CARTOGRAPHER

U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Blaine (WA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Blaine Sector is seeking a GIS/cartography specialist to help develop and maintain geospatial products.

You will apply geography, digital cartography, and related geospatial techniques to support sector objectives from Blaine, WA. The role requires specialized experience with GIS systems, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis, plus the ability to communicate complex findings to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Required degree or coursework in cartography and related sciences with math prerequisites.
• Combination of education and experience may substitute for a cartography major.
• Experience using geospatial technologies to develop and maintain GIS products.

Responsibilities

• Applying geography, digital cartography, and geospatial technologies to GIS products.
• Processing and analyzing remote-sensing data, including aerial imagery and coordinates.
• Developing, maintaining, or operating complex GIS systems and related hardware.
• Analyzing geospatial models to identify geographic relationships and produce products.
• Presenting GIS concepts and findings to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Skills

Geospatial analysis

GIS concepts

Education

Cartography degree or 30 credit hours in cartography-related sciences

Combination of education and experience in cartography

Tools

GIS software

Remote sensing

Job description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Blaine Sector, Sector Intelligence Unit (SIU), located in Blaine, WA.

Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement.

Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the Basic Requirement below.

1. Degree: Cartography; or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography and/or directly related science, and related mathematics. Such course work includes, but is not limited to, cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, physical and geological oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, physical geography, and remote sensing. The 30 semester hours must have included at least 6, but no more than 15, semester hours of college level, non-business mathematics or statistics (i.e., college level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or scientific mathematics or statistics requiring equivalent college-level courses as prerequisites). - OR-
2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography, and/or directly related science, and related mathematics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

You qualify for this position if you meet the basic requirement listed above and possess the experience or substitution of education, if applicable, as described below.

Specialized 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:

• Applying geography, digital cartography, and geospatial technologies to develop, evaluate, or maintain GIS products supporting program objectives;
• Processing and analyzing remote-sensing data, including aerial imagery, coordinate systems, georeferencing, and raster datasets;
• Developing, maintaining, or operating complex GIS systems using geospatial software, database-management systems, and related hardware or field tools;
• Analyzing GIS themes, relational datasets, and geospatial models to identify geographic relationships and produce geospatial or intelligence products;
• Presenting complex GIS concepts and analytical findings to technical and nontechnical stakeholders in support of organizational programs or interagency efforts.

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 11/05/2026.

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) 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 well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.