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 (Homeland Security).

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

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About the role

This opportunity is for an entry-level Border Patrol Agent with a confidential client, a federal law enforcement agency focused on protecting U.S. borders and public safety. This is a full-time, career position that includes formal academy training, a clear promotion path, competitive base pay, federal benefits, and substantial recruitment and retention incentives.

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What You’ll Do

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance (including night operations with infrared scopes).
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband.
• Perform farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as mission needs require.

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents at GL-5 / GL-7: $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade- and location-dependent).
• Recruitment incentives: up to $20,000 (typically $10,000 upon successful completion of the academy and $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location where applicable).
• Retention incentives: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Eligible for comprehensive federal benefits: health, dental, life insurance, paid annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement savings).
• Locality pay and law-enforcement pay reform provisions may increase total compensation (a fully trained agent may be eligible for additional locality adjustments).

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Locations & Duty Assignments

Duty assignments are determined based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border locations and other mission-critical stations across multiple sectors. You will be asked to select preferred locations, but offers may be for prioritized assignments and relocation may be required.

Representative mission sectors (examples of available stations):

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Alpine, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector — Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass area, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector — Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa
• El Centro Sector — El Centro, Indio, Calexico
• Laredo Sector — Laredo, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer
• Rio Grande Valley Sector — McAllen, Brownsville, Weslaco, Harlingen
• San Diego Sector — Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Murrieta, San Clemente, Boulevard
• Tucson & Yuma Sectors — Tucson, Ajo, Nogales, Yuma, Wellton, Willcox (Other sectors and stations are also used; duty assignment will be specified with any offer.)

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Qualifications

Minimum requirements (applicants should review full eligibility details during application):

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age requirement: candidates must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday, unless an applicable exception applies (e.g., prior qualifying federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference rules).
• GL-5 qualification (one of the following):
  • One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, learning ability, and information-gathering skills; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; OR
  • A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).
• GL-7 qualification (one of the following):
  • One year of specialized experience showing law enforcement–related judgment, firearms judgment, people skills in law-enforcement contexts, and quick analytic decision-making; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA, class standing, or honors society); OR
  • One year of graduate-level education in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic fields, etc.); OR
  • A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).
• Applicants with prior military or law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11, etc.) — review specific announcements for those tiers.

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Training & Other Requirements

• Successful candidates will attend an approximate six-month academy for intensive instruction in immigration/nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, and related topics.
• Spanish language proficiency is helpful; language training is provided at the academy to reach required proficiency.
• The role requires physical fitness, ability to work variable hours, and the ability to operate a range of vehicles and equipment. Specific fitness and medical requirements will be part of the hiring process.
• Veterans’ Preference and certain recruitment paths may offer alternate appointment processes or exceptions to age restrictions.

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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.