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 — Confidential Client (Federal law enforcement, border security).

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

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Role overview

Confidential Client is recruiting entry‑level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL‑5 / GL‑7 grade levels for federal law enforcement positions based in the Irvine, CA area and other mission‑critical sectors. This is a full‑time, career position that includes training at a federal academy, opportunities for advancement, and eligibility for substantial recruitment and retention incentives.

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What You’ll Do

• Detect, question, interview and inspect persons and possessions to enforce immigration and customs laws
• Conduct surveillance (including night operations using infrared scopes) and interdiction to prevent illegal entry and smuggling
• Interpret and follow physical evidence (tracks, marks) related to illegal entry or contraband
• Perform farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols and transportation checks
• Patrol boundaries and waterways using government assets such as vehicles, horses, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles
• Work as part of a team to protect the border and support lawful trade and travel

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Salary & benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade dependent)
• Estimated local pay may vary by duty location and locality adjustments; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for additional pay under applicable statutes
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid after Academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location)
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years
• Federal benefits package: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other standard federal benefits

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL‑5 if you have one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating responsibility, sound decision‑making, learning ability, and investigative information‑gathering; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; OR
• A combination of education and experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

You may qualify at GL‑7 if you have one of the following:

• One year of specialized work experience showing ability to make sound firearms judgments, deal tactfully with people in law enforcement contexts, rapidly analyze information, and make prompt decisions (examples: criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement, or one year graduate‑level education in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, law enforcement, forensics, etc.); OR
• A 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). Experience and education are verified from submitted resume and transcripts.

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Other requirements & training

• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship required
• Residency: primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years
• Age: must be referred for selection before reaching 40 years of age per applicable federal law enforcement retirement rules (exceptions apply for some prior federal LEO or veterans)
• Veterans: Veterans’ Preference and certain hiring authorities (e.g., VRA) may apply
• Formal training: successful candidates attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. 6 months) for instruction in immigration law, driver and firearms training, physical techniques, Spanish language training, and agency‑specific operations
• Spanish language: ability to speak and read Spanish is important; training is provided at the Academy to build proficiency
• Background checks and other federal suitability/security requirements apply

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Duty locations & mobility

• Duty assignments may include the Southwest Border and other sectors nationwide; operational needs determine final assignments at the time of offer
• Relocation may be required; duty location affects pay through locality adjustments
• Priority / mission‑critical stations are available; accepting prioritized locations may be part of incentive eligibility

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Why join (high level)

• Long‑term federal law enforcement career with strong job stability and promotion pathways (career ladder through higher grades)
• Comprehensive benefits and retirement offerings
• Financial incentives for recruitment and retention (up to $60,000 total possible per posted program)
• Intensive, accredited federal law enforcement training and ongoing professional development

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Keywords (for search / discovery)

• Border Patrol Agent, federal law enforcement, border security, Border Patrol Academy, GL‑5 GL‑7, firearms and surveillance, Spanish language, Irvine CA

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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.