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, a Confidential Client in federal law enforcement (border security).

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

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What You’ll Do

Confidential Client is seeking motivated, service-minded candidates for entry-level Border Patrol Agent roles. As an entry-level Border Patrol Agent you will help protect the border, deter illicit activity, and support lawful travel and trade. Typical duties include:

• Detecting, questioning, and processing persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws
• Conducting surveillance, track analysis, and inspections to identify illegal entry and contraband
• Performing vehicle, building, farm, and transportation checks and city patrols
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, and other assets
• Using investigative, communication, and report-writing skills to document incidents and arrests

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Why This Role

This is a long-term federal law enforcement career with training, advancement opportunity, and stability. The Confidential Client offers:

• Entry-level career ladder (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12)
• Formal academy training and on-the-job instruction
• Recruitment and retention incentives (see Compensation & Benefits)
• A range of federal benefits including health and dental plans, leave, and retirement (Thrift Savings Plan)

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year
• Estimated midpoint for this listing: $80,330 per year (estimated)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy; additional for prioritized locations)
• Retention incentive: candidates may qualify for up to $40,000 across the first four years
• Federal benefits: health, dental, generous leave, and retirement savings (TSP)

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Where You May Work

Duty assignments are determined at time of offer and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical stations. Location impacts pay (locality pay) and you may be required to relocate based on operational needs.

Example sectors/locations include (selection):

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, etc.
• Tucson Sector — Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, and others
• Laredo, El Paso, Del Rio, Rio Grande Valley, San Diego sectors and more

Relocation may be required; prioritized locations may qualify for additional incentives.

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Who We’re Looking For

We welcome candidates who demonstrate:

• Commitment to public service and public safety
• Sound decision-making under pressure and good judgment in law enforcement contexts
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact professionally with the public
• Physical fitness and ability to complete academy training
• Willingness to learn Spanish (training provided at the Academy)

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Minimum Qualifications & Requirements

To be considered for an entry-level GL-5 or GL-7 appointment, applicants must meet one of the applicable experience/education options:

GL-5 (qualify under one of the following)

• One year of general work experience demonstrating responsibility, decision-making, and ability to learn through training; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited institution; OR
• A combination of relevant experience and college education (evaluated from resume/transcripts)

GL-7 (qualify under one of the following)

• One year of specialized experience showing (examples):
  • Sound judgment and decision-making with firearms
  • Effective law-enforcement-related interactions with the public
  • Rapid information analysis and arrest application in a law enforcement setting
• OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement, or one year graduate-level study in a related field, or a combination of experience and education

Other legal and policy requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship required
• U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years
• Age restriction: candidates must generally be referred prior to their 40th birthday due to law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions exist for current/previous federal civilian law enforcement service and certain veterans’ appointments
• Background investigation, medical and physical fitness standards, and successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy are required

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Training & Career Path

• Successful candidates attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. 6 months) for intensive instruction in law enforcement procedures, immigration law, firearms, defensive tactics, driving, and Spanish language training.
• This is a structured career-ladder role: after completing time-in-grade requirements, agents are eligible for promotion to the next grade without reapplying.

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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.