INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH SPECIALIST

Description:

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Blaine Sector-Intelligence Unit, located in Blaine, WA.

Requirements:

Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 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 researching, reviewing, and evaluating classified, sensitive, and open-source intelligence to identify threats and provide situational awareness for operations.
• Compiling, collating, and exploiting information from law enforcement, Intelligence Community (IC), and open-source systems and databases to support tactical and operational decisions.
• Conducting open-source research on transnational criminal organizations, smuggling networks, terrorism-related threats, or other border security issues.
• Using CBP, DHS, or comparable law enforcement/ intelligence systems and databases to produce basic intelligence products, charts, and visualizations.
• Assisting in the preparation of tactical, operational, or strategic level intelligence products for dissemination within agency or partner agencies.

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:

• Independently researching, reviewing, and evaluating a high volume of classified, sensitive, and open-source intelligence to identify threats and provide situational awareness for agency operations.
• Producing in-depth intelligence assessments that define the operational environment, evaluating adversary capabilities and intent, and describing potential courses of action.
• Ensuring all intelligence activities and products comply with applicable policies, directives, and guidelines, including those issued by the agency IE Key Intelligence Official (KIO).
• Participating in, or leading, interagency or intra-agency working groups and committees to address cross-cutting border security threats or analytic initiatives.
• Evaluating the reliability and credibility of sources and information and explicitly documenting sourcing assessments in analytic products, consistent with IC and agency standards.

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 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 01/06/2026.

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.