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 (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).

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

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What You’ll Do

Confidential Client is hiring entry‑level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) to join a federal law‑enforcement team protecting the nation’s borders. This is a frontline law‑enforcement role that requires judgment, stamina, and teamwork. Typical responsibilities include:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting people and possessions to determine citizenship or violations
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including night operations using infrared and covert surveillance
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic and city patrols, and transportation inspections
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets
• Working closely with other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs, grade dependent): GL‑5 / GL‑7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year
• Estimated midpoint for this posting: approx. $65,609 per year (estimate)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after academy completion; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations)
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 available over the first four years for qualifying agents
• Federal benefits package including health/dental, generous leave, Thrift Savings Plan (retirement), and access to career ladder promotions (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12)

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments may include the Southwest Border and prioritized locations. Candidate duty assignment is determined at the time of offer based on operational needs. Relocation may be required.

Mission‑critical locations (examples) include: Presidio, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Comstock, Lordsburg, Freer, Hebbronville, Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Yuma, El Centro, Del Rio, El Paso, San Diego, Rio Grande Valley, and others across the U.S. and border sectors.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL‑5 or GL‑7 depending on experience and education.

You 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 in stressful situations, and learn through training/on‑the‑job instruction; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of education and general work experience (evaluated from resume/transcripts)

You qualify for GL‑7 if you have one of the following:

• One (1) year of specialized work experience demonstrating: sound firearms judgment; effective, courteous interaction in law‑enforcement contexts; rapid information analysis and prompt decision‑making in arrest/enforcement situations; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0, or honor society) OR one year of relevant graduate‑level study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education

Note: Candidates with prior law‑enforcement or military law‑enforcement experience may qualify at GL‑9 or GS‑11; please reference applicable announcements if applicable.

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Other Legal & Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must be referred before their 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement provisions, unless an exception applies (e.g., certain federal law‑enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference exemptions).
• Veterans: Veterans may be eligible for excepted service hiring authorities that alter age/eligibility rules.
• Language: Border Patrol work requires speaking and reading English; Spanish proficiency is highly valuable. Language training is provided at the Academy.
• Training: Selected candidates will attend approximately six (6) months of formal training at the Border Patrol Academy (Artesia, NM) covering immigration law, enforcement operations, firearms, driving, physical techniques, Spanish language training, and more.

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Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• This role involves outdoor operations in varied weather and terrain, night operations, and physical activity (patrols, vehicle/mount operations, tactical response).
• You may be required to operate diverse assets (vehicles, horses, boats, ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles).
• Must meet physical standards and successfully complete academy training and required certifications.

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Why Join

• Serve in a mission‑oriented federal law enforcement career with clear advancement paths
• Competitive pay scale with locality adjustments and substantial incentive programs for recruitment and retention
• Comprehensive federal benefits and retirement options
• Training and language support provided to prepare you for operational duties

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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.