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 / Homeland Security).

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

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Role overview

Join a mission-driven federal law enforcement team as an entry-level Border Patrol Agent (BPA). Our confidential client is hiring for full-time, career BPA positions (GL-5 / GL-7 grade levels). This role is ideal if you want a long-term federal law enforcement career that includes structured advancement, paid training, and relocation to mission-critical duty stations as required.

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Salary & benefits

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs, varies by grade): GL-5 / GL-7 — $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated midpoint (example): $66,598 per year (job-specific estimates vary).
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 (first $10,000 after Academy completion; remaining $10,000 for prioritized location acceptance).
• Retention incentives: May qualify for up to $40,000 distributed across the first four years.
• Federal benefits: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other standard federal employee benefits.
• Potential locality and pay adjustments apply; fully trained BPAs may be eligible for additional locality/LEO pay.

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What you’ll do (typical duties)

• Detect and interview individuals suspected of immigration or customs violations; inspect documents and possessions.
• Maintain surveillance and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including night operations using specialized optics.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry.
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, motorcycles, and other government assets.

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Locations & assignment notes

• Duty assignments are determined by operational needs and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical locations. Relocation may be required.
• Example prioritized locations (for incentives and assignment purposes) include Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg (NM), Freer, Hebbronville, and Ajo (AZ).
• This is a career-ladder position (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12). Promotions to the next grade typically occur after successful completion of 52 weeks at each grade level.

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stressful situations, ability to learn regulations/methods, and competency gathering information through observation and questioning; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (four-year) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college coursework (evaluated from your resume and transcripts).

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

• One year of specialized work experience showing the ability to make sound judgments in firearms use, interact courteously/tactfully in law enforcement matters, rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions, or develop and maintain informant networks; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA ≥ 3.0, or honor society), OR one year of graduate-level education in a law-enforcement-related field; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from your resume and transcripts).

Note: Applicants with prior law enforcement or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11). See eligibility details for advanced-grade announcements.

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Other requirements & important conditions

• 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: Candidates must generally be referred before reaching their 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions may apply for certain prior federal law enforcement or veteran-qualified applicants.
• Training: Selected candidates will attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) for intensive instruction in immigration and nationality law, operations, driver training, physical tactics, and firearms. Spanish reading/speaking proficiency is required; training is provided to build Spanish proficiency.
• Background & testing: Selection includes background investigations, medical/physical fitness evaluations, and job-specific entrance exams.

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Preferred experience & skills

• Prior public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement experience is strongly relevant and may qualify you for advanced grade consideration.
• Strong decision-making in high-stress environments.
• Quick analytical skills and clear written/verbal communication.
• Physical fitness and the ability to operate diverse vehicles/assets in austere environments.

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Why consider this role

• Serve in a high-impact federal law enforcement career protecting borders and public safety.
• Competitive federal pay, significant incentives for recruitment/retention, and comprehensive federal benefits.
• Clear career progression and paid, professional academy training.
• Opportunity to join a close-knit operational workforce with varied day-to-day field assignments.

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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.