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Chemist

Job Series: 1320 (OPM Classification & Qualifications)

Types / Parentheticals

  • Science Officer
  • Chemist (Quality Manager)
  • Chemist (Senior Scientist)
  • Lead Chemist
  • Chemist (Petroleum)
  • Supervisory Chemist
  • Supervisory Chemist (Branch Chief)
  • Supervisory Chemist (ALD)
  • Supervisory Chemist (Lab Director)

Overview

This job series covers positions that specialize in providing technical support for the planning, direction, and control of the Division’s activities related to Customs laboratories and for technological and scientific matters of concern to Customs and to the domestic, importing, and exporting communities. Chemists serve as technical experts and laboratory liaisons to classified or sensitive information operatives in other Government agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, the FBI, ATF, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Duties at CBP

Work within this job series includes a broad range of activities involving complex, obscure, or novel aspects of chemistry in the Customs laboratories, such as dealing with technological developments; new products; and the latest (and sometimes conflicting) experimental evidence and trends to enhance the agency mission. The work involves planning, developing, and conducting vital Customs laboratory programs that have national and, in some cases, international effect. Typical work assignments may include:

  • Providing scientific and technical advice to Headquarters personnel regarding field laboratory equipment utilization records, maintenance schedules, modification or replacement specifications, and long-range, service wide instrumentation requirements;
  • Providing Customs management with analysis of the technical impact of proposed or enacted legislation, regulations, etc., and suggesting appropriate courses of action;
  • Coordinating various aspects of sample control programs, especially regarding the format and content of the National Commodity Sampling Information System (NCSIS); the laboratories’ dissemination of and follow-up to highlighting reports; and developing and implementing programs to improve the selectivity of commodity sampling;
  • Determining the need for, developing, and implementing programs to acquire specialized instruments along with the required expertise and facility accommodations;
  • Formulating and approving long-range national technical training plans for the Customs laboratory system based on technical-needs assessments from field trips, review of operational data, lab reports, etc.; and
  • Representing the Division in meetings between Customs officers, representatives of domestic or foreign trade, and/or officials of other governmental agencies.

Locations

  • Various

Application Process

View the Professional Staff Application Process page for more details

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