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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Why This Role Matters

This opportunity is for entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels supporting a confidential client in federal law enforcement. This is a career-focused law enforcement role protecting the nation’s borders and communities. The position includes formal academy training, a federal benefits package, and up to $60,000 in recruitment and retention incentives for eligible hires.

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What You’ll Get (Salary & Incentives)

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs): GL-5 / GL-7 range approximately $51,632 – $92,912 per year (varies by grade and locality).
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (typically $10,000 after Academy completion + $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: Eligible for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires.
• Additional locality or pay adjustments may apply (federal law enforcement pay reform; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to ~25% additional locality pay in some areas).
• Federal benefits: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), paid annual & sick leave, and other standard federal employee programs.

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Primary Duties & Responsibilities

As a Border Patrol Agent you will be part of a federal law enforcement team. Typical assignments include:

• Detecting and questioning individuals suspected of violating immigration or customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers; maintaining surveillance (including night operations using infrared).
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic and transportation checks, and city patrols.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using a range of government assets (vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, motorcycles, etc.).

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Qualifications (Grade-Specific)

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

• One year of general work experience showing ability to make sound decisions, maintain composure under stress, learn regulations and methods, and gather information through questioning/observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

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

• One year of specialized work experience demonstrating judgement in firearms use, effective people skills in law enforcement matters, rapid information analysis and decision-making, or experience in criminal enforcement, corrections, security, or military law enforcement; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA, class standing, or honor society) OR one year of graduate-level education in a law-enforcement-related field; OR
• A combination of specialized work experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Applicants with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11). Experience and education claims will be validated.

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Other Requirements & Important Notices

• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship required.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age restriction: Candidates must be referred for selection before turning 40 due to law enforcement retirement provisions (exceptions apply for certain prior federal law enforcement or veterans’ preference eligibility).
• Background checks, medical, fitness, and drug screening will apply as part of federal hiring processes.
• Language: Work requires reading/speaking English; Spanish proficiency is commonly used and Spanish training is provided during the Academy.
• Relocation: Duty assignments are determined by operational needs and may require relocation; prioritized locations may be offered with incentive pay.

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Training & Career Path

• Successful hires are detailed to the Border Patrol Academy for approximately six months of intensive training (immigration/nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver/firearms training, physical techniques, and language training).
• Career-ladder progression typically follows GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12, with eligibility for promotion after meeting time-in-grade requirements.

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments may include mission-critical and/or Southwest Border locations. Examples of sectors and locations (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector: Presidio, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Van Horn, Alpine, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector: Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector: Deming, El Paso, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Alamogordo, and others
• Laredo Sector: Laredo, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Zapata
• Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Tucson, Yuma, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton, Spokane, Swanton sectors and others

Locations marked as prioritized may be tied to recruitment incentives. Offers and final duty assignments depend on operational needs.

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Candidate Evaluation

Applicants will be evaluated on:

• Resume and supporting documents (education transcripts where applicable).
• BPA entrance exam and any required tests.
• Relevant work experience and/or education that meets grade-level requirements.
• Completion of all federal hiring vetting steps.

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Legal & Compliance Notes

This listing is written to comply with applicable U.S. hiring laws and non-discrimination requirements. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to legally protected characteristics. Candidates must meet stated citizenship, residency, and age/retirement requirements where applicable.

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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.