What are the responsibilities and job description for the Seized Property Specialist position at Office of Field Operations?
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Baltimore Field Office, Fines, Penalties, & Forfeitures Division, Port of Washington D.C., located in Dulles Airport, Virginia.
Experience: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
Education Substitution: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the experience required at the GS-9 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim.
Combining Education and Experience: To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. The combined total of your percentage of education and experience must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert the quarter hours into semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by the fraction 2/3. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level, by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, you must divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages of education and experience. The two percentages must total at least 100%.
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:
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
Polygraph Examination: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the Seized Property Specialist position, however, at this time a polygraph is not a pre-employment requirement. If CBP decides to implement the polygraph as a pre-employment requirement while you are in the hiring process, CBP will notify you and provide additional information.
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:
As a Seized Property Specialist, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals overseeing the inventory and safe storage of seized illegal narcotics and prohibited goods. Typical work assignments include:
Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Qualifications:
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: You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
- Reviewing and updating property tracking systems for completeness and accuracy.
- Assisting with review of seized property documentation for accuracy and completeness and requesting additional information as needed.
- Assisting with determining special handling requirements for hazardous materials, biohazardous, and any other property requiring special transportation or unique handling.
- Ensuring all seized property stored in the permanent seizure vault complies with the packaging, labeling, and storage requirements.
- Assisting with monitoring the turnover of seized property to the permanent seizure vault or contractors within established timeframes.
Education Substitution: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or a L.L.B. or J.D. for the experience required at the GS-9 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. You are required to submit proof of your claim.
Combining Education and Experience: To combine your education and experience, you must convert each to a percentage, and then add the percentages. The combined total of your percentage of education and experience must equal at least 100% in order to qualify. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert the quarter hours into semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by the fraction 2/3. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level, by 18. To determine your percentage of qualifying experience, you must divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by the required number of months of experience. Add your percentages of education and experience. The two percentages must total at least 100%.
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 06/05/2026.
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
Polygraph Examination: CBP has the authority to conduct a polygraph for the Seized Property Specialist position, however, at this time a polygraph is not a pre-employment requirement. If CBP decides to implement the polygraph as a pre-employment requirement while you are in the hiring process, CBP will notify you and provide additional information.
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
Responsibilities:
This position starts at a salary of $70,623.00 (GS-09, Step 1) to $91,815.00 (GS-09, Step 10) with promotion potential to $133,142 (GS-12 Step 10).As a Seized Property Specialist, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals overseeing the inventory and safe storage of seized illegal narcotics and prohibited goods. Typical work assignments include:
- Performing comprehensive reviews, evaluations, surveys, and other assessments pertaining to the operational functions relating to seized property management.
- Ensuring compliance with processes and procedures pursuant to established CBP policies provided for in the Seized Asset Management and Enforcement Procedures Handbook (SAMEPH) for the custody, preservation, and disposition of seized or forfeited property through to resolution, within the FPF Officer's (FPFO) authority.
- Planning, preparing for and participating in the seized property destruction operations.
- Overseeing the acceptance of seized property for storage in the permanent seizure vault and consigning property to the national seized property contractors in compliance with established timeframes set by national policy and procedures.
- Developing and providing guidance and training to employees regarding seized property processing activities.
Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Salary : $70,623