SEIZED PROPERTY SPECIALIST
Customs and Border Protection
Posted: January 27, 2026 (1 day ago)
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Customs and Border Protection
Department of Homeland Security
Location
Long Beach, California
Salary
$87,061 - $135,657
per year
Type
Full Time
More Real Estate & Property jobs →Closes
Base salary range: $62,107 - $80,737
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-10. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 years graduate study.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job involves managing seized items like drugs, money, and weapons for U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, including deciding how to store them safely, handling hazardous materials, and ensuring everything follows government rules.
A good fit would be someone with experience in property management or law enforcement who pays close attention to details and can guide junior staff on tricky handling issues.
It's based in Long Beach, California, and focuses on keeping seized goods secure until they're disposed of or used in court.
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, Office of : This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations Los Angeles Field Office LA/LB Seaport, Fines Penalties & Forfeitures, Long Beach, CA.
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: Making recommendations to the supervisor and/or senior Seized Property Specialist (SPS) on storage requirements and storage locations for all types of seized property to include controlled substances, currency, and firearms.
Assisting with determining special handling requirements for hazardous materials, biohazardous, and any other property requiring special transportation and/or unique handling.
Providing technical guidance to lower grade level employees on seized property related issues.
Ensuring that all seized property stored in the certified OFO permanent seizure vault complies with the packaging, labeling, and storage requirements.
Providing technical guidance to lower grade level employees on seized property related issues.
Experience: 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 Complying with the requirements established by CBP policy in the Seized Asset Management and Enforcement Providing safe storage of the procedure handbook (SAMEPH) for the custody, preservation, and disposition of seized or forfeited property through to solution, within the FPF Officer's (FPFO) authority.
Planning, preparing for and participating in seized property destruction operations.
Determining special handling requirements for hazardous materials, biohazardous, and any other property requiring special transportation and/or unique handling.
Advising the supervisor on problems, recommending solutions, and broadening their operations scope by involving the FPF Office on various issues; providing guidance to CBP and other DHS entities concerning seized property processing.
Testifying in court as to the amounts and condition of seized goods and/or including explaining a complex chain of custody pertaining to items of their responsibility.
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: You may substitute a Ph.D.
or an equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M for the experience required at the GS-11 grade level.
Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise three years of graduate study.
If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim. Combining Education and Experience: GS-11: You may substitute a Ph.D.
or an equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M for the experience required at the GS-11 grade level.
Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise three years of graduate study.
If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours.
You are required to submit proof of your claim Education Substitution: GS-12: There is no educational substitution 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 01/31/2026.
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: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the SEIZED PROPERTY SPECIALIST position, however, at this time a polygraph is not a pre-employment requirement.
If CBP decides to implement the polygraph as a pre-employment requirement while you are in the hiring process, CBP will notify you and provide additional information.
Polygraph Examination: The SEIZED PROPERTY SPECIALIST 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. 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:
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations Los Angeles Field Office LA/LB Seaport, Fines Penalties & Forfeitures, Long Beach, CA.
Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to provide for the inventory and safe storage of seized illegal narcotics and prohibited goods that have not met the requirements for entry into the U.S.
This position starts at a salary of $87,061.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $135,657.00 (GS-12, Step 10) In this Seized Property Specialist position, you will become a valuable team member of homeland security professionals overseeing the inventory and safe storage of seized illegal narcotics, prohibited goods and restricted merchandise.
Typical work assignments include: Complying with processes and procedures pursuant to established CBP policies provided for in the Seized Asset Management and Enforcement Procedures Handbook (SAMEPH) for the custody, preservation, and disposition of seized or forfeited property through to resolution, within the FPF Officer's (FPFO) authority.
Responsible for compliance with all physical security standards, policies and regulations as they relate to the OFO permanent seizure vault.
Having comprehensive CBP subject matter expert regarding the national seized property contractor and the contractor's SOW providing direct oversight of seized property contractor actions in order to monitor performance and ensure compliance with TEOAF and SAMEPH requirements.
Providing technical direction on complex issues to seizing officers (CBP/HSI) involved in seized property activities.
Giving advice, counsel or instruction to field personnel on operational and administrative matters. 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.
Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied.
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