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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About the Role

Confidential Client is hiring Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5/GL-7 grade levels for full-time, entry-level federal law enforcement positions based near Muscoy / San Bernardino, CA. This is a career-position with training at the Border Patrol Academy, clear promotion steps, comprehensive federal benefits, and recruiting/retention incentives of up to $60,000.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary (new appointees): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (GL-5/GL-7).
• Estimated local pay shown on source: ~$81,456/year (estimate).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 over the first four years.
• Standard federal benefits include health, dental, life insurance, generous leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

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Where You’ll Work / Duty Locations

• Duty assignments are determined based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical sectors. Relocation may be required.
• Prioritized and mission-critical locations include (examples): Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg, Freer, Hebbronville, Ajo, and many sector stations across the U.S.
• A fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional 25% locality pay per the BPA Pay Reform Act.

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What You’ll Do

Typical duties include:

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including surveillance and night operations using specialized equipment.
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conduct farm, building, traffic, city, and transportation checks.
• Patrol boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as required.

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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 showing ability to take charge, make decisions in stressful situations, learn regulations/methods, and gather concise information via questioning and observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (will be evaluated from resume/transcripts).

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

• One (1) year of specialized work experience demonstrating skills to make sound firearm judgments, deal effectively and tactfully with people on law enforcement matters, analyze information rapidly, and perform arrests after required training (examples: criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥3.0, or honor society membership), OR one year of relevant graduate-level study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

Note: Applicants with prior law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at GL-9 or GS-11 levels; see applicable BPA announcements.

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Requirements & Eligibility

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred before reaching their 40th birthday in accordance with applicable federal law enforcement retirement provisions unless an exemption applies (e.g., prior federal civilian law enforcement service covered by relevant statutes). Veterans’ Preference and VRA eligibility may alter age requirements.
• Formal training: Successful candidates will attend approximately six months at the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, NM for intensive instruction (law, operations, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and Spanish language training).
• Language: Ability to speak and read English; Spanish proficiency training is provided.
• Additional: Candidates will be evaluated on resume, required supporting documents, and the BPA Entrance Exam.

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Why Apply

• Career track with clear promotion ladder (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12).
• Comprehensive federal benefits and retirement plan.
• Substantial recruitment and retention incentives available for eligible new hires.
• Meaningful public-safety mission and professional law enforcement training.

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Next Steps

• You will be guided to the CBP Talent Network and then to the USAJOBS BPA Job Opening Announcements to complete your application. Follow all application instructions carefully and submit resume, transcripts, and any requested documentation.
• For questions about the process, contact a recruiter via the U.S. Border Patrol careers page (careers.cbp.gov/s/usbp).

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Reasonable Accommodations

Confidential Client provides reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation, please contact the hiring team or recruiter associated with the opportunity.

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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.