all real property contracting experience (including progressively responsible experience at Level II), demonstrated skills, and education requirements for the Leasing Certification Program Level 3 within 24 months of appointment.
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