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) — GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels — to join federal law enforcement teams protecting the nation’s borders. This career-track role offers structured promotion steps, federal benefits, academy training, and significant recruitment and retention incentives for eligible hires.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs: GL-5 / GL-7 range $51,632–$92,912 per year (location and grade dependent).
• Eligible for federal benefits including health, dental, vision, generous annual & sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement/savings).
• Locality and law-enforcement pay adjustments may apply; fully trained BPAs can be eligible for additional locality pay (up to ~25% for certain locations per applicable pay rules).
• Recruitment and retention incentives (see Incentives section below).

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Recruitment & Retention Incentives

• Recruitment Incentive: Up to $20,000 for newly appointed BPAs. Typically $10,000 at successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy, plus $10,000 for accepting a prioritized duty location.
• Retention Incentive: Eligible BPAs may qualify for up to $40,000 in additional incentives distributed over the first four years.
• Incentive availability depends on hiring authority and assignment.

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Key Responsibilities

As a Border Patrol Agent, typical duties include:

• Detecting and questioning individuals suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers through patrols and surveillance (day/night operations, including use of night-vision/infrared equipment).
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry and contraband movement.
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city and transportation patrols.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and other government assets.

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stressful situations, learning via instruction, and information-gathering skills; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year) from an accredited institution; OR
• A combination of education and experience (will be evaluated from resume and transcripts).

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

• One (1) year of specialized work experience demonstrating judgment and decision-making in firearms use, effective people skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis, arrest authority after training, or related security/law enforcement responsibilities; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of graduate-level coursework in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic technology, etc.); OR
• A combination of education and specialized experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Prior law enforcement or military police experience may qualify candidates at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11). Submit transcripts and detailed experience to support grade evaluation.

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Duty Locations & Assignments

• Duty assignments may include mission-critical and/or Southwest Border locations; prioritized locations may be offered and can affect incentive eligibility.
• Relocation may be required; assignment decisions are based on operational needs at time of offer.
• Example sectors include: Big Bend, Buffalo, Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Spokane, Swanton, Tucson, Yuma (see full list in the original announcement for specific stations).

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Training

• New hires attend the U.S. Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM) for approximately six months of intensive training covering immigration & nationality law, law enforcement operations, defensive tactics, firearms, driver training, language instruction, and other topics.
• Spanish language proficiency is valuable; language training is provided to help achieve operational proficiency.

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Other Requirements & Eligibility

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age limitation: Candidates must be referred before their 40th birthday under certain federal LEO retirement provisions, unless exempt (e.g., qualifying prior federal civilian LEO service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility).
• May be eligible for Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA); Veterans’ Preference can affect age requirements.
• Candidates will undergo background checks, medical/fitness evaluations, and required federal screenings as part of the hiring process.

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What We Look For

• Commitment to a career in federal law enforcement and public service.
• Strong decision-making, situational awareness, and interpersonal skills.
• Physical fitness appropriate for law enforcement duties.
• Willingness to relocate and work varied schedules, including night operations and remote stations.

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Next Steps

(Recruiting and application details are managed by the hiring authority. Application instructions on the original announcement were omitted here per Careertakes policy. Applicants will be directed to the client’s official job announcement and application portal if selected to proceed.)

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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.