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) on a career ladder (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12). This role is a federal law enforcement position focused on protecting the border, deterring illicit activity, and supporting national security. Candidates should be prepared for a training academy and possible relocation to prioritized duty locations.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (varies by grade and locality).
• Incentives: Up to $60,000 in additional incentives — up to $20,000 recruitment incentive (first $10,000 after Academy completion and up to $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations) plus up to $40,000 in retention incentives distributed over the first four years.
• Federal benefits include health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), and paid leave.
• Some duty locations may qualify for locality/law-enforcement pay differentials (up to ~25% for certain locations).

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What You’ll Do

Confidential Client Border Patrol Agents perform duties to safeguard borders and enforce immigration and customs laws. Typical responsibilities include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting people and documents to determine immigration or customs violations.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance (including night-vision/infrared) and operational tactics.
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic and transportation checks, city patrols, and other enforcement operations.
• Patrolling borders and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and other government assets.

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Where You Could Work

Duty assignments may include Southwest Border locations and mission-critical stations across multiple sectors. Confidential Client assigns duty locations based on operational needs; relocation may be required. Examples of mission-critical sector locations include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector: Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Alpine, 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, Las Cruces, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Ysleta
• Laredo Sector: Laredo South, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Laredo West/North
• Rio Grande Valley Sector: Rio Grande City, Fort Brown, McAllen, Brownsville, Falfurrias, Weslaco, Kingsville, Harlingen
• Tucson Sector: Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Sonoita, Casa Grande, Willcox
• San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Grand Forks, Spokane, Havre, Houlton, Swanton sectors and more

Prioritized locations (used for certain incentives) may include: Sierra Blanca, TX; Presidio, TX; Sanderson, TX; Comstock, TX; Lordsburg, NM; Freer, TX; Hebbronville, TX; Ajo, AZ.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at different grade levels depending on experience and education.

GL-5 qualification (one of the following):

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, ability to learn regulations/methods, and information gathering through observation and questioning.
• OR a bachelor’s degree (or completion of a four-year course of study).
• OR a combination of experience and education (reviewed from resume/transcripts).

GL-7 qualification (one of the following):

• One year of specialized experience demonstrating:
  • Sound judgment and decision-making in the use of firearms.
  • Effective, courteous interaction in law enforcement contexts.
  • Rapid analysis of information and prompt decision-making (including arrest authority after training) in law enforcement-related roles (criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military, etc.).
• OR superior academic achievement at the bachelor’s level or one full year of relevant graduate-level study (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic fields, etc.).
• OR a combination of specialized experience and education (calculated from application materials).

Note: Applicants with prior law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11). See related announcements for advanced-qualification pathways.

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Other Legal Requirements

To comply with federal hiring and position-specific rules, applicants must meet the following:

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Residency: Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must generally be referred for selection before their 40th birthday under law enforcement retirement provisions (Public Law 100-238 / DHS Directive 251-03). Exceptions apply for certain prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility.
• Veterans’ Preference candidates may qualify under specific excepted service appointments and may be exempt from the age restriction where applicable.
• Formal training: Selected candidates will attend the Confidential Client’s academy (approximately six months) covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver and firearms training, physical techniques, and other required courses.
• Language: Border Patrol work requires reading/speaking English and Spanish; language training is provided at the Academy to reach required proficiency.
• Background checks, medical, fitness, and firearms qualifications are required as part of the federal hiring process.

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Skills & Attributes That Help You Succeed

• Strong judgement and decision-making under pressure
• Effective interpersonal and communications skills; tactful interactions in enforcement settings
• Physical fitness and willingness to complete rigorous training
• Basic investigative and observational skills (document inspection, evidence interpretation)
• Ability to operate or be trained on vehicles, vessels, horses, ATVs, and surveillance equipment
• Willingness to relocate and accept duty assignments based on operational needs

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What to Expect in the Hiring Process

Careertakes is assisting this recruitment for the Confidential Client. Applications will be evaluated based on submitted resume, supporting documents (transcripts, if used for education substitution), and required examinations (including entrance testing). Selected candidates will undergo formal background investigations, physical and medical screening, and academy training. Final hiring decisions are made by the Confidential Client.

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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.