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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Why This Role Matters

This is an entry-level federal law enforcement opportunity to train and build a long-term career protecting U.S. borders. The Confidential Client is hiring Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels for full-time, career positions. You’ll join a mission-focused team where public safety, teamwork, and judgment under pressure are central to daily work.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs: GL-5 / GL-7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year (grade-dependent).
• Estimated midpoint (for reference): $69,961 per year.
• Newly appointed BPAs are eligible for federal benefits: medical, dental, vision, generous paid leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (a federal retirement plan).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid after Academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations).
• Retention incentives: eligible for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying candidates.
• Eligible for locality and BPA pay adjustments; fully trained BPAs may receive up to an additional ~25% of base pay per applicable pay reform rules.

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Duty Locations & Assignment Notes

Duty assignments may include mission-critical and prioritized locations, including sites along the Southwest Border and other sectors nationwide. You will be asked to indicate preferred locations, but the Confidential Client assigns duty stations based on operational needs and may require relocation. Examples of sectors include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend, Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Tucson, Yuma, San Diego
• Swanton, Houlton, Grand Forks, Spokane, Buffalo, Rio Grande Valley, Laredo

Priority locations (incentive-eligible) include places such as Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg, Freer, Hebbronville, Ajo, and others.

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Typical Duties & Responsibilities

As an entry-level Border Patrol Agent you will perform a mix of field and support duties to detect, deter, and apprehend individuals violating immigration and customs laws. Typical duties include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting people and property to determine citizenship or identify violations.
• Conducting surveillance (including night operations with infrared systems) and apprehending undocumented individuals and smugglers.
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling with multiple platforms and assets: vehicles, horses, watercraft, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and boats.

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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 under stress, and ability to learn procedures on the job; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of relevant work experience and college education (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 showing ability to use firearms responsibly, interact tactfully with the public in law-enforcement contexts, rapidly analyze information, and make prompt decisions (examples: criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one full year of graduate-level study in a law-enforcement-related field; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Previous law enforcement or military police experience may qualify candidates for higher grades (GL-9, GS-11); consult specific announcements for those ladders.

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Other Requirements & Important Conditions

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Must have been a primary U.S. resident for at least three of the last five years.
• Age requirement: candidates must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday because this position is covered by federal law-enforcement retirement provisions (exceptions apply for certain prior service or Veterans’ Preference eligibilities).
• Training: newly hired agents attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) in Artesia, NM for intensive instruction (law, firearms, driving, physical techniques, Spanish language training, and USBP operations).
• Language: ability to speak and read English is required; Spanish language proficiency is highly valuable and the Academy provides Spanish training to develop proficiency.

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Selection & Career Progression

This is a career-ladder position (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12). You may be eligible for promotion to the next grade after completing the required time-in-grade (typically 52 weeks) without reapplying. Hiring decisions are made by people based on submitted application materials, assessments, and relevant screening (including an entrance exam where applicable).

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What Makes a Strong Candidate

• Demonstrated composure and sound judgment in stressful situations.
• Experience or background in public safety, security, military, corrections, or law enforcement.
• Strong observation, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Willingness to complete formal academy training and accept assignments in mission-critical locations.
• Commitment to public service and ethical conduct.

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Confidential Client Hiring Notes

Careertakes is supporting this hiring process as a third-party recruiting platform. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client. Applicants may be screened using automated tools (AI-assisted resume review) to help manage volume; final decisions are made by human reviewers.

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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.