Individual Occupational Requirements for
GS-1890: Customs Inspection Series
The text below is extracted verbatim from
Section IV-B of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards
for General Schedule Positions (p.IV-B-252), but contains minor edits
to conform to web-page requirements.
Use these individual occupational requirements in conjunction with
the "Group Coverage Qualification Standard for
Administrative and Management Positions."
Three
years of general experience is required, 1 year of which must have
been equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service. Such
experience may have been gained in the performance of substantive
duties that required the ability to meet and deal with people and the
ability to learn and apply a body of facts. Examples of such duties
include explaining administrative requirements and procedures to
others, or screening forms to assure that they are completed properly
in accordance with requirements. These duties may have been performed
in customer service, claims adjustment, or information receptionist
positions, for example. They may also have been performed in assistant,
aid, and secretarial/clerical positions. Positions involving lead and
supervisory duties or operating a business should also have provided
the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Judgments about the
acceptability of experience should not be based solely on the title of
the position held; rather, the actual duties performed should be
evaluated to determine whether or not the experience is creditable.
The performance of predominantly typing, filing, xeroxing, or
messenger duties, or other purely mechanistic tasks, is not creditable
as general experience, nor is experience in trades and crafts or
equipment operator work.
One
year of specialized experience comparable in level of difficulty and
responsibility to the GS-5 level in the Federal service is required.
This is experience that entailed the performance of substantive duties
in import/export work or in compliance/regulatory work. Import/export
experience must have demonstrated the ability to apply specialized
knowledge of the laws, regulations, and procedures for entering and
exporting merchandise to and from the United States. This includes
Customs work that provided a knowledge of Tariff Act terminology,
records, or procedures involved in any phase of inspection,
enforcement, or classification and value assessment work. The
compliance/regulatory work must have demonstrated the ability to
collect, develop, and evaluate facts, evidence, and pertinent data in
assessing compliance with or violations of laws, rules, or
regulations.
Specialized experience is generally gained in the performance of
the duties of the following kinds of positions in the private and
public sectors. The following examples are for illustrative purposes
only, and are not all-inclusive:
Agriculture Inspector
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms Inspector
Auditor
Automated Commercial System Specialist
Budget Analyst
Canine Enforcement Officer
Claims Examiner
Commodity Team Aid
Contract Administrator
Contract Specialist
Customs Aid
Customs Entry Aid
Customs Inspection Aid
Customs Liquidator
Customs Mail Specialist
Customs Mail Technician
Customs Teller
Customshouse Broker
Enforcement Aid/Assistant
Financial Institutions Examiner
Fines, Penalties & Forfeiture Assistant
Immigration Inspector
Import Quota Technician
Import Specialist
Importer/Exporter
Inspection Assistant
Intelligence Aid
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Intelligence Research Specialist
Internal Revenue Officer
Investigator
Loan Specialist
Logistics Specialist
Marine Enforcement Officer
Miscellaneous Documents Examiner
Operations Enforcement Analyst
Paralegal Specialist
Personnel Specialist
Public Safety Officer
Quality Assurance Specialist
Safety Specialist
Sector Enforcement Specialist
Social Security Administrator
Social Worker
Student Trainee (Auditor)
(Commodity Specialist)
(Customs Inspector)
(Import Specialist)
(Intelligence)
(Regulatory Audit)
Tax Examiner
Tax Preparer
Veterans Claims Examiner
Wage & Hour Compliance Specialist
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Specialized Experience for GS-7 Inservice Placement Actions Only:
Substantive clerical, technical, and administrative support experience
shall be credited as specialized experience provided it was performed
at the GS-5 or higher level and in U. S. Customs Service offices
performing Customs work, i.e., inspection, enforcement, or
classification and value. The performance of these duties in a
technical Customs program is considered to provide a basic knowledge
and background in the procedures and terminology required in the
performance of specialized Customs work. This includes positions as
clerks and secretaries for Inspection and Control, Commercial
Operations and Enforcement.
Experience that demonstrated the ability to make rapid, accurate
judgments and decisions with respect to the application of the
regulations, instructions, and procedures for examining and inspecting
imports for admission to the United States, or inspection work
concerning investigations and law enforcement.
