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.

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

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About the Role

Confidential Client is recruiting entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5/GL-7 grade levels for full-time, career federal law enforcement positions. This role offers structured career progression, academy training, competitive base pay, federal benefits, and recruitment/retention incentives. Candidates will be assigned to duty locations based on operational needs; relocation may be required.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs): GL-5 / GL-7 range $51,632 – $92,912 per year (estimated).
• Eligible for federal benefits including health, dental, life insurance, generous annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement savings).
• Potential locality pay increases and BPA pay reform adjustments (up to ~25% in some locations after training).
• Up to $20,000 recruitment incentive (first $10,000 after Academy; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations).
• Possible retention incentives up to $40,000 spread over the first four years for qualifying hires.

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent you will protect the nation by detecting, deterring, and interdicting unlawful entry and cross-border criminal activity. Typical duties include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting individuals and vehicles to enforce immigration and customs laws.
• Conducting surveillance (including night operations with infrared scopes) and covert observation.
• Tracking, interpreting physical evidence, and conducting farm/building/traffic checks.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.
• Making arrests and using appropriate force consistent with federal law and agency policy after required training.
• Coordinating with other law enforcement and intelligence partners as needed.

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Who We’re Looking For (Minimum Qualifications)

You may qualify for GL-5 if you meet ONE of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating responsibility, decision-making under stress, ability to learn regulations and procedures, and basic investigative questioning/observation skills; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

You may qualify for GL-7 if you meet ONE of the following:

• One (1) year of specialized experience showing law-enforcement related skills such as firearms judgment, dealing with people tactfully in law enforcement matters, rapid information analysis and decision-making, or related security/military/law enforcement experience; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA, class standing, or honor society) OR one year of relevant graduate-level education; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

Additional desirable skills:

• Prior public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement experience (may qualify for higher grade consideration).
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish proficiency is a plus — academy training includes Spanish language development.
• Physical fitness and ability to complete intensive academy training.

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Other Requirements & Important Notices

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age limitation: Candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday per applicable federal law and DHS directives; exceptions apply for certain prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility.
• After hire, candidates will attend approximately six months at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM) for training in laws, operations, firearms, driving, tactics, and language training.
• Duty assignments may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical locations; relocation may be required. Duty assignments are determined by operational need at time of offer.

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Duty Locations (examples — assignments vary by operational need)

Mission-critical sectors and stations include (but are not limited to):

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Alpine, 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, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Zapata
• Tucson Sector — Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Sonoita, Casa Grande
• San Diego, Yuma, El Centro, Rio Grande Valley, Spokane, Havre, Houlton, Grand Forks and others

Candidates will be asked to indicate preferred locations but should expect assignment flexibility.

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Why Apply via Careertakes

• Careertakes is a third‑party recruiting platform facilitating access to this confidential client’s hiring process.
• If selected through Careertakes, you will be connected directly with the confidential client for final hiring steps.
• Applicants may receive matched job alerts and additional opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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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.