Paralegal Specialist

Customs and Border Protection • Buffalo, NY

20d • Onsite

About The Position

Joining the Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations will allow you to use your expertise to provide legal support of those executing the law enforcement duties at the port level. This position starts at a salary of $64,543.00 (GS-9, Step 1) to $101,524.00 (GS-11, Step 1) with promotion potential to $121,680.00 (GS-12 Step 10). In this Paralegal Specialist position, you will become you will become a key member of a team of homeland security professionals providing key legal support for the law enforcement duties at the port level.

Requirements

• 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 at least three of the last five years
• All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English
• You may be required to pass a background investigation
• 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.
• DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.
• Resume must explicitly indicate how you meet the experience requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.
• GS-09: Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Assisting in reviewing and processing cases through to solution; Assisting in assuring that all due process considerations are met and that the elements necessary to establish a violation are present and are supported by appropriate documentation; Receiving and examining petitions filed by individuals, corporations, or attorneys seeking relief from seizures, penalties, fines, or liquidated damages; Reviewing acceptability of evidence in some seizure, fines, and penalty cases and all liquidated damages.
• GS-11: Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Assuring that all due process considerations are met and the elements necessary to establish a violation are present and supported to appropriate documentation; Developing and evaluating all evidence, facts, and circumstances relating to cases; Reviewing and making decisions as to the acceptability of evidence in some seizure, fines, and penalty cases and all liquidated damages; Receiving and analyzing petitions and appeals to original decisions and determining whether grounds for additional relief are present.
• Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process
• 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 10/15/2026.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible.
• To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.
• Selectee(s) are required to attend and successfully complete 3 weeks of Fines, Penalties, and Forfeiture Basic training, Charleston, SC.
• You may be required to successfully complete the training requirement as a condition of employment.
• Incumbent may be required to attend FOIA/PA training or must have previously attended FOIA/PA training.
• Position is a designated drug testing position.

Nice To Haves

• GS-09: 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. from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience required at this level.
• GS-11: Successful completion of Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. from an accredited college or university may substitute for the experience required at this level.
• Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages.
• Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11.
• 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.
• Veterans, military spouses, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and people with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission.
• If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.
• The proof of disability documentation must specify that you are eligible to apply using Schedule A.
• The following documents are required at the time of application: SF-50s to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements and the most recent performance rating signed by your supervisor or a statement from your supervisor documenting acceptable performance.
• Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing and adjudicating seizures, penalties, prior disclosures, immigration carrier fines, and claims for liquidated damages within the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures (FPF) Officer's authority through to solution.
• Reviewing and making determinations as to the presence of probable cause and/or the acceptability of evidence in order to ensure the sufficiency of cases within the jurisdiction of the FPF Officer.
• Applying risk management principles and techniques to effectively manage, prioritize, and complete the daily workload.
• Composing written correspondence and briefings to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed