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

As a Border Patrol Agent (entry-level), you will join a federal law enforcement team focused on safeguarding borders, deterring illicit activity, and protecting the public. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and interviewing people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers through surveillance and coordinated operations (day and night).
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off‑road vehicles, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets.
• Working as part of multi-disciplinary teams and following established enforcement and safety procedures.

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Qualifications

Minimum qualifications vary by grade level. Candidates may qualify at GL‑5, GL‑7 (and experienced candidates may qualify at GL‑9 / GS‑11 — see notes below).

GL‑5 (entry-level) — one of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to take charge, make sound decisions, remain composed under stress, learn rules/techniques via training or on‑the‑job instruction, and gather concise information through questioning and observation.
• OR a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• OR a combination of education and experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

GL‑7 — one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience showing ability to: make sound judgments in firearms use; deal tactfully and courteously with people in law enforcement contexts; analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions (e.g., criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police).
• OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0, or honor society) or one full year of relevant graduate‑level education.
• OR a combination of education and experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Other required and important criteria:

• U.S. citizenship.
• Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age limitation: candidates must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday consistent with law enforcement retirement provisions, unless an exemption applies (e.g., prior qualifying federal law enforcement service or eligible Veterans’ Preference exceptions).
• Ability and willingness to complete approximately six months of intensive training at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM).
• Ability to learn and use Spanish; language training is provided during the Academy.
• Background checks, fitness, medical, and other federal employment requirements will apply.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base pay for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated midpoint for this posting: approximately $80,907/year (varies by duty location and locality pay).
• New hire incentives: up to $20,000 recruitment incentive (first $10,000 after academy graduation; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentives: eligible for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires.
• Additional federal benefits: health and dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), federal retirement coverage, and other standard federal employment benefits.
• Locality pay and law‑enforcement pay differentials may increase total compensation (a fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional ~25% of base pay in some locations).
• Career ladder progression: GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12 with eligibility for promotion after completing required time‑in‑grade.

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Duty Locations & Assignment Notes

Duty assignments are mission‑driven and may include Southwest Border locations and other sector stations nationwide. Candidates will be asked to indicate preferred mission‑critical locations, but final assignments depend on operational needs.

Examples of prioritized or mission‑critical locations (not exhaustive) include:

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector — Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass
• El Paso Sector — El Paso area, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa
• Tucson Sector — Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Casa Grande
• Yuma Sector — Yuma, Wellton, Blythe
• (Additional sector stations across AZ, CA, TX, NM, WA, MT, NY, ND, VT, and others)

Note: relocation may be required; duty location affects pay rates and eligibility for certain incentives.

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Working Conditions & Training

• Border Patrol duties include irregular hours, outdoor work in varied climates, physical tasks, and exposure to potentially hazardous situations.
• Successful candidates attend the Border Patrol Academy (~6 months) for training in immigration and nationality laws, law enforcement operations, driver training, firearms, physical techniques, and Spanish language proficiency.
• Prior public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement experience may accelerate qualification at higher grade levels.

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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.