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 entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels to join its federal law enforcement team. This is a full-time, career-track position that includes academy training, a clear promotion ladder, competitive federal benefits, and recruitment/retention incentives.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 → GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade-dependent and subject to locality pay).
• Recruitment incentives: up to $20,000 (e.g., $10,000 after academy graduation + $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention incentives: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years (total incentives up to $60,000).
• Federal benefits package: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), paid leave, and career advancement opportunities.
• Additional locality and law-enforcement pay adjustments may apply based on duty location.

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent with the confidential client you will help safeguard the nation’s borders and support public safety by performing duties such as:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting individuals and possessions to determine immigration and customs compliance.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers; conducting covert surveillance and night operations (using infrared scopes and other assets).
• Interpreting and following physical evidence (tracks, marks) of illegal entry.
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and other government assets.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, coordinating with other federal/state/local partners when required.

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Duty Locations & Mobility

• Duty assignments may include mission-critical sectors along the Southwest and other U.S. border regions.
• Candidates will be asked to select preferred duty locations, but final assignments are based on operational needs and may require relocation.
• Some prioritized locations (examples) include: Presidio, TX; Sierra Blanca, TX; Sanderson, TX; Comstock, TX; Lordsburg, NM; Freer, TX; Hebbronville, TX; Ajo, AZ.
• Note: duty location affects pay (locality and law-enforcement differentials). Be prepared for assignments in remote or austere environments.

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Qualifications

Candidates may qualify at GL-5 or GL-7 depending on experience and education.

Qualifications for GL-5 (minimum one of the following):

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating ability to take charge, make sound decisions, maintain composure in stressful situations, learn regulations/methods through training or on-the-job instruction, and gather concise information through questioning and observation.
• OR a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university.
• OR a combination of experience and college-level education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Qualifications for GL-7 (minimum one of the following):

• One (1) year of specialized work experience showing skills to:
  • Make sound judgments and decisions in the use of firearms,
  • Deal effectively and tactfully with people in law enforcement contexts,
  • Rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions (including arrests) in law enforcement, security, military, corrections, or related fields.
• OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA ≥ 3.0, class standing, or honor society membership), or one full year of graduate-level coursework in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic studies, etc.).
• OR a combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Preferred / potential higher grades:

• Candidates with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify for GL-9 or GS-11 level consideration; refer to the appropriate BPA announcement.

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Other Requirements & Important Notices

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Applicants must be referred before reaching their 40th birthday per federal law enforcement retirement provisions, unless exempt (e.g., prior covered federal civilian LEO service or eligible Veterans’ exceptions).
• Veterans’ Preference: Veterans may be eligible for excepted service appointments; some age restrictions may not apply.
• Training: Selected candidates will attend approximately six (6) months of intensive instruction at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM). Training covers immigration/nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, firearms, physical techniques, and language training.
• Language: Spanish reading and speaking ability is essential for Border Patrol duties; academy-level language training is provided as needed.
• Physical & Background: Successful completion of medical, fitness, and background investigations is required (standard for federal law enforcement roles).
• Equal employment: All applicants will be evaluated on qualifications and fit for the role in accordance with applicable laws.

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How We Recruit (Careertakes role)

• Careertakes is the third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. Selected candidates are employed directly by the confidential client.
• Applicants may be funneled through federal hiring announcements and background processes; you will be evaluated on resume, supporting documents (transcripts where applicable), and required entrance assessments.
• Careertakes may present qualified candidates to the confidential client and provide guidance on submitting a complete application.

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Keywords / Candidate Profile

Ideal candidates will be searching for: Border Patrol Agent, BPA, entry-level federal law enforcement, Border Patrol Academy, GL-5 GL-7, Brookhaven NY (local applicants) or willing to relocate, recruitment incentive, retention incentive, Spanish-speaking law enforcement, academy trainee.

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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.