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 (border security & customs).

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

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What You’ll Do

As a Border Patrol Agent (entry level) you will join a federal law‑enforcement team responsible for protecting the nation’s borders and deterring unlawful activity. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and questioning persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws
• Inspecting documents and possessions to determine immigration or customs violations
• Conducting surveillance (day and night) including use of infrared and other observation tools
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry of people or contraband
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks
• Patrolling boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, boats, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary (entry-level grades): GL‑5 / GL‑7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year (range varies by grade and duty location)
• Estimated national average shown on source: ~$99,778 (contextual estimate)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations)
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years
• Federal benefits package including health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other standard federal benefits
• Location‑based locality pay and potential pay differentials for mission-critical duty stations

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Duty Locations & Mobility

Duty assignments are determined by operational needs and may include duty at Southwest Border sectors and other mission-critical locations nationwide. You will be asked to select preferred locations, but relocation may be required. Examples of sectors/locations include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend, Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Tucson, Yuma, Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, San Diego, Spokane, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton, Swanton, and others.

Prioritized locations (for incentives) may include some remote / high-need posts. Assignment location affects locality pay and career progression.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL‑5 with one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stressful situations, ability to learn rules and techniques, and information-gathering (questioning/observation); OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of education and experience (evaluated from resume/transcripts)

You may qualify at GL‑7 with one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience showing ability to: exercise judgment in use of firearms; handle law‑enforcement matters with tact; analyze information rapidly and make arrests after training; or perform correctional/security/military police duties; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA/class standing/honor society) OR one year of graduate-level study in related fields (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic science, etc.); OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume/transcripts)

Candidates with prior federal (civilian) law enforcement or military police experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL‑9 / GS‑11) — evaluation will follow the appropriate announcement.

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Other Requirements

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age limitation: candidates must be referred for selection before reaching 40 years of age per law enforcement retirement provisions, unless exempt (e.g., prior qualifying federal civilian law enforcement service or certain Veterans’ Preference exceptions).
• Successful completion of background investigation, medical and fitness standards, and other federal hiring requirements.
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish language proficiency is beneficial and training is provided during the academy.
• Must be willing to attend formal training at the Border Patrol Academy (approximately 6 months in Artesia, NM) and complete required firearms, driver, and tactical instruction.

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Training & Career Progression

• Intensive Academy training (~6 months) covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and language development.
• Career-ladder progression: GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12. Promotion to the next grade typically occurs after 52 weeks in grade without reapplying, when eligibility criteria are met.

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Why Join (Highlights)

• Mission-driven work with strong camaraderie and purpose
• Competitive federal salary and locality pay adjustments
• Up to $60,000 in recruitment + retention incentives for qualifying hires
• Comprehensive federal benefits and retirement options
• Training, career development, and promotion path within federal law enforcement

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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.