Agriculture Specialist jobs in Pittsburgh, PA

Duties

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The CBP Agriculture Specialist (CBPAS) primary responsibilities are:

• Serve as a consultant in the areas of inspection, analysis, intelligence gathering, examination, and law enforcement activities regarding the importation of agricultural/commercial commodities and conveyances at ports of entry
• Apply laws and regulations when determining the admissibility of agriculture commodities while preventing the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States
• Participate in special enforcement, targeting or analysis teams charged with collecting and analyzing information and identifying high-risk targets
• Plan and conduct remedial actions such as treating, disinfecting, and decontaminating prohibited commodities, conveyances, contaminants or agricultural materials

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position.

Probationary Period: You must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of your initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment.

CBP Agriculture Specialist Training: You will be required to complete a paid pre-academy orientation for approximately 2 weeks at your home port. You will then attend a 59-day training program conducted at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) located in Glynco, GA. This training consists of determining the admissibility of agriculture commodities, preventing introduction of harmful pests/diseases, etc. For more information, please visit CBP Field Operations Academy. Successful completion of the academy is required for this position.

Uniforms: This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status.

Residency Requirement: CBP has a residency requirement that applies to all applicants not currently employed by CBP. You are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates as (as declared under international law) for at least three (3) of the last five (5) years, before completing an application for CBP employment. If you do not meet the residency requirement as stated above and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two (2) of the last five (5) years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency wavier by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

How You Will Be Evaluated

• Benefits

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  All applicants must submit a resume and qualifying transcripts.
  
  Resume: A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history, a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), as well as your hours worked per week. If you are a current federal employee, please include your salary, pay scale and pay grade information. Note: Most applicants are screened out for insufficient information on their resume.
  
  Transcripts: All applicants are required to submit college transcripts that include the name of the institution, courses, credits earned, GPA, and conferred degree (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted at the time of application however, official transcripts will be required before a final offer of employment can be extended. Education must be from an accredited college or university by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  Foreign Education Evaluation: Education obtained from a foreign college or university is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of educational credentials. The evaluation and foreign education transcripts must be submitted with your application. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
  
  Your online submitted responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12315410
  
  The following documentation may also be submitted:
  
  Are you a veteran? To apply veterans' preference you must submit proof of eligibility as appropriate for your preference type:

  • TP - 5-point Preference: DD-214 listing the character of service and either qualifying medal(s) or service period.
  • CP/CPS - 10-point Disabled Veteran Preference: DD-214 showing character of service and a VA Disability Award Letter (dated 1991 or later) showing the total percentage of the service-connected disability. Submitting a Standard Form 15 with your application is encouraged.
  • Currently Serving: If you are currently serving on active duty, you must submit a written statement of service from the armed forces certifying your dates of service, rank, campaign badges and expeditionary medals (if applicable), expected character of service, and anticipated date of separation. Prior to entering on duty, you will be required to provide a final DD-214.
  • XP - Derived Preference: If you are claiming derived preference based upon widow or spouse entitlement, you MUST submit a completed Standard Form 15, DD-214, and the required documentation stated on the SF-15.

  Please visit Veterans' Preference for more information.
  
  A you a current or former federal employee? It is recommended that you submit your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" form. (Please do not submit a Performance Award SF-50.) If you do not submit one at the time of application you may be required to submit one prior to entering on duty.
  
  Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? To be eligible you must submit:

  • a copy of your agency notice;
  • a copy of your most recent performance rating; and
  • a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.

  Are you a current or former political appointee? If you are or have been a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential appointee employee you must submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

  Apply as soon as possible in order to receive consideration as this announcement will close on 03/01/2024 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time OR on the day we receive 600 applicants (whichever comes first).
  
  To begin your online application, sign into USA Jobs or create a USA Jobs account if you do not already have one. Click Apply and follow the online prompts to fill out the questionnaire and submit your application. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, transcripts and any applicable and/or required supporting documentation. Please see the Required Documents section for additional information. All application materials must be in English. If you are planning to apply using your phone or tablet, see Browser Compatibility.
  
  Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. Applicants may not update any part of their application after initial submission. You must submit your resume, application questionnaire, transcripts and any supporting documents at the time of application.
  
  Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP 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 under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above.
  
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to ensuring that all of our employees act in a manner that embodies the Department's Mission Statement: With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland and our values. As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details here.
  
  DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select Benefits. Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
  
  Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. View common definitions of terms found in this announcement. View more information on applying for federal employment.
  
  DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
  
  If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which may be available from the Human Resources Office. Contact information is listed below.

  Agency contact information

  CBP Applicant Contact Center

  Phone

  855-500-3722

  Email

  CBPApplicantContactCenter@cbp.dhs.gov

  Address

  Office of Field Operations
  Please read entire announcement
  Please apply online
  Washington, DC 20229
  US

  Next steps

  Your application and supporting documents will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications. If you are among the best qualified, your application will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration at the highest grade for which you are determined eligible. A valid application does not guarantee selection. Please ensure that all required documents are uploaded at the time of application.
  
  Your status will be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account and go to your home page to view active application.
  
  If you are already in the pre-employment process for a CBP Agriculture Specialist position at the grades 5, 7 or 9 and you reapply under this announcement and are subsequently referred for a position, all active pre-employment process statuses will be applied to this application (e.g., medical status, background investigation, etc.).

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens may apply. Locations are determined by the needs of the agency after the successful completion of pre-employment.