About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Federal Law Enforcement (Customs and Border Protection).

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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What You’ll Do

Confidential Client is hiring entry‑level Border Patrol Agents to join a federal law enforcement career ladder. This role combines field patrol, investigation, and public‑safety responsibilities in support of border security operations.

• Perform routine and covert surveillance, interdiction, and inspection activities to detect and deter illegal entry and smuggling.
• Detect, question, and inspect individuals and documents to determine citizenship or violations.
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Patrol land and coastal boundaries using vehicles, watercraft, horses, ATVs, motorcycles, and other mission assets.
• Work shifts that may include nights, weekends, and irregular hours; operate and be trained on firearms and enforcement equipment.
• Coordinate with law enforcement partners and maintain accurate reports and evidence.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (grade levels GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 (range dependent on grade and locality).
• Estimated midpoint (for example posting): ~$67,077 per year (estimated).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy; remaining for accepting prioritized locations where applicable).
• Retention incentives: eligible for up to $40,000 distributed over first four years for qualifying new hires (program rules apply).
• Federal benefits package including health and dental insurance, paid annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement/retirement‑style savings plan).
• Eligibility for locality pay adjustments and law‑enforcement pay provisions (may increase total compensation in certain duty locations).

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Locations & Assignments

Duty assignments are mission‑driven and may require relocation. Offers may include assignments in southwestern and other border sectors, including prioritized and remote locations. Locality pay and incentives vary by assignment.

Priority / sample duty locations may include (non‑exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, Alpine, Marfa, Van Horn
• Del Rio / El Paso / Laredo / Rio Grande Valley sectors — multiple stations across TX, NM, AZ
• Tucson / Yuma / San Diego sectors — AZ and CA locations
• Northern and other sectors — Houlton (ME), Swanton (VT), Spokane (WA), Grand Forks (ND), and others

Relocation may be required. You will be asked to indicate location preferences, but final duty assignment is determined by operational need.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL‑5 or GL‑7 based on the following:

GL‑5 (entry-level) — one of:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn rules/procedures, and gather concise information via questioning/observation; OR
• A completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

GL‑7 — one of:

• One (1) year of specialized experience demonstrating the ability to: make sound firearms judgments; deal tactfully and effectively with people in law enforcement contexts; analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions (examples: criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police, or similar); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA/honors/class rank) or one year of relevant graduate study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

Prior law enforcement or military policing experience may qualify candidates for higher grade consideration (GL‑9 / GS‑11); consult the official announcement for criteria.

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Other Requirements & Training

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must have maintained primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age restriction: candidates must generally be referred prior to their 40th birthday per applicable law and agency directives; exceptions apply (e.g., prior covered federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility).
• Veterans may be eligible for excepted service appointment authorities (VRA) and other considerations.
• After hire, candidates attend a ~6‑month Border Patrol Academy for training in immigration/nationality law, driver training, defensive tactics, firearms, physical conditioning, and operational procedures.
• Spanish language proficiency is valuable; language training is provided as part of Academy instruction where required.
• Selection includes assessments, background investigations, medical and fitness evaluations, and other security checks.

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Selection & Hiring Notes

• This is a full‑time, career, federal law enforcement position with a graded career ladder (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12). Promotions to the next grade level occur after required time‑in‑grade and successful performance.
• Offers of employment, duty assignments, incentives, and final hiring decisions are made by the Confidential Client.
• Applicants will be evaluated on experience, education, supporting documentation (e.g., transcripts), entrance exam performance, and standard federal background checks.

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.