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 duties).

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

---

Confidential Client is seeking entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) / Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPO) to join a federal law-enforcement team. This is a full-time, entry-to-mid-level law enforcement position based in Lakeville, MN with training and career-advancement pathways. These roles combine field patrol, inspections, investigations, and enforcement duties to protect borders, support lawful travel and trade, and prevent illicit activity.

---

Key Responsibilities

• Patrol and secure borders, coastal waterways, ports of entry and other assigned areas using vehicles, vessels, motorcycles, ATVs, horses, or snowmobiles as needed
• Enforce immigration, customs, agricultural, and other federal laws and regulations
• Conduct inspections and screening of people, documents, vehicles, and cargo
• Detect and prevent illegal entry, human and drug smuggling, and contraband trafficking
• Perform surveillance, gather intelligence, analyze evidence, and conduct interviews
• Apprehend, detain, search, and process suspected violators following policy and legal requirements
• Prepare clear reports, preserve evidence, and coordinate with other agencies as required
• Support facilitation of legitimate travel and trade while ensuring compliance with applicable laws

---

Qualifications

Candidates may qualify through a combination of education and experience. Exact requirements depend on the grade and vacancy announcement.

• U.S. citizenship required
• General requirements typically include:
  • GL-5 / GS-5 (entry level): 1 year general work experience OR a bachelor’s degree OR qualifying combination of education and experience
  • GL-7 / GS-7 (advanced entry): 1 year specialized experience OR bachelor’s with Superior Academic Achievement OR graduate-level education OR combination
  • GL-9 / GS-9 and GS-11 (experienced): progressively higher levels of specialized law enforcement experience at lower grade levels
• Residency: generally primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years (confirm on vacancy announcement)
• Age restrictions apply for federal law enforcement referrals (typical maximum referral age is 40, with statutory exceptions)
• Must meet federal background, suitability, medical, physical fitness, firearms, and training requirements
• Veterans may be eligible for preference or special hiring authorities
• Candidates should review the official vacancy announcement for specific documentation (resumes, transcripts, forms)

---

Training & Career Path

• Entry-level BPAs attend an approximately six-month training academy with instruction in immigration law, enforcement techniques, firearms, and operational procedures; language training (e.g., Spanish) may be provided.
• CBPOs typically attend approximately 103 days of training at a federal training center covering inspection, trade and travel compliance, and enforcement procedures.
• Career development, promotions, and advancement into supervisory or specialized roles are available after qualifying experience and training.

---

Salary, Incentives & Benefits

• Annual salary ranges (depend on position, grade, duty location, and federal pay rates):
  • Border Patrol Agent (BPA) — GL-5 / GL-7 / GL-9 / GS-11 to GS-12: $51,632 – $124,717
  • Customs & Border Protection Officer (CBPO) — GS-5 / GS-7 / GS-9 to GS-11 / GS-12: $41,863 – $127,464
• Estimated salary for this listing: $66,238 per year (estimate; actual pay varies by grade and location)
• Potential recruitment/retention incentives at designated locations (examples included in vacancy announcements)
  • BPA: eligible newly appointed agents may receive recruitment payments up to $20,000 and retention incentives up to $30,000 over three years in select locations (subject to terms)
  • CBPO: eligible newly appointed officers selecting designated prioritized locations may receive specified annual incentives (subject to terms)
• Additional benefits:
  • Federal health, dental, and other insurance plans
  • Retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
  • Paid annual and sick leave
  • Overtime opportunities for fully trained officers (subject to rules and availability)

---

Duty Locations

Primary posting: Lakeville, MN (this listing). Candidates may be assigned across the United States based on operational needs. Typical assignment states and areas listed in vacancy materials include (not exhaustive): AZ, CA, NM, TX, WA, NY, ND, MN, MT, ME, VT, LA, FL, HI and others. Final duty location depends on available vacancies and mission requirements.

---

What We’re Looking For

• Strong judgment, composure under pressure, and ability to follow procedures
• Effective interpersonal and communications skills
• Physical fitness and readiness for law enforcement duties
• Willingness to complete required federal training programs and pass medical/fitness standards
• Commitment to public service, integrity, and teamwork

---

Why Apply via Careertakes

• Careertakes is the recruiting platform supporting this posting; selected candidates are employed by Confidential Client.
• Applicants may receive access to other matched federal law enforcement opportunities through the Careertakes network.
• We follow standard third-party recruiting best practices and will help match qualifications to current vacancy announcements.

---

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.