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 & public safety).

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

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Overview

Confidential Client is hiring full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels. This is a federal law enforcement career focused on border security and public safety. The role includes academy training, opportunities for career progression, relocation for duty assignments, and significant recruitment and retention incentives for eligible candidates.

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What You’ll Get

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs: GL-5 / GL-7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year.
• Estimated mid-range salary shown on some listings: approx. $81,489/year (varies by location and grade).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 upon successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: 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, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement/savings plan).
• Career ladder with automatic eligibility for promotion to higher grade levels after meeting service requirements (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12).

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Primary Duties

As a Border Patrol Agent with our client, typical assignments include:

• Detecting and questioning persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented entrants and smugglers using surveillance and field operations, including night operations with specialized equipment.
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and other government assets.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL-5 by meeting one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making ability, composure under stress, and the ability to learn regulations and procedures; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year course of study) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college coursework (evaluated via resume and transcripts).

You may qualify at GL-7 by meeting one of the following:

• One year of specialized work experience showing abilities such as firearm judgment, effective public interaction in law-enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis and decision-making (e.g., criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
• Education substitution such as a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of graduate-level study in a related field; OR
• A calculated combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated via resume and transcripts).

If you have prior federal law enforcement or military law enforcement experience, you may qualify at higher grades (GL-9, GS-11). Applicants will be evaluated based on resume, supporting documents, and performance on required entrance assessments.

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Other Requirements & Training

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Residency: primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age requirement: candidates generally must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday per federal law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions may apply for prior federal civilian LEO service or Veterans’ Preference eligibles.
• Veterans: eligible candidates may qualify for a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) and related exceptions.
• Formal training: selected candidates attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. 6 months) for instruction in immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver and firearms training, physical techniques, and other courses.
• Language: ability to speak and read English is required; Spanish proficiency is valuable and language training is provided at the Academy.
• Mobility: duty assignments may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical stations; relocation may be required. Duty assignment and locality pay are determined by operational needs and may affect final pay.

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments may include prioritized mission-critical locations across multiple sectors. Candidates will be asked to indicate preferred locations, but final assignment is based on operational needs. Prioritized locations and sector stations may include (not exhaustive):

• Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Marfa (Big Bend Sector)
• Wellesley Island (Buffalo Sector)
• Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass (Del Rio Sector)
• Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa (El Paso Sector)
• El Centro, Indio, Calexico (El Centro Sector)
• Pembina (Grand Forks Sector)
• Havre, Malta, Plentywood, Scobey (Havre Sector)
• Calais, Fort Fairfield, Jackman (Houlton Sector)
• Laredo, Hebbronville, Freer (Laredo Sector)
• Rio Grande City, McAllen, Brownsville (Rio Grande Valley Sector)
• Boulevard, Campo, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Murrieta (San Diego Sector)
• Colville, Curlew, Metaline Falls (Spokane Sector)
• Beecher Falls, Burke, Champlain (Swanton Sector)
• Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas (Tucson Sector)
• Blythe, Yuma, Wellton (Yuma Sector)

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What We Look For

• Integrity, sound judgment, and the ability to remain composed in high-pressure situations.
• Strong decision-making and communication skills.
• Physical fitness and willingness to complete required academy training.
• Prior experience in public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement is helpful but not required for entry-level roles.

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Notes & Legal Requirements

• This posting describes requirements specific to federal law enforcement positions. Some qualifications (e.g., age limits, residency) are statutory or regulatory and administered by federal agencies; exceptions may apply in certain circumstances (e.g., Veterans’ Preference or prior federal LEO service).
• Relocation may be required based on duty assignment. Locality pay and grade level determine final compensation.
• This is a summary for recruiting purposes; the official job opportunity announcement (JOA) and hiring agency materials contain full details on requirements, application steps, and supporting-document submission.

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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.