Job Requirements
Boston, MA Orlando, FL Detroit, MI Houston, TX Nogales, AZ
Clearance Unspecified Polygraph not specified
Career Level not specified
$50,760 - $80,243
Job Description
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations, has immediate openings for Agriculture Specialists.
CBP Agriculture Specialists safeguard American agriculture by preventing the introduction of harmful plant pests, foreign animal diseases, potential agricultural bioterrorism, and dangerous pests that threaten the health and safety of U.S. agriculture. This is done through the inspection of vessels, vehicles, and baggage for restricted materials and assessing the agricultural risk of entry into the United States.
Duties
If hired, you will be part of CBP’s Office of Field Operations, and serve as an Agriculture Specialist with primary responsibilities that will typically include:
• Serving as a consultant in the areas of inspection, analysis, intelligence gathering, examination, and law enforcement activities regarding the importation of agricultural/commercial commodities and conveyances at ports of entry.
• Applying laws and regulations when determining the admissibility of agricultural commodities while preventing the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States.
• Participating in special enforcement, targeting, or analytics teams charged with collecting and analyzing information and identifying high-risk targets.
• Planning and conducting remedial actions such as treating, disinfecting, and decontaminating prohibited commodities, conveyances, contaminants, or agricultural materials.
Duty Locations: You will be asked to select your preferred location for one of the following mission-critical locations: Nogales, AZ; Calexico, Otay Mesa, San Francisco, and San Ysidro, CA; Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando, FL; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Queens, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Brownsville, Eagle Pass, and Houston, TX.
NOTE: The above preference locations are expected to have vacancies available in the future. However, if the duty locations do not have vacancies at the time of your final offer, you may be offered a duty location in another geographic location within the United States. Locations offered at the time of your final offer are based on operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs for entry-level Agriculture Specialists as determined by the CBP Office of Field Operations.
**Recruitment Incentive** Newly appointed Agriculture Specialists will be offered up to a $15,000 incentive for a four-year service contract, in the following location:
San Francisco, CA.
Locations offered are based on operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs as determined by the CBP Office of Field Operations. Although the following locations will most likely be available, the duty location offered in your final offer letter may include a duty location in another geographic location that meets agency mission-critical needs.
Salary
$50,760 – $80,243 per year (GS 7-9)
Starting salaries depend upon duty location and grade level for which you qualify.
Please see the official job announcement on USAJOBS for more precise salary and recruitment incentive information.
Basic Qualification Requirement for All Grades (GS 7-9):
You will qualify for the GS 7 or GS 9 grade level, depending upon your education and experience as described below. The CBP Agriculture Specialist position has a basic requirement.
Basic Requirement:
1. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, animal science, plant science, pest management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
2. Combination of Education and Experience: Completed at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in a qualifying field of study, as shown above, PLUS qualifying experience or additional education.
GS 7 Grade Level:
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for the GS 7, applicants must also possess one of the following:
• One year of graduate-level education (equivalent to 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) from an accredited college or university leading to a master’s degree in a qualifying field of study; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 scale), from an accredited college or university that includes 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in a qualifying field of study; OR
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level that includes: effectively dealing with individuals or groups of persons in a courteous / tactful manner in connections with agricultural matters; researching information for reports and providing information to others; analyzing information rapidly and making prompt decisions; enforcing regulations while inspecting vessels, vehicles, aircraft and/or baggage for the presence of restricted plant materials, pests or diseases; and reviewing and analyzing passengers or commodity documents to assess the agricultural risk of their entry into the United States; OR
• A combination of graduate-level education, which includes a qualifying field of study from an accredited college or university, AND specialized work experience.
GS 9 Grade Level:
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, to qualify for the GS 9, applicants must also possess one of the following:
• A master’s degree or two years of progressively higher-level graduate education from an accredited college or university that includes a major in a qualifying field of study; OR
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that includes: coordinating, planning, and executing inspection assignments, investigating violations, and preparing investigative reports and providing testimony; compiling data and preparing reports in connection with agricultural matters and inspection operations; overseeing treatments such as disinfection, sterilization, and decontamination; OR
• A combination of graduate-level education, which includes a qualifying field of study from an accredited college or university, AND specialized work experience listed above.
Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Documents to Submit and Evaluation Process
Please see the official job announcement on USAJOBS to see Conditions of Employment and which documents, including veterans’ preference documents, if applicable, that you must submit and how you will be evaluated.
How to Apply:
Apply as soon as possible in order to receive consideration, as this job opportunity announcement will close on June 29, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET OR on the day we receive 600 applicants (whichever comes first).
Click on this site’s Apply button to be linked to the official job opportunity announcement that appears on USAJOBS, the federal government’s official employment site. You will be able to read the exact details regarding how to apply online. Please follow all online prompts carefully to submit your application.
