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, Customs and Border Protection (Federal Law Enforcement).

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

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Position Overview

Confidential Client is hiring full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) to join a federal law enforcement career path focused on protecting the nation’s borders. This role offers formal academy training, career-ladder progression (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12), federal benefits, and recruitment/retention incentives (up to $60,000 total for eligible hires).

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What You’ll Do

You will serve as a Border Patrol Agent performing a mix of patrol, investigative, and interdiction duties to deter and interdict illegal entry and related activity. Typical assignments include:

• Detecting and questioning persons suspected of violating immigration and customs laws and inspecting documents and possessions.
• Maintaining surveillance (including night operations using infrared scopes) and conducting covert and overt border patrols.
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic checkpoint operations, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling boundaries and waterways using government assets such as vehicles, horses, boats, ATVs, and motorcycles.
• Making arrests and using law enforcement techniques following required training and policies.

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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 location-dependent).
• Estimated median for this listing: ~$78,271 per year.
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy graduation; additional $10,000 for accepting prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires.
• Federal benefits package including health/dental insurance, generous leave (annual and sick), participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement savings), and career-stability/advancement opportunities.
• Possible locality pay increases and BPA pay reform adjustments depending on assignment.

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Duty Locations

Duty assignments may include mission-critical and prioritized locations across multiple sectors (Southwest Border emphasis). Candidates will select preferred locations but final assignments are based on operational needs and may require relocation. Examples of sectors/stations include (not exhaustive):

• Big Bend Sector (Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Marfa, Alpine)
• Del Rio Sector (Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass, Uvalde)
• El Paso Sector (El Paso metro, Lordsburg, Alamogordo, Las Cruces)
• Laredo & Rio Grande Valley Sectors (Laredo, Hebbronville, Freer, McAllen, Brownsville)
• Tucson & Yuma Sectors (Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Yuma)
• Select northern/other sectors as operationally required

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Qualifications

You may qualify at GL-5 if you meet ONE of the following:

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating responsibility, sound decision-making, ability to learn rules and techniques, and competency in gathering concise information; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of relevant work experience and college-level education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

You may qualify at GL-7 if you meet ONE of the following:

• One (1) year of specialized work experience showing ability to: make sound firearms decisions; deal tactfully with the public on law enforcement matters; analyze information rapidly and make prompt decisions (experience from criminal justice, corrections, security, military police, or law enforcement roles qualifies); OR
• Bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of relevant graduate-level study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

Note: Applicants with prior federal or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9 / GS-11). Review qualifying announcements and provide supporting documentation.

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Required / Preferred Skills & Attributes

• Ability to make quick, sound decisions under pressure and exercise sound judgment (including when using firearms, per training and policy).
• Strong observational and investigative skills for identifying evidence, suspicious behavior, or contraband.
• Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to interact courteously and firmly in law enforcement contexts.
• Physical fitness and ability to complete academy and on-the-job physical requirements.
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish language proficiency is highly beneficial (training provided to improve Spanish proficiency at the Academy).
• Willingness to complete intensive formal training at the Border Patrol Academy (approximately six months).

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Other Requirements & Legal Notices

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age restriction: This position is covered by law enforcement retirement provisions. Candidates must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday under Department of Homeland Security Directive 251‑03, unless eligible for an exception (e.g., current or prior federal civilian law enforcement service covered by certain Title 5 provisions). Veterans’ Preference and certain recruitment authorities may exempt the age restriction.
• Formal training: Selected candidates will attend the Confidential Client’s Academy for roughly six months (immigration and nationality laws, law enforcement operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, Spanish language training, etc.).
• Background and suitability checks, medical, and fitness testing are required.

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What We Look For

• Motivation for a long-term federal law enforcement career — commitment, integrity, and resilience.
• Prior experience in public safety, security, corrections, military police, or law enforcement is valuable but not required for entry-level appointment.
• Candidates who can work varied schedules, operate in challenging environments, and represent federal law enforcement professionally.

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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.