Marine Interdiction Agent

This position is covered by Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP). LEAP is an additional compensation of 25% of the base salary and locality pay. See additional pay information in the Duties section.

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations.
This position has a selective factor, as a minimum qualification requirement all candidates must have a qualifying Merchant Mariner Credential. See the U.S. Coast Guard Issued Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) section that is listed below for qualifying capacities.

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:

• Independently applies advanced skill in controlling/commanding law enforcement scenes to include conducting searches, making arrests, processing arrests and seizure of evidence and property.

• Conducts investigative inquiries using various techniques, examining files and records, physical and documentary evidence to identify logical conclusions.
• Utilizes cameras and other electronic high-tech surveillance equipment to gather evidence, collect, evaluate, and then preserve that physical and documentary evidence.
• Highly skilled in writing comprehensive arrest, criminal and incident reports
• Assists government or state attorneys in preparation for court cases or grand juries, testifies as a law enforcement officer in court proceedings, and administrative forums.
• Considerable experience applying arrest authorities and constitutional law in various alleged criminal situations, or knowledge and experience of CBP laws, regulations, policies, legal precedent.

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.

OR

GS-11 Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M.

OR

C ombining Experience and Education: A combination of successfully completed post-bachelors education(above) and experience. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts submitted with your application. If education is used for your qualification, official transcript will be required upon selection. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify for positions at grades GS-11.

AND

U.S. Coast Guard Issued Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC): You must submit a valid, legible copy of your Merchant Mariner Credential at time of application. Your copies must include the expiration and capacity pages of your MMC.
Qualifying Capacities are:
Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) ,
Mate of 200 gross tons or greater (Inland, Great Lakes, Near Coastal or Oceans),
Chief Mate , Second Mate , and Third Mate Unlimited Oceans or
Master of 25 GRT or greater (Inland, Great Lakes, Near Coastal or Oceans)

-or-

An Issued MMLD : You must submit proof of an issued MMLD, and a credential status that is in a unexpired standing. *It cannot be pending additional information for MMLD application process.*You must have your Official MMC Credential issued at the time of scheduling and at assessment appointment. Don't have an MMC? See what it takes to get one by viewing Application Acceptance Checklist at this link.

You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 06/30/2026.

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, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

Polygraph Examination: The Marine 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 Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

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.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Duty Locations: A duty location will be offered after successful completion of the pre-employment process.

The duty location listed in the final offer letter may include any geographic location within the Northern Border Region, Southwest Region, Southeast Region or Caribbean Air and Marine Branch.

Current possible duty locations include:
Southeast Region: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Marathon, FL and the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB): Fajardo, Mayaguez, Ponce, and San Juan, PR, and Saint Thomas, VI.
Northern Border Region: Bellingham WA
*Your opportunity for final selection is increased based on your flexibility to Enter on Duty at priority duty location*

Limited Duty Locations - Applying to this JOA does not guarantee any of the locations listed below will still be available once you've completed the pre-employment process. Locations are offer based on the current needs of the service at that time.
Southeast Region: Houma, LA.
Southwest Region: San Diego, CA.
Northern Region: Port Huron, MI.

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable at this time; however, official copies will be required prior to entrance on duty) or a list of coursework with hours completed provided from the institution. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials. For a listing of some accrediting agencies see NACES | Credentials Evaluations Provided by NACES Members . See for more information.

Rigorous Law Enforcement Officer Special Retirement Coverage: This is a rigorous position subject to mandatory retirement under the special retirement provisions for law enforcement officers under CSRS and FERS ( 5 CFR 842.803 and 5 CFR 831.903 , Conditions for Coverage; 5 USC 8425(b) and 5 USC 8335(b) , Mandatory Separation; and 5 USC 8412(d) and 5 USC 8336(c) , Immediate Retirement). For more information on required years of service and retirement age, click on this link . For further information on when an employee continues or discontinues coverage under the special retirement system for law enforcement officers, please see the CSRS and FERS handbook, Chapter 46 (CSRS pages 12-14, and FERS pages 41-43) . If you have questions regarding your retirement coverage provisions, please contact the CBP Retirement Operations Center at ....

Age Requirement: Provisions of Public Laws 93-350 and 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 a Marine Interdiction Agent position.

Unless the below criteria applies, you must meet this age requirement by 06/30/2026 AND 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).

Veterans' Preference Eligibility - To ensure compliance with statutes pertaining to the appointment of preference eligible veterans as determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board in its decision 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. You must submit proof of Veteran's Preference (DD-214 Member 4 Copy) at the time of application.

The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. To preview the questionnaire please click the link .

Travel : Overnight travel may be required on a regular and recurring basis.