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 / Homeland Security (Customs & Border Protection functions).

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 entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 and GL-7 grade levels for full-time, career federal law enforcement positions. This role offers base pay, comprehensive federal benefits, career-ladder promotions, and recruitment/retention incentives (up to $60,000 in eligible cases). Training includes an intensive academy assignment.

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent you will help protect U.S. borders by preventing illegal entry and contraband smuggling, conducting patrols, and performing enforcement and investigative duties. Typical responsibilities include:

• Detecting and questioning people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws
• Inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations
• Conducting surveillance (including night operations using infrared scopes)
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city and transportation patrols
• Patrolling borders and coastal waterways using vehicles, vessels, horses, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs varies by grade: GL-5 / GL-7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year.
• Federal benefits package including health and dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement savings).
• Locality and law-enforcement pay adjustments may apply; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for additional pay under applicable laws.

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Incentives

• Recruitment Incentive: Up to $20,000 for newly appointed BPAs (e.g., $10,000 upon successful completion of academy; additional $10,000 for selecting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention Incentive: Eligible new BPAs may receive up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• NOTE: Incentive amounts, eligibility, and prioritized locations are determined by Confidential Client and may vary by duty station.

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Duty Locations & Mobility

• Duty assignments may include mission-critical locations across multiple sectors (examples include prioritized stations in TX, NM, AZ, and many other sector locations nationwide).
• Confidential Client assigns duty stations based on operational needs; relocation may be required.
• Some positions may be located near the Southwest border and other remote locations.

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, the ability to learn regulations and techniques, and information gathering through observation and questioning; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year) from an accredited institution; 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 experience demonstrating ability to make sound firearms judgments, deal tactfully with the public in law enforcement contexts, analyze information rapidly, and apply law-enforcement skills (e.g., criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (e.g., GPA or honors) or one year of graduate-level study in a law-enforcement related field; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

If you have prior federal or military law enforcement experience, you may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11); refer to applicable BPA announcements for those opportunities.

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Other Legal & Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age restriction: Due to law enforcement retirement provisions, candidates must generally be referred before reaching their 40th birthday unless exempt (e.g., certain prior federal civilian LEO service or Veterans’ Preference exceptions).
• Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans may have alternate appointment paths and may be exempt from certain age restrictions.
• Formal training: Selected candidates will attend the Border Patrol Academy (approximately six months) for instruction in law enforcement, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, immigration law, and agency-specific operations. Spanish language proficiency is beneficial; language training is provided during the Academy.

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What We Look For

• Ability to make sound decisions and act under stressful conditions
• Strong observation and information-gathering skills
• Effective interpersonal skills and professionalism in enforcement contexts
• Willingness to relocate and work variable schedules, outdoor duties, and in remote areas
• Prior public safety, security, corrections, military, or law-enforcement experience is valuable but not required for entry-level appointment

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Selection Process & Notes

• Applicants are evaluated on submitted resume, supporting documents (e.g., transcripts), and performance on entrance assessments.
• Offers include a duty station assignment determined by Confidential Client based on operational needs.
• This is a career ladder position with opportunities for promotion through GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12, subject to time-in-grade requirements and successful performance.

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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.