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 the GL‑5 / GL‑7 grade levels for full‑time, career roles. This position offers structured academy training, a federal benefits package, a clear promotion path, and up to $60,000 in recruitment and retention incentives for eligible candidates.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated pay shown on this posting: $70,256 per year (estimated).
• Federal benefits including health and dental insurance, generous annual and sick leave, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement), and law‑enforcement retirement provisions where applicable.
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after academy completion; remaining $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying new hires.

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments are determined at time of offer based on operational needs. Relocation may be required. Prioritized and mission‑critical locations include sites across the Southwest Border and multiple sectors (examples): Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Lordsburg, Ajo, Hebbronville, Freer, and stations in AZ, TX, NM, CA, VT, WA, ND, NY and others. Locality pay may increase total compensation in some locations. This is a career‑ladder role (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12).

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent with Confidential Client you will protect national borders by preventing illegal entry and contraband smuggling, enforcing immigration and customs laws, and supporting deterrence and interdiction operations. Typical duties include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting persons and possessions for immigration and customs violations.
• Conducting surveillance (including night operations using infrared), tracking, and interpreting physical evidence.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic and city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, watercraft, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as required.
• Apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers; making arrests and using sound judgment in firearms use after training.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at the GL‑5 grade level by meeting one of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision‑making, composure under stress, ability to learn regulations/methods, and information‑gathering skills; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of education and experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

You may qualify at the GL‑7 grade level by meeting one of the following:

• One (1) year of specialized work experience showing ability to make sound firearms decisions, handle people tactfully in law‑enforcement contexts, rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions (examples: criminal code enforcement, security, corrections, military police); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA or honor society) or one year of relevant graduate education; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated via resume/transcripts).

Note: Candidates with prior civilian federal law‑enforcement or military law‑enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL‑9 / GS‑11). Applications will be evaluated using submitted resume, supporting documents, and entrance exam results.

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Other Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Must have maintained primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred before turning 40 per law enforcement retirement rules; exceptions apply for certain veterans and prior federal LEOs—see recruiter guidance.
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish proficiency is highly valued and training is provided to improve Spanish language skills during academy.
• Successful completion of medical, physical fitness, background investigation, drug testing, and other federal suitability checks required after offer.

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Training & Career Path

• New hires attend approximately six months of intensive academy training covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement practices, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, Spanish language development, and agency-specific operations.
• Career ladder advancement occurs with time-in-grade and successful completion of required milestones (typically promotion eligibility after 52 weeks in grade).
• On‑the‑job and specialty training opportunities are available as your career progresses.

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Selection Process & Notes

• This is an entry‑level federal law enforcement selection process. You will be evaluated on your resume, supporting documents (transcripts, etc.), and the BPA Entrance Exam.
• Duty assignment at offer is subject to operational needs and may differ from candidate preferences.
• Recruiting and retention incentives vary by location and eligibility; details will be provided during the hiring process.

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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.