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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Overview

Confidential Client is recruiting full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) for a federal law enforcement career. This role includes a multi-month academy, paid training, the potential for relocation to mission-critical locations, and incentives of up to $60,000. This posting summarizes duties, qualifications, pay, locations, and hiring process details. Applicants must meet federal eligibility requirements (see “Other Requirements”).

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What You’ll Do

As an entry-level Border Patrol Agent you will join a mission-focused federal law enforcement team. Typical duties include:

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration or customs laws; inspect documents and possessions
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance and investigative techniques
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, watercraft, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles
• Operate covert surveillance tools (including infrared scopes) during night operations

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (varies by grade and locality)
• Estimated midpoint shown on some sites: ~$77,941 per year (estimate)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations)
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years
• Additional locality pay: fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay per BPA pay reform rules
• Federal benefits: health, dental, life insurance options, generous annual and sick leave, Thrift Savings Plan (retirement), and other federal employee benefits

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Duty Locations

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

Examples of mission-critical sectors and stations (not exhaustive) include:

• Big Bend Sector — Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Marfa, Alpine
• Del Rio Sector — Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde
• El Paso Sector — El Paso area, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Las Cruces
• Laredo Sector — Laredo, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer
• Rio Grande Valley, San Diego, Tucson, Yuma, Spokane, Swanton, Grand Forks, Havre, Houlton

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Qualifications

You may qualify at different grade levels depending on experience and education.

GL-5 (entry level) — one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, ability to learn procedures, and information-gathering skills; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year); OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

GL-7 — one of the following:

• One year of specialized work experience demonstrating firearms judgment, effective interpersonal skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid analysis and decision-making, and arrest or criminal enforcement responsibilities; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA or class standing/honors) OR one year of relevant graduate study; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

Notes:

• Applicants with prior military or federal law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). See specific announcements for those grade levels.
• Formal training: hires attend the U.S. Border Patrol Academy (approximately six months) where training covers law, operations, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and Spanish-language skill building.
• Language: the role requires proficiency in English; Spanish reading/speaking skills are important and training is provided at the Academy.

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Other Requirements & Conditions of Employment

To comply with federal hiring rules and ensure lawful posting across U.S. states:

• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship is required.
• Residency: Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years is required.
• Age restriction: Applicants must be referred for selection before reaching their 40th birthday in accordance with law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions may apply for certain prior federal civilian LEO service or Veterans’ Preference eligibles.
• Background & suitability: Offers are contingent on successful completion of background investigations, security clearance processes, medical examinations, and drug screening as required by federal law enforcement standards.
• Firearms & physical standards: Candidates must meet fitness, firearms, and training standards to be authorized in law enforcement duties.
• Reasonable accommodation: Confidential Client and Careertakes will consider reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If you need an accommodation, indicate this during application or contact the recruiting team.
• Veterans: Veterans’ preference and certain hiring authorities may apply; veterans may be eligible for special appointments and age exceptions.

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Hiring Process & Evaluation

• Recruitment typically begins with pre-screening, resume and supporting document review, and registration with the client’s talent network.
• Candidates will be evaluated on resume, transcripts (if claiming education), supporting documents, and the BPA Entrance Exam/assessments.
• Final hiring decisions are made by hiring managers at Confidential Client following human review of eligibility, qualifications, and suitability checks.

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Candidate Privacy & Legal Notices

• This job posting is managed by Careertakes as a third-party recruiting platform. Confidential Client is the hiring organization.
• Applications are subject to federal employment eligibility verification and standard background checks.
• We comply with applicable state and federal posting requirements. If you have questions about eligibility for a specific location, please review the job announcement or contact a recruiter via the Confidential Client’s careers/talent network.

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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.