This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Category rating, Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking do not apply to this Public Notice.
Due to authorization constraints under DHA, applicants may be brought onboard under another non-competitive appointing authority if they are eligible for one.
Applicants will be referred for selection consideration throughout the announcement open period. Further questions regarding the Air Interdiction Agent position can be sent to the AMO Recruiters at [email protected]
Serve as an Air Interdiction Agent (AIA) performing Aviation Law Enforcement operations for the detection, prevention, interdiction, and apprehension of terrorists, terrorist weapons, and other contraband and persons from illegally entering or attacking the United States. Your duties will include:
Conducting air patrol, surveillance and pursuit activities related to the interdiction of smuggled contraband via land vehicles, aircraft, or vessels.
Monitoring behavior patterns and activities of suspect persons, vehicles, or vessels believed to be engaged in illegal activities.
Collecting, refining, and analyzing strategic and tactical intelligence.
Searching persons, vessels, baggage, and cargo for contraband or weapons incidental to detention or arrest.
This is a career ladder position with a grade level progression of GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13. You may be eligible for a promotion to the next higher grade level automatically (without re-applying) once you complete 52-weeks at each grade level (with supervisor approval). Air Interdiction Agents (AIA) special salary rates are posted on OPM's site. To see the special salary rates please visit this link. The compensation acronyms used below are:
SSR: Special Salary Rate as posted by OPM (Effective 1/1/2022)
LEAP: Law Enforcement Availability Pay (25% Everyone)
RI: Retention Incentive (10% for UAS Sites)
RI: Recruitment Incentive (25% for Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB), Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Site only)
Example annual compensation for the first three years at our new-hire locations which are currently authorized to receive LEAP (amounts below include the SSR + LEAP).
GS-11, 1st year annual pay - $106,588
GS-12, 2nd year annual pay - $127,754
GS-13, 3rd year annual pay - $151,918
Example annual compensation for the first three years at our new-hire locations which are currently authorized to receive a 10% retention incentive (amounts below include the SSR + LEAP + 10% Retention Incentive ((RI) UAS Sites: Sierra Vista, AZ; Grand Forks, ND; San Angelo, TX)
GS-11, 1st year annual pay - $115,115
GS-12, 2nd year annual pay - $137,974
GS-13, 3rd year annual pay - $164,071
Example annual compensation for the first three years at our new-hire locations which are currently authorized to receive LEAP (amounts below include the SSR + LEAP + 25% Recruitment Incentive ((RI) CAMB location only).
GS-11, 1st year annual pay - $127,906
GS-12, 2nd year annual pay - $153,305
GS-13, 3rd year annual pay - $182,302
Locations are offered based on operational requirements, mission requirements, and critical agency hiring needs for entry level Air Interdiction Agents as determined by Air and Marine Operations. A duty location will be offered after successfully completing a three-part assessment. The duty location listed in the final offer letter may include any geographic location within the Southwest Border Region, Southeast Border Region, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB), and National Air Security Operation Centers (NASOC) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Location. You must be willing to work at any duty location that falls within that region.
Southeast Region: (to include but not limited to the following locations) Homestead, FL and the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch (CAMB): Aguadilla, PR
Southwest Region: (to include but not limited to the following locations) Tucson and Yuma, AZ; San Diego, CA; El Paso, Laredo, and McAllen, TX
National Air Security Operation Center (NASOC) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Locations: (to include but not limited to the following locations) Sierra Vista, AZ; San Angelo, TX
FAA Commercial or ATP Airplane or Helicopter rated with Instruments
FAA Class 2 Medical required at time of Flight Assessment. FAA Class 1, FAA Class 2 or Military qualifies to start the pre-employment process for the AIA position. All must be dated within the last 12 months.
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
Primary U.S. residency for the last three of the last five years (additional details below)
You may be required to pass a background investigation and/or polygraph
CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link
DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.
Experience: 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:
Flying as a Pilot-in-Command or sole manipulator in an airplane and helicopter in all environments of flight, including night, poor weather, unfavorable terrain, low altitudes, or speed
Evaluating information rapidly and make judicious decisions promptly during in-flight operations
Developing strategies and coordinate aircraft and ground assets
Using information systems and databases to conduct information surveys, queries, update files and disseminate information
Utilizing air intercept/sea search radars, night-vision goggles, or other aircraft sensor systems in furtherance of law enforcement operations
Coordinating and conducting airborne law enforcement operations
Experience may include:
Operation of an aircraft as Captain
Pilot in Command
Aircraft Commander
First Officer
Certified Flight Instructor
Second in Command
Co-pilot
Airborne Mission Commander
Military Weapons Systems Officer/Flight Officer/Crew Chief
Air to Air, Air to Ground, or Air to Surface aviation law enforcement mission coordinator
Hiring Minimums:
Pilot Enter on Duty minimums are 1500 flight hours; (up to 500 hours can be waived, reducing the pilot enter on duty minimums to 1000 hours; see Required Documents regarding the Flight Hour Waiver).
250 Pilot-in-Command hours
75 Instrument hours
75 Night hours (Flight Hour Waiver available, see Required Documents)
100 Flight hours in the last 12 months (This qualification requirement is currently being waived by OPM through August 5, 2025)
*No Military Flight Hour Conversion Allowed.
A current FAA Commercial or ATP Pilot Certification with the following ratings:
Dual Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument rating AND Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating; or
Airplane Rated: Airplane (Single-engine land or multi-engine land) with instrument; or
Helicopter Rated: Rotorcraft Helicopter with instrument rating; or
Equivalent military rating of the above at the time of application (eligibility based on military flight experience must provide official orders, forms or logbooks showing their status as a rated military pilot)
FAA Class 2 medical required at time of 3-part assessment dated within last 12 calendar months. FAA Class 1, FAA Class 2 or Military dated within the last 12 months qualifies to start the pre-employment process for the AIA position.
Apply at 750 hours total time
Applicants applying at 750 flight hours are required to obtain at least 1,000 flight hours (depending on the number of hours approved for a waiver) at own expense before being able to attend the 3-part assessment. Applicant must still meet 250 Pilot-in-Command, 75 instrument, 75 night hours and 100 flight hours in the last 12 months (This qualification requirement is currently being waived by OPM through August 5, 2025).
UAS Flight Hours: Applicants may include UAS Predator A (MQ-1), Predator B (MQ-9) flight hours or predator based variant flight hours. These hours may be credited towards satisfying the "Total flight time" 1,500 flight hour requirement only. UAS hours do not count towards the 250 flight hours as a Pilot in Command, 75 flight hours Instrument and 75 flight hours Night. Flight hour logbooks will be required at time of your Flight Assessment for verification.
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.