Job Openings
Air Interdiction Agent
About the job Air Interdiction Agent
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Please see announcement on USAJOBS for available locations.
Summary
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, Tucson Air Branch, Tucson, AZ
Duties
In this Air Interdiction Agent position, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals involved in performing law enforcement aviation operations in support of CBP priority anti- terrorism missions and commanding law enforcement operations utilizing aircraft. This position starts at a salary of $119,502.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $155,357.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $155,357(GS-13 Step 10).The primary purpose of this position as a CBP Air Interdiction Agent is to perform aviation law enforcement operations for the detection, prevention, interdiction, and apprehension of terrorists, terrorist weapons, and other contraband and persons from illegally entering or attacking the United States. Typical work assignments include: Conducting air patrol/surveillance and pursuit activities related to the interdiction of smuggled contraband via land vehicles, aircraft, or vessels. Making informed decisions regarding the admissibility of noncitizens and vessels into the U.S. Apprehending and searching undocumented noncitizens, smugglers, and violators Seizing narcotics, contraband, weapons, and assets and making on-site arrests of violators
Requiremennts
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position FAA Class I Medical required at time of Flight Assessment. All FAA Medicals must be dated within the last 12 months. FAA Class 2 Medical qualifies. FAA Commercial or ATP Airplane or Helicopter rated with Instruments or both Meet specified flight hours Must meet job related medical, fitness and drug testing standards Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) You may be required to pass a background investigation and/or polygraph CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures 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 via the following link.
Qualifications
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: Conducting undercover operations and/or approaching individuals or groups to obtain the desired result Gaining compliance with established policies and regulations or gaining information by establishing rapport with a suspicious informant Testifying under oath before a grand jury, Federal court proceedings and other domestic legal proceedings Flying over large areas of water to conduct unseen aerial search of vessels in order to accurately determine speed, probable route, and point of rendezvous 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. Hiring Minimums: Pilot Enter on Duty minimums are 1500 flight hours; (up to 500 hours can be waived, reducing the pilot enter on duty minimums to 1000 hours) A current FAA Commercial or ATP Pilot Certification with the following ratings: Dual Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument rating AND Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating. OR Airplane Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument; OR Helicopter Rated: Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating. FAA Class I medical required for assessment dated within last 12 calendar months. FAA Class II medical will qualify. It must be dated within last 12 calendar months. However, at the time of your Flight Assessment you MUST present a FAA 1st Class Medical Certificate dated within the previous 12 calendar months. Apply at 750 hours total time: Applicants applying at 750 flight hours are required to obtain at least 1,000 flight hours (depending on the number of hours approved for a waiver) at own expense before being able to attend the 3-part flight assessment. Applicant must still meet 250 PIC, 75 instrument and 75 night hours. UAS Flight Hours: Applicants may include UAS Predator A (MQ-1), Predator B (MQ-9) flight hours and Predator A (MQ-1), Predator B (MQ-9) or predator based variant flight hours. These hours may be credited towards satisfying the "Total flight time" 1,500 flight hour requirement only. UAS hours do not count towards the 250 flight hours as a Pilot in Command, 75 flight hours Instrument and 75 flight hours Night. Flight hour logbooks will be required at time of your Flight Assessment for verification. 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 11/13/2024. 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 more information visit this link. Polygraph Examination: The Air Interdiction Agent position is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination. Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package. Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package. 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. Additional Hiring and Special Appointing Authorities: See "THIS JOB IS OPEN TO" section above for what additional Appointing Authorities may apply. Veterans, military spouses, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and people with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility and to understand what documentation would be required with your application, please click on the appropriate link below. You must provide documentation supporting your eligibility prior to the closing date of this announcement. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the CBP Hiring Center via the contact information listed at the end of this job opportunity announcement. Veterans Military spouses Effective until December 31, 2028, any spouse of a member on active duty may be eligible Land Management Hiring Flexibility Act: The following documents are required at the time of application: SF-50s to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements and the most recent performance rating signed by your supervisor or a statement from your supervisor documenting acceptable performance.