Experience must have included experience or specialized training in
handling, training, and employment of dogs equal to satisfactory
completion of a dog handler training course similar to that given by
the Customs Detector Dog Training Center.
Candidates, in addition to
other qualifications, must possess traits and characteristics that are
important to success in customs inspection work. Among these qualities
are alertness, ability to work effectively in stress situations,
ability in oral expression, tact, capacity for effective public
relations, and good judgment. Candidates must give evidence that they
are capable of representing the United States satisfactorily in
contacts with persons from other countries. A customs inspector is
often the first person an alien sees and talks to upon arrival in the
United States, and the inspector's behavior is important in forming
the impression and attitude of the person toward the United States.
Competitors who pass the written
test, as required, and who meet the experience and training
requirements may be requested to appear for an interview at the time
of consideration for appointment. The purpose of the interview is to
observe and evaluate certain personal characteristics of applicants to
determine whether they possess qualities essential to the successful
performance of the duties of the position.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
The physical demands of the essential
job tasks range from sedentary to arduous and are classified into the
following categories: lifting/carrying, pushing/pulling, climbing,
bending/stooping, running/walking, sitting, standing, driving, writing,
vision, comprehension/reading, and communication. Incumbents are
responsible for: lifting items to inspect cargo and search for
contraband; climbing ladders and climbing onto cargo; reading,
comparing and reviewing shipping documents and itineraries to
determine cargo and time of arrival of vessels and airplanes;
communicating with citizens, passengers and exporters to exchange and
gather information and testify at trials; driving vehicles; running to
pursue suspects; making arrests; using firearms; conducting traffic
control; and, operating computers, radios, and small hand tools.
Incumbents perform job tasks in
a variety of environmental conditions. These conditions include working
(1) in hot or cold outdoor temperatures (i.e., below 32 degrees or
above 90 degrees), (2) at high elevations (i.e.. 15 feet or greater
above ground level), (3) near moving vehicles and aircraft, (4) in
dusty conditions, (5) near fumes, (6) in stressful conditions and (7)
for extended and irregular hours.
Vision: Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Near vision - must be at least 20/40 Snellen binocular (with or
without corrective lenses). Binocular visual acuity must be
at least 20/30 (corrected) and 20/100 (uncorrected).
- Color perception - must be able to distinguish primary colors
as defined by color perception plate tests.
- Refractive surgery - individuals who have undergone refractive
surgery (i.e., surgery to improve distant visual acuity) must
meet Treasury approved requirements which include documentation
that they have passed specific exam and protocol testing.
Uncorrected bilateral hearing loss
must not exceed 25 dB for the average of the following frequencies:
500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz; and must not exceed 45 dB loss at 4000
and 6000 Hz in either ear. The difference in hearing levels between
the better ear thresholds nad worse ear thresholds may not exceed 15 dB
for the average of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz only; and must not
exceed 30 dB loss at 4000 and 6000 Hz only. Use of a hearing aid is
not allowed.
The duties of
this position are of a strenuous and hazardous nature. Additionally,
the position requires a high degree of interaction and responsibility
to the public. Therefore, any medical condition resulting from an
injury or disease or any psychiatric condition may result in
disqualification for appointment either: (1) if the condition(s) would
affect the ability of the individual to perform the essential functions
of the position; or (2) if recurrence of the condition(s) cannot be
medically ruled out, and the duties of the position are such that a
recurrence would pose a reasonable probability of substantial harm to
the individual or to others, if the individual were appointed to the
position.
Appointments will be contingent upon a candidate's passing a
pre-employment medical examination and drug test to ascertain
possession of the physical, emotional and mental requirements for the
position. A direct relationship exists between specific medical
requirements and the condition and the duties of the position. Any
chronic disease or condition affecting the auditory, cardiovascular,
endocrine and metabolic, gastronintestinal, genitourinary,
integumentary, musculolskeletal, neurological, psychological,
respiratory, and visual systems that would impair full performance of
the duties of the position is disqualifying. These medical
requirements must be met by individuals subsequent to appointment and
for inservice placement actions, including reinstatement of former
employees and transfers from positions not covered by this standard.
USE OF FIREARMS
For some positions, applicants must, after appointment, (1) qualify periodically in the
use of firearms and (2) carry firearms.
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