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, Customs and Border Protection.

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

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Position overview

Confidential Client is hiring entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) for full-time, career positions based out of Lake Elsinore, CA and multiple mission-critical duty locations nationwide. This role is an entry point into federal law enforcement, with intensive academy training, a clear grade progression (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12), and up to $60,000 in recruitment and retention incentives for qualifying candidates.

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What You’ll Do

• Detect, question, and inspect individuals and possessions to determine citizenship and compliance with immigration/customs law.
• Conduct surveillance and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including night operations using infrared and other surveillance equipment.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband.
• Perform farm, building, traffic, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.
• Work as part of an integrated law enforcement team to deter illicit activity and protect national borders.

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Qualifications

Minimum requirements (applicants may qualify at GL‑5 or GL‑7 depending on experience and education):

• GL‑5 (minimum):
  • One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn regulations/methods through training, and gather concise information via questioning and examination of records; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; OR
  • A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).
• GL‑7 (preferred for higher starting grade):
  • One (1) year of specialized work experience demonstrating: sound firearms judgment, effective interpersonal skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis and prompt decision-making (e.g., criminal enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
  • A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of relevant graduate-level study; OR
  • A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).
• Candidates with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify for GL‑9 or GS‑11 vacancies; review the BPA GL‑9–11 announcement for details.
• U.S. citizenship is 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 unless exempt under specific federal provisions (see full announcement).
• Ability to complete approximately six months of intensive training at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM).
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish proficiency is helpful and language training is provided during the Academy.
• Successful completion of required background investigations, medical and fitness standards, and any role-specific testing (including the BPA Entrance Exam).

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (grade-dependent): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (GL‑5/GL‑7 range).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after academy graduation; additional $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires.
• Additional locality and law enforcement pay adjustments may apply; a fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional ~25% of base pay per applicable pay reform provisions.
• Federal benefits include health/dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, Thrift Savings Plan participation (retirement savings), and law enforcement retirement provisions.
• Relocation may be required; duty location affects pay and incentives.

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Duty Locations & Assignment Details

• Duty assignments are determined at time of offer based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border priority locations. You will be asked to select preferred mission-critical locations but final assignment is assigned by the agency.
• Example sectors and mission locations include (partial list): Big Bend (Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson), Del Rio, El Paso (including Lordsburg), El Centro, Tucson (including Ajo, Nogales), San Diego (including Murrieta, Campo), Rio Grande Valley, Laredo (including Hebbronville, Freer), Yuma (Blythe, Yuma, Wellton), and others nationwide.
• Some duty stations are prioritized for incentives; offers for prioritized locations are part of the recruitment incentive structure.

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Application Tips & Process (via Careertakes)

• Careertakes is a third‑party recruiting platform; candidates will be routed to the federal application process. If you proceed, you will be linked to the official job opening announcement(s) and USAJOBS to complete required submissions (resume, transcripts, and supporting documents).
• You will be evaluated on your resume, supporting documents, and the Border Patrol Entrance Exam. Follow all instructions on the official job announcement carefully.
• If you have questions about the federal application process, review the CBP recruitment pages or contact the recruiter referenced in the announcement.

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Why Apply Through Careertakes

• Careertakes helps match qualified candidates with confidential client opportunities and can surface additional federal law enforcement positions that fit your background.
• Applying via Careertakes does not change who employs you—employment is with the confidential client. Careertakes assists in facilitating access to the client’s hiring 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.