Border Patrol Agent (Assistant Chief)

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters, Law Enforcement Operations Directorate, Foreign Operations Division, in Sofia, Bulgaria Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.. Major duties: Relocation Authorized Position: All relocations will be placed on hold at the time of selection, as USBP awaits to receive funding. As soon as funding becomes available, you will be contacted by the CBP Hiring Center to coordinate an enter on duty (EOD) date and complete the necessary relocation forms. Relocation expenses have been authorized for this position. See the Relocation Expenses Reimbursed section of this announcement and U.S. Border Patrol Paid Moves for additional details. This position will allow you to use your expertise to prevent illegal entry of aliens into the United States by land, water, or air; enforce criminal provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Laws; and seek out and apprehend smugglers or aliens who are in the United States illegally. Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen the Department's ability to protect the homeland. This position starts at a salary of $110,422.00 (GS-14, Step 1) to $143,553.00 (GS-14, Step 10). Salary above excludes COLA. Please see the following link for specific COLA Rates Nonforeign Areas. You will serve as a secondary law enforcement officer (under 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) and 8412 (d)). Your duties will include: Working under the Department of State - Chief of Mission authority to establish and drive international strategy in coordination with international and interagency partners. Supporting the CBP portfolio attached to the diplomatic missions of the U.S. and will assist to implement a variety of programs and initiatives that meets the United States Government's objectives in anti-terrorism, border security, non- proliferation, export control, training and technical assistance, and facilitating legitimate trade or travel. Overseeing CBP's operational presence in Bulgaria and the Region by working closely with the Bulgarian and Regional Governments and Agencies while coordinating closely with interagency groups at Post on border security, to counter narcotics trafficking and weapons smuggling, and human trafficking. Serving as a liaison to other USG agencies and host government authorities on any and all matters relating to CBP. Serving as the CBP representative to the Mission's Law Enforcement Working Group. Foreign Location Benefits: Return Rights: You will be contacted by Headquarters no later than 120 days prior to completion of the tour and asked to identify up to five duty locations (with comparable positions) where you would like to relocate. If no position is available at those locations, you will be placed at a location that meets the greatest needs of U.S. Border Patrol. Vehicle: A government vehicle will be provided. Annual Leave Accumulation: Employees assigned to this location may carry over 360 hours of annual leave to the next leave year (as opposed to 240 hours). Home Leave: In addition to annual leave, employees at this location earn ten days home leave on each two-year assignment. This leave is only granted to those employees who have their foreign assignment extended for another tour and is to be used between tours. The Government pays the employee per diem and transportation expenses from the employee's post of duty to the employee's former official residence in the United States. In addition, it also pays for the transportation expenses of dependents who accompany the employee on home leave to the employee's residence in the United States. Living Quarters Allowances (not payable if claiming temporary lodging allowance): Employees receive payment of an annual tax-free quarters' allowance for housing while in a foreign station. This allowance is intended to cover the cost of suitable, adequate living quarters for the employee and his/her family plus the cost of heat, light, fuel, gas, electricity, and water. However, at some duty stations government subsidized housing is provided. Temporary Lodging Allowance (not payable if claiming living quarters allowance): A temporary lodging allowance is a tax-free quarters allowance, which is granted to you for the reasonable cost of temporary quarters, which are incurred by you and your family for a period not to exceed (1) 60 days after first arrival at a new post in a foreign area, or a period ending with the occupation of permanent quarters, if earlier; and (2) 30 days immediately preceding final departure from the post subsequent to the necessary vacating of residence quarters. Education Allowance: Payment for most actual costs of education for each dependent are determined by the Department of State and are subject to change. Medical Examination: You and your dependents who accompany you to the foreign station will be required to pass a prescribed State Department medical examination as a condition of assignment. Passports: You will be required to obtain diplomatic passports for yourself and your dependents as a condition of selection. Qualifications: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Providing technical and administrative direction and oversight for all Border Patrol related functions within an assigned area. Supervising, managing or directing operational programs and their appropriate support functions. Directing local policy and program initiatives. Developing, managing or directing operational policy or programs related to Border Patrol operations This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement: Specialized Experience in law enforcement or other responsible work that demonstrated the ability to: Make arrests and exercise sound judgment in the use of firearms; deal effectively with individuals or groups of persons in a courteous, tactful manner in connection with law enforcement matters; analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions or take prompt and appropriate law enforcement action in light of applicable laws, court decisions, and sound law enforcement procedures; and develop and maintain contact with a network of informants. Secondary Law Enforcement Officer Special Retirement Coverage: This is a secondary position subject to mandatory retirement under the special retirement provisions for law enforcement officers under CSRS and FERS 5 CFR 842.803, 5 CFR 831.903, 5 USC 8425(b), 5 USC 8335(b),5 USC 8412(d) and 5 USC 8336(c). Employees in secondary positions must meet the following conditions in order to be eligible for special retirement provisions: moved directly from a rigorous position to a secondary position without a break in service; complete 3 years of service in a rigorous position; and have been continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a rigorous position without a break in service exceeding 3 days. 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, 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, contact the CBP Retirement Operations Center at (202) 863-6180. Mandatory Prerequisite for Secondary Administrative LEO Retirement Covered Position: This position has been identified as Administrative, that is, an executive, managerial, technical, semiprofessional, or professional position for which experience in a primary/rigorous law enforcement or firefighting position, or equivalent experience outside of the Federal government is a mandatory prerequisite, as defined by 5 CFR 831.902 (CSRS) and 5 CFR 842.802 (FERS). Note: if you currently serve in a permanent Secondary LEO Retirement covered position, you are exempt from this mandatory prerequisite. Language Requirement: Must be proficient in the Spanish language. (i.e., able to speak and read in Spanish). Firearms Requirement: This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. An applicant whose background includes any of the following will be ineligible for consideration: 1) convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year; 2) has any outstanding warrants or is a fugitive from justice; 3) unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; 4) adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution; 5) illegally or unlawfully in the United States; 6) renounced U. S. citizenship; 7) subject to a court-ordered restraining (protection) order from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (spouse, former spouse, parent of applicant's child, individual who cohabitates or has cohabitated with the applicant), or child; or 8) convicted under Federal, State, or Tribal Court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against an intimate partner or child. Medical Requirements: Following a tentative job offer, candidates must undergo and successfully complete a medical screening process. Individuals must be medically and physically capable of performing the essential job functions and duties of the position safely and efficiently without endangering the health and safety of the individual, others, or national security. For more information regarding the medical screening process and requirements, check out our video and visit our website. 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 11/16/2026. 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 Polygraph Examination: This 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.