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

Confidential Client is hiring entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5/GL-7 grade levels for full-time, career positions in federal law enforcement. This role offers structured training at the Border Patrol Academy, a clear career ladder (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12), competitive base pay, comprehensive federal benefits, and significant recruitment and retention incentives.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs, varies by grade): GL-5/GL-7 $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated local salary shown on source posting: ~$101,139 per year (estimate).
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy; additional $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: Eligible for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Federal benefits: health, dental, life insurance options; generous annual and sick leave; participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments are determined at time of offer and may include mission-critical and Southwest Border locations. Relocation may be required. Prioritized locations (eligible for additional incentives) include, but are not limited to:

• Sierra Blanca, TX
• Presidio, TX
• Sanderson, TX
• Comstock, TX
• Lordsburg, NM
• Freer, TX
• Hebbronville, TX
• Ajo, AZ

Additional sectors and stations span nationwide (examples): Big Bend, Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Spokane, Swanton, Tucson, Yuma.

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Duties & Responsibilities

As a Border Patrol Agent you will join a federal law enforcement workforce protecting borders and deterring illicit activity. Typical duties include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting individuals suspected of violating immigration/customs laws.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance (including night operations with infrared scopes).
• Interpreting physical evidence (tracks, marks) and conducting checks (farm, building, traffic, patrols).
• Patrolling international boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and other assets.
• Exercising sound judgment in potentially high-stress enforcement scenarios.

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making under stress, ability to learn regulations/methods in training/on-the-job, and information-gathering through questioning/observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year course of study) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

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

• One (1) year of specialized work experience showing ability to: make sound firearms judgments; deal courteously and tactfully with people in law enforcement contexts; analyze information and make prompt decisions related to arrests or criminal enforcement; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA, class standing, or honor society), OR one full year of graduate-level education related to law enforcement (e.g., criminal justice, homeland security); OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Candidates with prior law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). Your experience and education will be reviewed to determine grade eligibility.

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Other Requirements & Details

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred before reaching their 40th birthday due to law enforcement retirement provisions (exceptions for certain prior federal LEO service or Veterans’ Preference may apply).
• Training: Selected candidates are detailed to the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, NM, for approximately six months of intensive training (immigration/nationality law, firearms, driver training, Spanish language training, physical techniques, and USBP-specific operations).
• Language: Border Patrol work requires the ability to speak and read Spanish; training to improve proficiency is provided at the Academy.
• Career ladder: Promotion to the next grade typically occurs after successful completion of 52 weeks at each grade level (no reapplication required).
• Note on assignments: Duty location affects pay rates (locality/LEO differentials). Assignments are based on operational needs; selecting a preferred location does not guarantee placement.

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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.