Education
Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.
Additional Information
Age Requirement: Provisions of Public Laws 93-350 & 100-238 allow the imposition of a maximum age for initial appointment to a primary Law Enforcement Officer position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In accordance with DHS Management Directive 251-03, the "day before an individual's 37th birthday" is the maximum age for original appointment to a position as a primary law enforcement officer within DHS. The age requirement is also necessary to ensure that you are able to complete the 20 years of applicable service for retirement. NOTE: The Commissioner of CBP has approved a temporary increase in the maximum allowable age to 40 for original placement into this position. Unless the below criteria applies, you must meet this age requirement by 11/13/2024 & enter-on-duty no later than the day prior to your 40th birthday in order to achieve the required 20 years of service for retirement. Creditable law enforcement officer service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), or creditable service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8401(36) (as a Customs and Border Protection Officer) on or after July 6, 2008, may be applied toward the maximum age requirement. This age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving in a federal civilian (not military) law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d). To ensure compliance with statutes pertaining to the appointment of preference eligible veterans as determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board in its recent decision of Isabella v. Dept. of State, the maximum age for original appointment articulated above shall not apply to the hiring of individuals entitled to veterans preference eligibility under 5 U.S.C.
Please see announcement on USAJOBS for available locations.
Summary
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, Tucson Air Branch, Tucson, AZ
Duties
In this Air Interdiction Agent position, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals involved in performing law enforcement aviation operations in support of CBP priority anti- terrorism missions and commanding law enforcement operations utilizing aircraft. This position starts at a salary of $119,502.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $155,357.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $155,357(GS-13 Step 10).The primary purpose of this position as a CBP Air Interdiction Agent is to perform aviation law enforcement operations for the detection, prevention, interdiction, and apprehension of terrorists, terrorist weapons, and other contraband and persons from illegally entering or attacking the United States. Typical work assignments include: Conducting air patrol/surveillance and pursuit activities related to the interdiction of smuggled contraband via land vehicles, aircraft, or vessels. Making informed decisions regarding the admissibility of noncitizens and vessels into the U.S. Apprehending and searching undocumented noncitizens, smugglers, and violators Seizing narcotics, contraband, weapons, and assets and making on-site arrests of violators
Requiremennts
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position FAA Class I Medical required at time of Flight Assessment. All FAA Medicals must be dated within the last 12 months. FAA Class 2 Medical qualifies. FAA Commercial or ATP Airplane or Helicopter rated with Instruments or both Meet specified flight hours Must meet job related medical, fitness and drug testing standards Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) You may be required to pass a background investigation and/or polygraph CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures 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 via the following link.
Qualifications
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: Conducting undercover operations and/or approaching individuals or groups to obtain the desired result Gaining compliance with established policies and regulations or gaining information by establishing rapport with a suspicious informant Testifying under oath before a grand jury, Federal court proceedings and other domestic legal proceedings Flying over large areas of water to conduct unseen aerial search of vessels in order to accurately determine speed, probable route, and point of rendezvous 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. Hiring Minimums: Pilot Enter on Duty minimums are 1500 flight hours; (up to 500 hours can be waived, reducing the pilot enter on duty minimums to 1000 hours) A current FAA Commercial or ATP Pilot Certification with the following ratings: Dual Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument rating AND Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating. OR Airplane Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument; OR Helicopter Rated: Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating. FAA Class I medical required for assessment dated within last 12 calendar months. FAA Class II medical will qualify. It must be dated within last 12 calendar months. However, at the time of your Flight Assessment you MUST present a FAA 1st Class Medical Certificate dated within the previous 12 calendar months. Apply at 750 hours total time: Applicants applying at 750 flight hours are required to obtain at least 1,000 flight hours (depending on the number of hours approved for a waiver) at own expense before being able to attend the 3-part flight assessment. Applicant must still meet 250 PIC, 75 instrument and 75 night hours. UAS Flight Hours: Applicants may include UAS Predator A (MQ-1), Predator B (MQ-9) flight hours and Predator A (MQ-1), Predator B (MQ-9) or predator based variant flight hours. These hours may be credited towards satisfying the "Total flight time" 1,500 flight hour requirement only. UAS hours do not count towards the 250 flight hours as a Pilot in Command, 75 flight hours Instrument and 75 flight hours Night. Flight hour logbooks will be required at time of your Flight Assessment for verification. 