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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Role overview

Confidential client is hiring full-time Border Patrol Agents (entry-level, GL-5 / GL-7) to join their federal law enforcement workforce. This is a career-focused position that includes academy training, a structured promotion ladder, strong benefits, and recruitment/retention incentives totaling up to $60,000 (where eligible).

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Salary & incentives

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated market pay shown on some listings: ~$68,000 per year (varies by duty location and locality pay).
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after academy completion; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: May qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Federal benefits: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other standard federal programs.

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Locations & assignments

Duty assignments may include mission-critical stations across multiple sectors. Offers will be based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border prioritized locations. Relocation may be required.

Sample mission areas include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector (Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Alpine, Sanderson, Marfa, etc.)
• Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Tucson, Yuma, San Diego Sectors
• Grand Forks, Havre, Spokane, Swanton, Houlton, Rio Grande Valley, Laredo Sectors

Note: Duty location affects pay (locality pay and law enforcement pay adjustments). This position is part of a career ladder with progression from GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12; promotions occur after successful completion of required time-in-grade.

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Key duties & responsibilities

As a Border Patrol Agent for our confidential client, you will:

• Detect and question individuals suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented entrants and smugglers at or near borders, including night operations with surveillance equipment.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband.
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as mission needs require.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL-5 if you have one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stress, learning aptitude, and information-gathering skills; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any discipline) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

You may qualify at GL-7 if you have one of the following:

• One year of specialized work experience showing ability to: exercise sound judgment in firearm use; deal tactfully and courteously in law enforcement contexts; rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions—skills commonly gained in law enforcement, military, corrections, security, or related roles; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement, OR one year of graduate-level study in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic studies, etc.); OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Previous or current law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify you at higher grade levels (GL-9 to GS-11); please refer to the client’s higher-grade announcements if applicable.

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Other requirements

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Residency: Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday per applicable law; exceptions may apply for prior qualifying federal LEO service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility.
• Formal training: Selected candidates will attend the Border Patrol Academy (~6 months) in Artesia, NM, for intensive instruction (immigration law, driver/firearms training, physical techniques, language training, etc.).
• Language: Ability to speak and read English is required; Spanish proficiency is valuable. The academy includes Spanish language training.
• Veterans and other protected categories: Veterans’ Preference and other applicable hiring authorities may apply. All hiring follows federal law and applicable state pay-transparency or posting requirements.

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What we look for

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Strong judgment and decision-making under pressure.
• Respectful, professional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to public service and teamwork.
• Physical fitness and the ability to complete required training and field duties.
• Willingness to relocate if assigned to mission-critical locations.

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Compliance & candidate information

Careertakes and our confidential client follow all applicable U.S. federal and state hiring laws, including nondiscrimination and pay-transparency requirements where they apply. Where a salary range is provided in this posting, it reflects the employer’s stated range for newly appointed positions at the cited grade levels.

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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.