Mission Support Specialist

U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security, seeks qualified candidates for a position in the Denver area.

The role requires demonstrating specialized experience at GS-09/11 levels and may involve interpreting laws and regulations related to management services, coordinating with vendors and internal teams, and ensuring services align with objectives. Expect a thorough background review and residency considerations for applicants.

Responsibilities

• Participating in analyzing the effects of changes in law and regulations as they pertain to management services.
• Assisting with identifying ways to improve or enhance current services and to ensure that such services meet management's business objectives.
• Helping to determine the most effective and efficient approach to meet customer requirements.
• Assessing situations that are complicated by conflicting and/or incomplete data, requiring general problem solving to isolate issues.
• Defining issues or problems in terms that are compatible with appropriate laws, policies, or regulations.

Job description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Portland Field Office, Area Port of Denver, located in Denver, Colorado. .

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

Experience GS-09: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Participating in analyzing the effects of changes in law and regulations as they pertain to management services.
• Assisting with identifying ways to improve or enhance current services and to ensure that such services meet management's business objectives.
• Helping to determine the most effective and efficient approach to meet customer requirements.
• Assessing situations that are complicated by conflicting and/or incomplete data, requiring general problem solving to isolate issues.
• Defining issues or problems in terms that are compatible with appropriate laws, policies, or regulations.

Experience GS-11: 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:

• Interpreting a wide variety of laws, rules, regulations, and procedures concerning mission support activities/services.
• Analyzing and resolving problems in the effectiveness and efficiency of administrative support activities.
• Identify needs of the agency and coordinate with vendors to provide needed materials/services.
• Identifying and clarifying problems and order to propose recommendations and reconciling conflicting incomplete information.
• Using judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness in order to modify, adapt, and/or refine broader guidelines to resolve specific, complex and/or intricate issues and problems.

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-09: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Education Substitution GS-11: Successful Completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

Combining Education and Experience: To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. The combined total of your percentage of education and experience must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert the quarter hours into semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by the fraction 2/3. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, you must divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages of education and experience. The two percentages must total at least 100%.

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 09/22/2026.

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.