Customs Liquidator
What you'd do
Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Detroit Field Office, Automotive & Aerospace Center of Excellence and Expertise (AA-CEE), located in New Orleans, LA. Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Major duties
Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your technical expertise in the liquidation of import entries and claims. This position starts at a salary of $50,460.00 (GS-07, Step 1) to $80,243.00 (GS-09, Step 10) with promotion potential to $116,362 (GS-12 Step 10). GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position. Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts. In this position you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals providing technical advice on the liquidation of import entries and claims. Typical work assignments include: Calculating the duties and taxes payable on the imported merchandise by applying the classification, value determined, and the quantities shown on invoices and reports. . Examining all documents (e.g., entry forms and permits, invoices, reports of customs officers' findings or actions taken) and electronic data transmissions to ensure filing is timely, requirements are met based on type and condition of entry and nature of merchandise, and making recommendations to higher-graded specialists on the correct course of action to resolve discrepancies. Recommending corrections to any error, mistake of fact, or other inadvertence, not amounting to an error in the construction of a law, which is averse to an importer and which is manifest from the record or established by documentary evidence, which is brought to the agency's attention within one year after the date of the transaction. Examining entry, related documents, and electronic data transmissions to ensure all required documents are present, to verify legal requirements are met based on type and condition of entry, nature of merchandise, and to assure filing is timely. Determining the dutiable value, statutory classification, and duties and taxes due for the most difficult and complex entries or entries of unique character or special complexity.
What you need to qualify
Experience: You qualify for the GS-07 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Reviewing entries to ensure that reported weights, values, currency exchange rates, and extensions are correct; Calculating the duties and taxes payable on the imported merchandise by applying the classification, value determined, and the quantities shown on invoices and reports; Examining entry, related documents, and electronic data transmissions to ensure all required documents are present and legal requirements are met; Converting foreign measures to U.S. units, researching exchange rates, and taking other necessary steps to ensure all mathematical computations are correct. 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: Liquidating entries electronically, reflecting computations and explanations of additional amounts due; Notifying managers and filers of weaknesses in procedures, as well as patterns of irregularities in documents and automated data transmissions; Providing advice and expertise to users in the importing community and other government officials on the entire entry processing system, operations, and related computer interfaces; Providing information regarding the liquidation process, and methods and techniques for assuring that liquidations are accurate and proper; Contacting brokers, importers, and staff from outside the immediate office to secure additional information as necessary. 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. Education Substitution GS-07: Successful completion of one year of full-time graduate education from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise a year of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 18 semester or 27 quarter hours. OR A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) may also substitute for the experience required. It is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher of a possible 4.0, excluding pass/fail credits. Pass/fail credits cannot be more than 10% of total credits), or (3) honor society membership. Review Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) to see if you qualify under this provision. Please see www.opm.gov for additional information. Education Substitution GS-09: Successful completion of a master's degree, two full years of graduate education leading to such a degree, or a J.D. or LL.B may substitute for the experience required at this level. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. 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. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade level, and may be computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify for positions at the grade GS-09. More information on this qualification standard is located here. 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 07/10/2026. 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. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.
Before you apply
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