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Individual Occupational Requirements forGS-1890: Customs Inspection SeriesThe 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." General Experience for GS-5 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. Specialized Experience for GS-7 Positions: 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:
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. Specialized Experience for Positions above GS-7: 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. For Positions Requiring Dog Handling: 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. Personal Qualities: 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. Interview: 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 General: 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. Environmental: 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:
Hearing: 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. Special Medical Requirements: 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 | ||
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Updated 01 January 1999 |
