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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What You’ll Do

This is an entry-level Border Patrol Agent (BPA) position within a federal law enforcement mission. As a BPA you will protect the U.S. border, deter illicit activity, and support public safety through patrol, surveillance, inspection, and enforcement operations.

• Detect and question individuals suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions.
• Conduct surveillance and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using covert observation and night-vision equipment.
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry and follow investigative leads.
• Conduct farm, building, traffic, city, and transportation checks.
• Patrol land and coastal boundary areas using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets.
• Work as part of a team under operational guidance and complete federal reporting and evidence documentation.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs varies by grade (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated local salary shown on some listings: $72,499 (estimated).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid after academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 over the first four years for qualifying candidates.
• Federal benefits package including medical, dental, leave accrual, Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement savings), and career progression opportunities.
• Potential locality pay adjustments (up to ~25% additional for some locations per BPA pay provisions).

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Duty Locations & Travel

Duty assignments are determined at offer based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical stations. Candidates will be asked to select preferred locations; relocation may be required. Examples of duty regions include (but are not limited to):

• Big Bend Sector (Presidio, Van Horn, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, Alpine, Marfa)
• Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Tucson, Yuma, San Diego, Rio Grande Valley sectors
• Additional inland and coastal sectors across the U.S.

Locality pay and assignment affect final pay. This role is a career-ladder position (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12) with time-in-grade promotions.

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Qualifications

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

• One year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to make sound decisions, handle stressful situations, learn rules/techniques via training, and gather concise information; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited institution; OR
• A combination of experience and college coursework (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

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

• One year of specialized work experience showing ability to make sound firearms judgments, handle law enforcement interactions courteously, analyze and act on information quickly (examples: criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• Bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0, or honor society) or one year of relevant graduate-level study; OR
• Combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Candidates with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9/GS-11). Submit supporting documentation (resumes, transcripts, veteran documentation if applicable) for evaluation.

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Other Requirements

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement rules (exceptions may apply for certain prior federal law enforcement service or veterans’ preference).
• Physical & training: If hired, you will attend the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM) — ~6 months of intensive law enforcement training (immigration law, firearms, driving, Spanish language training, physical techniques).
• Language: Ability to speak and read English is required; Spanish proficiency is desirable and training will be provided at the academy.
• Veterans: Veterans’ preferences and certain hiring authorities (e.g., VRA) may apply; check applicability and provide supporting documentation.

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Selection & Hiring Process

This role is managed by our client (Confidential Client). Typical steps include pre-screening questions, submission of resume and transcripts, eligibility checks, the BPA Entrance Exam, and selection based on qualifications and operational needs. Duty assignment, grade, and incentives are determined at offer.

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Important Hiring Notes (Legal & Compliance)

Careertakes and our client follow federal and state employment laws. This posting does not discriminate on any protected characteristic. Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should indicate this during the application 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.