Seized Property Specialist

U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Mobile (AL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seeks qualified candidates for Seized Property Specialist roles in the New Orleans Field Office.

The position involves assisting with reviews of seized property, maintaining CBP property tracking systems, and supporting destruction operations in line with national policy and procedures. Candidates must meet education or experience requirements, including potential education substitutions such as a Master’s degree or PhD, and be prepared for background

Qualifications

• Master's degree substitution for experience required at GS-09 level (2 years of graduate education or equivalent).
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree substitution for GS-11 level experience (3 years of graduate study or higher).

Responsibilities

• Assist with reviews of seized property documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Update CBP automated property tracking system within established timeframes.
• Support seizure operations and destruction planning when needed.
• Recommend storage requirements and locations for seized property including controlled substances, currency, and firearms.
• Handle cases requiring special handling for hazardous materials or biohazardous items.

Education

Master's degree substitution

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree substitution

Job description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, New Orleans Field Office, located in New Orleans LA.

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

• Assisting supervisor and/or senior Seized Property Specialist (SPS) with the reviews and updates of CBP automated systems for data completeness and accuracy.
• Assisting with the reviews of seized property documentation for accuracy and completeness and as necessary, requesting additional information from the appropriate seizing officer.
• Assisting in the timely and accurate updating of the CBP automated property tracking system within the established timeframes and maintaining a current and complete seized property file.
• Assisting with plans, preparations and participates in seized property destruction operations.
• Assisting with monitoring the turnover of seized property to ensure compliance with established timeframes set by national policy and procedures.

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:

• Utilizing automated systems to identify and account for all seizures within the area of responsibility and updating tracking systems.
• Ensuring the timely and accurate update of the CBP automated property tracking system within the established timeframes and maintaining a current and complete seized property file.
• Making recommendations to the supervisor and/or senior 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.
• Assisting with the operation of the certified OFO permanent seizure vault under the supervision of supervisor and/or senior SPS

Education Substitution GS-09

A Master's degree, two full years of graduate education, a J.D. or an LL.B. degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience required at this level. Check with 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.

Education Substitution:GS-11:

Successful completion of 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:

Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade level and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining your 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 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 grades GS-9 and GS-11. More information on this qualification standard is located here.

Experience

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 10/05/2026.

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

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.

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.