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 11/13/2024. 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 more information visit this link. Polygraph Examination: The Air Interdiction Agent position is a polygraph-required position. If you are not a current CBP employee in a law enforcement position, you may be required to take a polygraph exam and have favorable results in order to continue in the pre-employment process. Please see Polygraph Examination. Polygraph Reciprocity: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. You will receive information to request reciprocity in your Background Investigation Package. Polygraph Waiver: Certain veterans may be eligible to obtain a polygraph waiver. You will receive information to request a waiver in your Background Investigation Package. 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. Additional Hiring and Special Appointing Authorities: See "THIS JOB IS OPEN TO" section above for what additional Appointing Authorities may apply. Veterans, military spouses, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and people with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility and to understand what documentation would be required with your application, please click on the appropriate link below. You must provide documentation supporting your eligibility prior to the closing date of this announcement. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the CBP Hiring Center via the contact information listed at the end of this job opportunity announcement. Veterans Military spouses Effective until December 31, 2028, any spouse of a member on active duty may be eligible Land Management Hiring Flexibility Act: The following documents are required at the time of application: SF-50s to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements and the most recent performance rating signed by your supervisor or a statement from your supervisor documenting acceptable performance.
Education
Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.
Additional Information
Age Requirement: Provisions of Public Laws 93-350 & 100-238 allow the imposition of a maximum age for initial appointment to a primary Law Enforcement Officer position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In accordance with DHS Management Directive 251-03, the "day before an individual's 37th birthday" is the maximum age for original appointment to a position as a primary law enforcement officer within DHS. The age requirement is also necessary to ensure that you are able to complete the 20 years of applicable service for retirement. NOTE: The Commissioner of CBP has approved a temporary increase in the maximum allowable age to 40 for original placement into this position. Unless the below criteria applies, you must meet this age requirement by 11/13/2024 & enter-on-duty no later than the day prior to your 40th birthday in order to achieve the required 20 years of service for retirement. Creditable law enforcement officer service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d), or creditable service covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8401(36) (as a Customs and Border Protection Officer) on or after July 6, 2008, may be applied toward the maximum age requirement. This age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving in a federal civilian (not military) law enforcement position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d). To ensure compliance with statutes pertaining to the appointment of preference eligible veterans as determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board in its recent decision of Isabella v. Dept. of State, the maximum age for original appointment articulated above shall not apply to the hiring of individuals entitled to veterans preference eligibility under 5 U.S.C.
- 3312. Firearms Requirement: You will be required to carry a firearm & maintain firearm proficiency. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. You will be required to certify whether you have ever been convicted of such offense. False or fraudulent information is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment. Travel: Employees may be required to perform some travel, in addition to the initial basic & other mandatory training, which includes work on operational details away from home for extended periods of 35 days or more. Driver's License: You must possess a valid driver's license. Mandatory Completion of Basic Training: You will be detailed to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy (FLETC) in Glynco, GA. The training is comprised of formalized courses of basic technical instruction necessary to perform the duties of the position. You will complete the following training programs: (1) Spanish Language training; (2) Initial Survival Training; (3) Aircraft-specific Flight Training; & (4) Standardized Tactical Aviation Training (STAT). Learn more here (https://www.cbp.gov/careers/aia-app-proc) Mobility: You are required to sign a mobility agreement & be willing to relocate as necessary. Uniforms: This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status. Overtime: Employees must be fully trained to be eligible for overtime. This is a National Security position. Requires a Secret or higher security clearance.