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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Overview

Confidential Client is hiring full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5/GL-7 grade levels to join a federal law enforcement team focused on border security and public safety. This role is a career-ladder opportunity with training at a federal academy, competitive base pay, comprehensive benefits, and up to $60,000 in hiring/retention incentives for qualifying candidates.

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What You’ll Do

Border Patrol Agents carry out frontline border security operations to detect, interdict, and deter illegal entry and smuggling. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and questioning individuals suspected of immigration or customs violations and inspecting documents and possessions
• Conducting surveillance from covert positions (including night operations using infrared scopes)
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband
• Performing farm/building/traffic/city patrols and transportation checks
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles

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Salary & Incentives

Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs varies by grade level:

• GL-5 / GL-7: $51,632 – $92,912 per year (estimated median shown on job board)

Incentives:

• Recruitment Incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 upon successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location)
• Retention Incentive: Up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying employees
• Locality and pay adjustments may apply; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay under applicable pay reform provisions

Benefits:

• Federal health, dental, and life insurance options
• Generous annual and sick leave
• Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement savings plan)

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Duty Locations & Assignment Notes

Duty assignments are determined at the time of offer and may include mission-critical locations along the Southwest Border and other sectors. Relocation may be required. Examples of sector/station locations include (non-exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector — Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector — Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Fort Hancock, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa
• El Centro Sector — El Centro, Indio, Calexico
• Laredo Sector — Laredo, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Zapata
• Rio Grande Valley Sector — McAllen, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, Weslaco
• San Diego Sector — Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Murrieta, San Clemente
• Tucson Sector — Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Casa Grande
• Yuma Sector — Yuma, Blythe, Wellton

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Qualifications

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

• Experience: One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, ability to learn procedures, and information gathering through observation and questioning; OR
• Education: Bachelor’s degree (or completion of a four-year course of study from an accredited college/university); OR
• Combination: A mix of experience and education (evaluated via resume and transcripts)

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

• Experience: One year of specialized experience demonstrating sound judgment in firearms use, the ability to deal effectively with people in law enforcement contexts, and rapid information analysis leading to prompt decisions (examples include criminal enforcement, security, military, or corrections roles); OR
• Education: Bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one full year of graduate-level study in a law-enforcement-related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic tech, etc.); OR
• Combination: A mix of relevant experience and education (evaluated via resume and transcripts)

Note: Candidates with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). Qualifications will be verified from submitted application materials.

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Other Requirements

• U.S. citizenship required
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years
• Age: Candidates must typically be referred before their 40th birthday due to law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions may apply for certain prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility
• Veterans’ Preference: Eligible applicants may qualify for specific hiring pathways and age exceptions
• Formal Training: Newly hired agents attend approximately six months at a federal Border Patrol Academy covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement tactics, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and Spanish language training (Spanish proficiency is strongly preferred; language training is provided)
• Physical and background suitability for federal law enforcement duties will be required

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Ideal Candidate / Skills

• Strong decision-making and composure under pressure
• Effective oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Basic investigative and observational skills (tracking, evidence interpretation)
• Ability and willingness to operate varied field assets (vehicles, watercraft, ATVs, horses)
• Spanish language aptitude or willingness to train
• Commitment to public service and federal law enforcement mission

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Next Steps

This posting is managed by Careertakes as a recruiting partner. Qualified candidates who proceed will be directed to our client’s federal application process, which may include submission through official federal job announcements and assessments. (Application instructions have been omitted here — please proceed through the Careertakes application flow if prompted.)

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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.