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

This is an entry-level, full-time Border Patrol Agent (BPA) role supporting a confidential client — a federal law enforcement agency. The confidential client is hiring immediately for GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels with career-ladder progression and substantial recruitment and retention incentives for qualifying hires.

• Employment type: Full-time
• Grade levels: GL-5 / GL-7 (career ladder to GL-9, GS-11, GS-12)
• Training: ~6 months at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM)
• Incentives: Up to $60,000 available (recruitment + retention)
• Note: Duty assignments may require relocation; prioritized locations may be eligible for additional incentives

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year
• Estimated pay shown on some sources: ~$72,451 per year (varies by locality and grade)
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid upon completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations)
• Retention incentive: Up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires
• Additional pay: Fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay in certain localities (BPA Pay Reform Act)
• Federal benefits include health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other standard federal employee benefits

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What You’ll Do (Typical Duties & Responsibilities)

As a Border Patrol Agent for the confidential client you will be part of a large federal law enforcement workforce protecting the border and public safety. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and interviewing people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including surveillance operations (night operations may use infrared)
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and physical evidence of illegal entry
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles, as required by mission needs

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Qualifications (Minimums for Application)

You may qualify at GL-5 (entry) or GL-7 depending on experience and/or education:

GL-5 qualification — one of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience showing the ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn regulations/methods via classroom/on-the-job instruction, and gather concise information through questioning and observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year undergraduate degree) from an accredited institution; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college coursework (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

GL-7 qualification — one of the following:

• One (1) year of specialized experience showing the ability to make sound firearms judgments, deal tactfully and courteously with people in law enforcement matters, rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions (examples: criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military, law enforcement); OR
• Education substitution such as a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA or class standing) or one year of graduate-level education in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic technology, etc.); OR
• Combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

Additional notes:

• Candidates with prior law enforcement or military police experience may qualify for higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11); refer to the applicable announcements for those grades
• Spanish language skills are beneficial; the Academy provides Spanish training to build proficiency

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Other Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age restriction: Candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday in accordance with law enforcement retirement provisions, unless exempt (e.g., certain veterans or prior federal LEO employees).
• Veterans’ Preference and excepted service hiring options (e.g., VRA) may apply and can affect age restrictions.
• Candidates must successfully complete background investigations, medical and fitness-for-duty evaluations, and the Border Patrol Academy training.
• Duty assignments are determined based on operational needs; relocation may be required.

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Duty Locations (Examples / Mission-Critical Stations)

Duty assignments may include Southwest Border and other nationwide sectors. Prioritized locations (for incentives) and sample sector station lists include, but are not limited to:

• Big Bend Sector: Presidio*, Van Horn, Sanderson*, Alpine, Sierra Blanca*, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector: Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock*, Eagle Pass North/South, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector: Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Fort Hancock, Las Cruces, Lordsburg*, Santa Teresa, Ysleta
• Laredo Sector: Laredo South, Cotulla, Hebbronville*, Freer*, Laredo West/North, Zapata
• Rio Grande Valley Sector: Rio Grande City, Fort Brown, McAllen, Brownsville, Falfurrias, Weslaco, Kingsville, Harlingen
• San Diego Sector: Boulevard, Brownfield, Campo, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Murrieta, San Clemente
• Tucson Sector: Ajo*, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Brian A Terry, Sonoita, Casa Grande, Three Points, Willcox
• Yuma Sector: Blythe, Yuma, Wellton
• Additional sectors: Buffalo, El Centro, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton, Spokane, Swanton, and others

(*Prioritized locations may be eligible for additional recruitment incentives.)

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Training & Career Progression

• New hires are detailed to the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, NM for approximately six months of intensive instruction (immigration/nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, Spanish language training, etc.).
• This role is a career-ladder position: GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12. Promotion to the next grade generally occurs after successful completion of 52 weeks in each grade level without reapplying.

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What We Look For (Preferred Skills & Experience)

• Prior public safety, security, corrections, military police, or law enforcement experience
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure and exercise sound judgment with use of force/firearms
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to interact respectfully and tactfully with diverse populations
• Physical fitness and willingness to undergo required training and assessments
• Spanish language ability is a plus (training provided to reach proficiency)

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Legal & Compliance Notes

This listing is written to comply with applicable U.S. hiring laws. Where specific legal hiring requirements apply (e.g., U.S. citizenship, residency, age limits under federal law enforcement retirement rules), those requirements are stated as bona fide occupational requirements for this federal law enforcement position.

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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.