Mission Support Specialist

U.S. Customs and Border Protection; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security, offices in the San Francisco Field Office, seeks qualified candidates for GS-7/GS-9 level positions.

Selection requires meeting specialized experience requirements or appropriate education substitutions, with online USA Hire assessments and strict eligibility criteria. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the stated deadline, and may be considered for multiple divisions within the duty locations

Qualifications

• GS-7 requires 1 year of specialized experience or education substitutions as described.
• GS-9 requires 1 year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level or higher level education options.
• Education substitutions include graduate education or a bachelor’s degree with SAA.
• Combinations of education and experience may be used to meet total requirements.

Skills

Data interpretation

Problem solving

Process improvement

Education

Graduate education substitution

Bachelor’s degree with SAA option

Job description

Organizational Location:

This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, San Francisco Field Office, located in the Area Port of San Francisco, California.

Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above. 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:

You qualify for the GS-7 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Assisting with planning to gather and interpret information and data for problems, issues, and unusual circumstances.
• Assisting with identifying ways to improve or enhance current services.
• Assisting with reconciling conflicting incomplete information.
• Helping to identify and extract additional pertinent information required.

You qualify for the GS-9 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Providing guidance in a variety of mission support functional areas; ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and procedures.
• Analyzing and reconciling discrepancies or inconsistencies.
• Resolving problems or situations require the use of established analytical techniques.
• Developing supportable conclusions based on standardized research.

Education Substitution:

GS-07: Successful completion of one year of full-time graduate education from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Check your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim.

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 in any field, or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the experience required at the GS-9 grade level. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work and have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim.

OR A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) may also substitute for the experience required. It is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher of a possible 4.0, excluding pass/fail credits. Pass/fail credits cannot be more than 10% of total credits), or (3) honor society membership. Review Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) to see if you qualify under this provision. Please see www.opm.gov for additional information.

Combining Education and Experience:

Combinations of successfully completed post–high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at GS-9 grade level. More information on this qualification standard is located here.

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 10/28/2026.

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 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 or failure to prove the Merits for the position. 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