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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Summary

Confidential Client is hiring full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels. This is a federal law enforcement career with training at the Border Patrol Academy and opportunities for promotion, locality pay, and significant recruitment and retention incentives.

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Salary & Incentives

Confidential Client offers:

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Border Patrol Academy completion; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Potential locality and law-enforcement pay adjustments—fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay under BPA pay provisions.
• Federal benefits including health/dental insurance, generous leave programs, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement).

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent, you will join a large federal law enforcement workforce dedicated to border security and public safety. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and interviewing individuals suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Conducting surveillance and interdiction operations to prevent illegal entry and smuggling.
• Interpreting physical evidence such as tracks and marks to locate unauthorized entry.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling international boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets.
• Working day and night shifts, including covert night operations using specialized equipment.

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Duty Locations & Assignment Notes

• Duty assignments may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical stations; relocation may be required.
• Candidates will be asked to select preferred mission-critical locations (examples include Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Lordsburg, Ajo, Tucson, Yuma, El Centro, and many others across sectors).
• Operational needs determine final duty assignments at the time of offer.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL-5 or GL-7 depending on experience and education.

GL-5 (minimum qualifications):

• One year of general work experience demonstrating ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn regulations/methods through training, and gather concise information; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college coursework (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

GL-7 (specialized experience or education):

• One year of specialized experience such as criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police, or similar law enforcement duties showing ability to:
  • Make sound judgments in firearms use.
  • Deal courteously and tactfully in law enforcement contexts.
  • Analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions (including making arrests after training).
• OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year graduate-level education in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic technology, etc.); OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Applicants with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify for GL-9 / GS-11 level announcements — review specific announcements if you have such experience.

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Other Requirements (Federal Compliance)

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Residency: Must have maintained 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; certain exceptions apply for prior federal civilian law enforcement service or veterans’ preference eligibility.
• Formal training: Successful hires attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) covering immigration and nationality laws, law enforcement operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, and language training. Ability to speak and read English is required; Spanish proficiency is useful and training is provided.
• Background: Position requires passing federal background checks, medical and fitness requirements, and the BPA entrance exam.
• Veterans: Veterans’ preference and certain excepted appointment authorities may apply; check eligibility rules carefully.

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Working Conditions & Career Path

• This is a career-ladder role (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12) with eligibility for promotion after completing required time-in-grade.
• Work includes outdoor field operations in varied climates, shift work, physically and mentally demanding tasks, and exposure to enforcement situations.
• Training and professional development are provided; upward mobility is available for qualified candidates.

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Preferred Experience & Skills

• Prior public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement experience (valued for higher-grade consideration).
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Strong observation, communication, and basic investigative skills.
• Physical fitness and willingness to complete academy and field training.

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What to Expect in the Hiring Process

Confidential Client will evaluate candidates based on submitted resume, supporting documents (transcripts when used for education substitution), pre-screen questions, and performance on the BPA Entrance Exam. Offers depend on operational needs and may include required relocation and assignment to prioritized locations.

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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.