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 (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 full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels to join a federal law enforcement team tasked with safeguarding the nation’s borders and deterring illicit activity. This is a career-track role that includes on-the-job and academy training and opportunities for grade progression.

Typical duties include:

• Detect and question individuals suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers through surveillance and field operations, including night operations using infrared and other surveillance equipment.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, boats, horses, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as mission needs require.

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Salary & Incentives

Base salary for newly appointed BPAs varies by grade:

• GL-5 / GL-7: $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade- and location-dependent).

Additional compensation and incentives:

• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid upon successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: Eligible BPAs may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Locality and law-enforcement pay differentials may apply; a fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay under applicable pay reform provisions.

Benefits include federal health and dental plans, generous annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement savings).

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments are based on operational needs and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical locations. Relocation may be required. Examples of sector stations where assignments may be available include:

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Alpine, Sierra Blanca, Marfa
• Del Rio Sector — Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector — Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Fort Hancock, Las Cruces, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Ysleta
• Laredo Sector — Laredo, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Zapata
• Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Tucson, Yuma and other sectors across the U.S.

When selecting preferences, be aware that assignments are determined at the time of offer and may differ from candidate preference.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL-5 if you have one of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating responsibility, sound decision-making, ability to learn regulations/methods, and investigative information-gathering; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent four-year course of study) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from your resume and transcripts).

You may qualify at GL-7 if you have one of the following:

• One year of specialized work experience demonstrating abilities such as sound judgment in firearms use, effective interpersonal skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid analysis/decision-making where arrests and enforcement may be required; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of related graduate-level study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume/transcripts).

Note: Candidates with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). Review qualification documentation carefully.

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Other Requirements & Important Notices

• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship is required.
• Residency: Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years is required.
• Age: Candidates must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday in accordance with relevant federal law enforcement retirement provisions, unless exempt due to prior qualifying federal civilian law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility.
• Veterans: Veterans’ Preference and certain excepted service hiring authorities may apply.
• Training: Selected candidates will attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) for intensive training in immigration law, enforcement operations, firearms, driving, physical techniques, and other subjects. Spanish language proficiency is preferred; language training is provided at the Academy.
• Physical & Background: Position requires successful completion of background investigations, medical/physical fitness standards, drug screening, and other pre-employment checks as required for federal law enforcement positions.

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Preferred / Helpful Experience

• Prior public safety, security, military police, corrections, or law enforcement experience.
• Experience with surveillance, patrol operations, or field investigations.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions under stress, strong situational awareness, and effective public interaction skills.
• Bilingual skills (Spanish/English) are a plus.

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Selection & Career Progression

This is a career-ladder position: GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12. BPAs become eligible for promotion to the next grade after successfully completing required time-in-grade (typically 52 weeks per grade) without reapplying. Performance, training completion, and operational needs inform assignments and advancement.

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Why This Role?

• Mission-driven federal law enforcement career with long-term stability.
• Competitive base pay, locality differentials, and substantial recruitment/retention incentives (up to $60,000 total for eligible candidates).
• Comprehensive federal benefits and retirement savings options.
• Intensive training and clear career-ladder advancement.

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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.