Intelligence Research Specialist (Watch Officer)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security, invites applications for a GS-11 level position in the Office of Intelligence in Washington DC. Candidates should have relevant experience in intelligence reporting, data gathering, and coordinating with law enforcement partners.

Residency and security procedures apply; the selection process notes education substitutions for GS-11 eligibility. A resume in English is required and interviews follow federal guidelines.

Qualifications

• Experience performing intelligence reporting, including database searches and information evaluations.
• Ability to provide leadership and programs with intelligence information, data gathering, assessments, and reports.
• Knowledge of combining education and experience for federal qualification at GS-11.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and programs with intelligence information, data gathering, assessments, and reports.
• Perform intelligence reporting including database searches, nomination of records, and information evaluations.
• Prepare intelligence reports impacting the assigned specialty area with evaluation of findings.
• Support coordination efforts and information sharing with counterparts in intelligence and law enforcement.

Skills

Intelligence analysis

Leadership

Data gathering

Report writing

Interagency coordination

Education

Graduate education for GS-11

Tools

Database searches

Information sharing platforms

Job description

Organizational Location:

This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Intelligence, located in Washington DC.

This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

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:

• Providing leadership and programs with intelligence information, data gathering, assessments, and reports;
• Performing all facets of intelligence reporting including (but not limited to) databases searches, nomination/enhancement of records, records removal, quality assurance, and information evaluations;
• Preparing intelligence reports impacting assigned specialty area including evaluation and interpretation of findings;
• Supporting coordination efforts and information sharing with counterparts and colleagues throughout the intelligence and law enforcement communities.

Education Substitution GS-11:

You may substitute a Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M. for experience 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.

Combining Education and Experience:

To combine your education and experience, convert each to a percentage and then add the percentages. If your education is described in quarter hours, multiply by the fraction 2/3 to convert into semester hours, then divide the semester hours by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, divide your total months of experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages together. The total must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11.

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 09/15/2026.

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.

Your resume:

A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords. Your resume must only be two pages or less and uploaded under the document type - Resume. No additional document types will be reviewed as part of your resume, only the most recently uploaded version of your resume.

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.