Department of Homeland Security

Assistant Commissioner, Laboratories and Scientific Services

Washington, District of Columbia Full time

Assistant Commissioner, Laboratories and Scientific Services

Department: Department of Homeland Security

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $151661 - $228000 Per Year

Job Summary: Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in Operations Support. For more information about U.S. Customs and Border Protection, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/about.

Major Duties:

  • As the Assistant Commissioner, Laboratories and Scientific Services, the senior executive is responsible for the Laboratories and Scientific Services within Operations Support, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In addition, this position functions as the Chief Science Officer for CBP. You will have full executive responsibility and accountability for the scientific and forensic activities for CBP. You will work with Congress, the private sector, and intragovernmental scientific and professional peers to acquire resources and advance innovation across CBP for border security and trade enforcement missions. This will provide direct support to CBP's more than 47,000 sworn law enforcement officers and agents who operate in a multi-domain border environment. You will facilitate scientific and forensic services for the directorate, national programs, the Agency, and the Department. You will also direct efforts to combat terrorism and transnational organized crime, which encompasses illegal narcotics, determining evidence for use in prosecutorial proceedings, and detecting weapons of mass destruction. For an overview of the diverse responsibilities CBP carries out within the Government, visit our website at cbp.gov.

Qualifications: 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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifications listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Technical Qualifications (TQs) listed below. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including results of your actions. The application process used to recruit for this position is RESUME-ONLY. YOUR RESUME MUST NOT EXCEED 2 PAGES. Any resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs). TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. TQ 1: Expert knowledge of and experience overseeing complex scientific and forensic services for a large agency or organization. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3: Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4: Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ 5: Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. FAILURE TO MEET OR FULLY ADDRESS EACH EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATION AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION IN THE RESUME WILL ELIMINATE A CANDIDATE FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION. If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you must attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please use the contact information below. Your application materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 05/11/2026. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account and check your applicant profile dashboard, which will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-11