Supervisory CBP Agriculture Specialist

About the role

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Boston Field office, Logan Airport Division located in Boston, MA. 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. All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement in order to be considered for this position. Eligibility will be verified based on your submitted transcripts and resume. More information on this requirement can be found in the CBP Agriculture Specialist Qualification Aid and in the OPM Qualification Standards. Basic Requirement for the CBP Agriculture Specialist: 1. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, animal science, plant science, pest management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR 2. Combination of education and experience: Completed at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in a qualifying field of study, as shown above, PLUS qualifying experience or additional education. To determine if you meet the combination, you must divide the months of qualifying experience by 48; next, divide the number of undergraduate semester hours by 120 (or 180 for undergraduate quarter hours) and the two percentages must total at least 100%. 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: Serving as a technical consultant and providing expert guidance to CBP Officers, researchers, brokers, industry, travelers, Federal/state/local agencies, and others on the interpretative techniques and regulatory requirements pertaining to the processing of agriculture-related cargo and material. Conducting visual and physical inspection of cargo, baggage, conveyances, packing materials, and persons for regulated agricultural items using a wide array of non-intrusive technology. Applying the laws and regulations of a wide range of Federal, state, and local agencies, including those relating to the admissibility of agriculture commodities and the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States. Gathering and analyzing information from all available sources, conducts a wide range of record checks using a variety of databases and systems and uses tactical intelligence to identify associated risks. Serving as coach and mentor of subordinate CBP Agriculture Specialists on a regular and recurring basis. 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 05/29/2026. 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 Medical Requirements: Following a tentative job offer, candidates must undergo and successfully complete a medical screening process. Individuals must be medically and physically capable of pe