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 (public sector).

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

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Overview

Confidential Client is recruiting full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents for a federal law enforcement career. This role offers structured career progression (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12), training at the Agency’s law enforcement academy, competitive base pay, federal benefits, and significant hiring and retention incentives at select locations.

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What You’ll Do

You will protect the border and support national security by preventing unlawful entry and contraband, conducting investigations, and performing patrol and interdiction operations. Typical duties include:

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions.
• Maintain surveillance (including covert and night operations) and use field equipment such as infrared scopes.
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conduct farm checks, building and traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol land and coastal boundaries using vehicles, horses, vessels, off‑road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles when required.
• Make arrests and exercise sound judgment in the use of force and firearms after required training.

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Salary & Incentives

Base annual pay for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents varies by grade:

• GL-5 / GL-7: $51,632 — $92,912 per year

Incentives (program details and eligibility vary by hire date and location):

• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (typically split between successful academy graduation and accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Locality and pay reforms may provide additional pay; a fully trained agent may be eligible for up to an additional ~25% of base pay in some locations.

Benefits include federal health and dental plans, paid annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

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Locations & Assignment

Duty assignments are mission-driven and may include prioritized locations on the Southwest Border and other U.S. sectors. You will be asked to select preferred duty locations, but final assignments are based on operational needs. Relocation may be required.

Representative duty locations include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector (Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, Van Horn, Alpine, Marfa)
• Del Rio Sector (Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde)
• El Centro Sector (El Centro, Indio, Calexico)
• Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Tucson, Yuma Sectors, and more.

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to take charge, make sound decisions in stressful situations, learn regulations/methods through training, and gather concise information; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of experience and education evaluated from your resume and transcripts.

You may qualify at 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 matters, analyze information rapidly, and apply law enforcement skills (criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police, etc.); OR
• Bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement, or one year of graduate‑level study in a related field; OR
• A combination of experience and education.

Note: Candidates with prior or current law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). Qualifications will be verified via resume and supporting documents.

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Other Requirements & Legal Notices

To comply with federal hiring requirements, candidates must meet the following:

• 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 for selection before their 40th birthday under applicable law, unless an exception applies (e.g., prior federal civilian law enforcement service or certain veterans' provisions).
• Training: Newly hired agents attend an intensive academy (approx. 6 months) covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, tactical and firearms training, and language training.
• Language: Ability to read and speak English is required; Spanish proficiency is beneficial and training is provided.
• Veterans’ preference: Some veterans may be eligible for special appointment authorities; certain age and hiring restrictions may not apply to veterans in those categories.

This posting covers positions in multiple U.S. states. Where state pay‑transparency or other location‑specific hiring laws apply, applicable salary/incentive details will be disclosed in the official vacancy announcement. Do not rely on this summary as the full legal announcement — complete job announcements and application instructions are provided during the official application process.

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Skills & Characteristics We Value

• Strong observational and investigative skills
• Good interpersonal and communication abilities; tact and courtesy in tense interactions
• Sound judgment under pressure and ethical decision‑making
• Physical fitness and the ability to carry out patrol duties in varied environments
• Willingness to complete intensive academy training and to relocate as required
• Prior experience in law enforcement, security, military police, or public safety is advantageous

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Application process (summary for candidates)

This listing is a summary. If you proceed through the Careertakes platform, you may be directed to the Confidential Client’s official vacancy announcements for full application instructions, required documents (resume, transcripts), assessments, and screening steps. Final evaluation and hiring decisions are made by the Confidential Client.

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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.