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).

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

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Why this role matters

This is an entry-level federal law enforcement role protecting the nation’s borders. As a Border Patrol Agent (BPA) you’ll join a mission-focused team performing border security, detection and enforcement operations. The work is physically and mentally demanding, offers career progression, training at the federal academy, and access to substantial hiring and retention incentives.

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What You’ll Do

• Detect, question, and inspect individuals and property suspected of violating immigration and customs laws
• Conduct surveillance (including night operations using specialized optics)
• Interpret and follow physical evidence such as tracks and marks
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic and city patrols, and transportation inspections
• Patrol international boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles
• Make arrests and apply law enforcement techniques after required training
• Work as part of a team to deter illicit activity and protect public safety

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Qualifications

Required (minimum):

• U.S. citizenship
• Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years
• Must be referred for selection before your 40th birthday unless eligible for applicable exceptions (e.g., certain federal civilian law enforcement or Veterans’ Preference rules)
• Able to complete intensive formal training (approx. six months at the federal Border Patrol Academy) including firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and law instruction
• Willingness to work in mission-critical and prioritized locations; relocation may be required

Education / experience pathways (grade-based):

• GL-5: One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stressful situations, and ability to learn procedures through training; OR a bachelor’s degree; OR a combination of education and experience.
• GL-7: One year of specialized experience showing skills such as sound firearms judgment, effective people skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid analysis and decision-making, criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, or related fields; OR superior academic achievement in a bachelor’s degree; OR related graduate-level credit; OR a combination of education and experience.
• Candidates with prior law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11). Eligibility will be determined during the application review.

Preferred / job-essential competencies:

• Ability to learn and use Spanish (training provided at the Academy to reach required proficiency)
• Physical fitness appropriate for a federal law enforcement role
• Strong judgment, communication, and situational awareness

Notes on selection: candidates are evaluated based on resume and supporting documents, required pre-screening, and the BPA Entrance Exam. Background investigations and other federal suitability checks apply.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade- and locality-dependent)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 at successful completion of the academy; additional $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location)
• Retention incentives: candidates may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years
• Federal benefits package, including health and dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, retirement participation (Thrift Savings Plan), and training & development
• Additional locality and pay reform differentials may apply; fully trained BPAs can be eligible for up to an additional locality adjustment per federal regulations

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Duty Locations & Mobility

• Duty assignments may include Southwest Border and multiple mission-critical stations. Prioritized locations (for incentives and staffing) include, for example: Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg (NM), Freer, Hebbronville, and Ajo (AZ), among many others across U.S. sectors.
• You will be asked to select preferred locations, but final duty assignment is determined by operational need at time of offer.
• Relocation may be required. Duty location affects pay via locality differentials.

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Recruiting process & next steps

• This is a federal hiring process; applicants typically register with the agency talent network, complete pre-screening, and receive links to the official Job Opportunity Announcements on USAJOBS to submit required documents (resume, transcripts, etc.).
• Selection includes application review, BPA Entrance Exam, and standard federal suitability checks.
• If selected, you will attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) and receive training in law, tactics, firearms, driving, and language skills.

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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.