CBP Agriculture Specialists safeguard American agriculture by preventing the introduction of harmful plant pests, foreign animal diseases, potential agricultural bioterrorism, and dangerous pests that threaten the health and safety of U.S. agriculture. This is done through the inspection of vessels, vehicles, and baggage for restricted materials and assessing the agricultural risk of entry into the United States.
Duties
If hired, you will be part of CBP’s Office of Field Operations, and serve as an Agriculture Specialist with primary responsibilities that will typically include:
• Serving as a consultant in the areas of inspection, analysis, intelligence gathering, examination, and law enforcement activities regarding the importation of agricultural/commercial commodities and conveyances at ports of entry.
• Applying laws and regulations when determining the admissibility of agricultural commodities while preventing the introduction of harmful pests, diseases, and potential agro-terrorism into the United States.
• Participating in special enforcement, targeting, or analytics teams charged with collecting and analyzing information and identifying high-risk targets.
• Planning and conducting remedial actions such as treating, disinfecting, and decontaminating prohibited commodities, conveyances, contaminants, or agricultural materials.
Duty Locations: You will be asked to select your preferred location for one of the following mission-critical locations: Nogales, AZ; Calexico, Otay Mesa, San Francisco, and San Ysidro, CA; Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando, FL; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Queens, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Brownsville, Eagle Pass, and Houston, TX.
NOTE: The above preference locations are expected to have vacancies available in the future. However, if the duty locations do not have vacancies at the time of your final offer, you may be offered a duty location in another geographic location within the United States. Locations offered at the time of your final offer are based on operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs for entry-level Agriculture Specialists as determined by the CBP Office of Field Operations.
**Recruitment Incentive** Newly appointed Agriculture Specialists will be offered up to a $15,000 incentive for a four-year service contract, in the following location:
San Francisco, CA.
Locations offered are based on operational and mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs as determined by the CBP Office of Field Operations. Although the following locations will most likely be available, the duty location offered in your final offer letter may include a duty location in another geographic location that meets agency mission-critical needs.
Salary
$50,760 – $80,243 per year (GS 7-9)
Starting salaries depend upon duty location and grade level for which you qualify.
Please see the official job announcement on USAJOBS for more precise salary and recruitment incentive information.
Basic Qualification Requirement for All Grades (GS 7-9):
You will qualify for the GS 7 or GS 9 grade level, depending upon your education and experience as described below. The CBP Agriculture Specialist position has a basic requirement.
Basic Requirement:
1. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, animal science, plant science, pest management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
2. Combination of Education and Experience: Completed at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in a qualifying field of study, as shown above, PLUS qualifying experience or additional education.
GS 7 Grade Level:
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for the GS 7, applicants must also possess one of the following:
• One year of graduate-level education (equivalent to 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) from an accredited college or university leading to a master’s degree in a qualifying field of study; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement (i.e., GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 scale), from an accredited college or university that includes 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours in a qualifying field of study; OR
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level that includes: effectively dealing with individuals or groups of persons in a courteous / tactful manner in connections with agricultural matters; researching information for reports and providing information to others; analyzing information rapidly and making prompt decisions; enforcing regulations while inspecting vessels, vehicles, aircraft and/or baggage for the presence of restricted plant materials, pests or diseases; and reviewing and analyzing passengers or commodity documents to assess the agricultural risk of their entry into the United States; OR
• A combination of graduate-level education, which includes a qualifying field of study from an accredited college or university, AND specialized work experience.
GS 9 Grade Level:
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, to qualify for the GS 9, applicants must also possess one of the following:
• A master’s degree or two years of progressively higher-level graduate education from an accredited college or university that includes a major in a qualifying field of study; OR
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that includes: coordinating, planning, and executing inspection assignments, investigating violations, and preparing investigative reports and providing testimony; compiling data and preparing reports in connection with agricultural matters and inspection operations; overseeing treatments such as disinfection, sterilization, and decontamination; OR
• A combination of graduate-level education, which includes a qualifying field of study from an accredited college or university, AND specialized work experience listed above.
Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Documents to Submit and Evaluation Process
Please see the official job announcement on USAJOBS to see Conditions of Employment and which documents, including veterans’ preference documents, if applicable, that you must submit and how you will be evaluated.
How to Apply:
Apply as soon as possible in order to receive consideration, as this job opportunity announcement will close on June 29, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET OR on the day we receive 600 applicants (whichever comes first).
Click on this site’s Apply button to be linked to the official job opportunity announcement that appears on USAJOBS, the federal government’s official employment site. You will be able to read the exact details regarding how to apply online. Please follow all online prompts carefully to submit your application.
group id: 10338695
