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, Legal.

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

---

Overview

Confidential Client is hiring entry-level Border Patrol Agents for full-time, career positions based out of Olmito, TX and other mission-critical locations. This role is for candidates seeking a long-term federal law enforcement career that includes formal academy training, robust benefits, and potential hiring and retention incentives.

---

Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year
• Eligible for federal benefits including health and dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement savings).
• Locality and law-enforcement pay adjustments may apply; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay under applicable pay reform rules.

---

Recruitment & Retention Incentives

• Recruitment incentive: Newly appointed BPAs may receive up to $20,000 (first $10,000 on successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: Eligible new BPAs may qualify for up to $40,000 in additional incentives distributed over the first four years.
• Total potential incentives: up to $60,000 (subject to program rules and assignment).

---

Duty Locations

IMPORTANT: Duty assignments may include the Southwest Border and other prioritized locations. Relocation may be required and duty assignment is based on operational needs.

Examples of mission-critical duty locations (selection options will be provided during application/offers):

• Big Bend Sector (Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Alpine, Sierra Blanca, Marfa)
• Del Rio, El Paso, El Centro, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, Tucson, Yuma sectors, and others listed by Confidential Client
• Some prioritized locations include: Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg (NM), Freer, Hebbronville, Ajo (AZ)

---

Duties & Responsibilities

As a Border Patrol Agent you will help protect the American public by safeguarding borders, deterring illicit activity, and supporting national security and economic prosperity. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and questioning persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including covert surveillance and night operations (infrared scopes)
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entries
• Conducting farm, building, traffic, city, and transportation checks
• Patrolling boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles, as required

---

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 sound decisions under stress, learn procedures through training, and gather information via questioning and observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of education and general work experience (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 demonstrating skills such as sound judgment in use of firearms, effective people skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis and decision-making, or arrest and enforcement experience in criminal-justice/security roles; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0, or honor society) OR one year of graduate-level education in law-enforcement–related fields; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Candidates with previous federal civilian law enforcement or military law-enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL‑9 / GS‑11). See Confidential Client announcements for details.

---

Other Requirements

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have been a primary U.S. resident for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred for selection before turning 40, per law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions may apply for certain prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibilities.
• Veterans: Veterans may be eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., Veterans Recruitment Appointment); age restrictions may be waived where legally applicable.
• Language: Border Patrol work requires English proficiency; Spanish language training is provided at the Academy and applicants should be able to learn/read Spanish as required.
• Additional vetting: Offer and continued employment are contingent on background investigation, medical and fitness standards, and other Federal requirements.

---

Training & Career Progression

• New hires attend the Border Patrol Academy (approximately six months) for intensive instruction: immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, and additional job-specific training.
• This is a career-ladder position with progression through GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12; promotions to the next grade occur after successful completion of required weeks in grade (generally 52 weeks).

---

What We’re Looking For

• Motivated candidates seeking a long-term federal law enforcement career
• Strong decision-making, composure under stress, integrity, and teamwork
• Prior public safety, security, military, or law enforcement experience is helpful but not required for entry-level consideration

---

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.