U.S. Customs and Border Protection utilizes Intelligence Research Specialists through the Office of Intelligence and Operations Coordination to gather, analyze and repackage intelligence for use by agency personnel as well as other intelligence and law enforcement organizations in federal, state and local government. These highly qualified intelligence officers manage information from a wide variety of sources and channels including law enforcement operations, terrorist interdictions and human intelligence assets to help develop a tactical and strategic response to emerging and potential threats to U.S. security and public safety.
Intelligence Research Specialist Job Description
Intelligence research specialists may process raw intelligence that may be in other languages or encrypted, combine it with key data from other sources and produce actionable insights into the activities of human smugglers, multi-national gangs, terrorist networks, financial criminals and narcotics smugglers. These specialists play a critical role in ensuring that America and its citizens are kept safe from any and all potential threats.
In addition to processing information, Intelligence Research Specialists also coordinate actions taken by CBP mission personnel and officers within other counter-terrorism and law enforcement agencies. Through appropriate use of intelligence reports and presentations, Intelligence Research Specialists may be able to shift the course of the federal government’s policies and strategies. The expeditious analysis and distribution of information related to impending threats helps the CBP and other groups shield the United States from harmful actions
Intelligence research specialist jobs require professionals who can successfully perform the following duties:
- Collect data from international, criminal or intelligence sources
- Translate or decrypt raw intelligence
- Correlate information from numerous disparate sources in order to provide actionable responses to newly discovered criminal or terrorist actions
- Classify, store, manage and destroy intelligence
- Produce final intelligence reports and products for use by government officials
- Make recommendations to decision makers about neutralizing potential threats to national security and public safety
- Coordinate information with personnel in other intelligence agencies
Intelligence Research Specialist Salary and Job Benefits
U.S. Customs and Border Protection admits new Intelligence Research Specialists at the GS-7, GS-9, and GS-11 pay rating. These specialists also possess the promotional potential to achieve a GS-13 or GS-14 pay grade. In 2012 the salary ranges for these pay levels were detailed as:
Within each pay grade are ten steps which must be attained before promotion to the next pay grade. This pay regime reflects only the base salary and is often adjusted for cost of living and overtime. Intelligence Research Specialists who regularly experience long hours and extended availability may receive Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) which can range from 10 to 25 percent of base salary plus COLA.
Intelligence Research Specialist jobs also come with highly generous benefits packages that include:
- Paid holidays and accrued personal leave days
- Health insurance with the option for vision and dental
- Tuition reimbursement
- Thrift Savings Plan (401k plan)
- Life insurance
- Full retirement after 30 years under FERS or CSRS
- Paid training
- Long term care insurance
- Flexible spending accounts that allow tax free savings for medical and dependent care expenses
For more information on how to become an intelligence research specialist, click here.