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 (homeland security).

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 entry-level Border Patrol Agents to join a mission-focused federal law enforcement team. As a Border Patrol Agent, you will perform a variety of operational and investigative duties to protect the border and deter illicit activity.

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and personal effects to determine citizenship or violations
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers near the border using surveillance, interdiction, and arrest procedures
• Conduct surveillance from covert positions, including night operations using infrared and other sensors
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband movement
• Perform farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles as required by mission needs
• Work as part of multi-disciplinary teams; document incidents, prepare reports, and coordinate with other federal/state/local partners

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Qualifications

You must be a U.S. citizen and meet federal law-enforcement hiring requirements. Candidates may qualify at different grade levels based on experience and education.

• GL-5 qualification (one of the following):

  • One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, ability to learn regulations and procedures, and skills in gathering information; OR
  • A bachelor's degree (four-year course of study) from an accredited institution; OR
  • A combination of relevant education and general work experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

• GL-7 qualification (one of the following):

  • One year of specialized work experience demonstrating firearms judgment, effective people skills in law enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis and decision-making, and experience applying law-enforcement procedures (examples: criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police); OR
  • A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA or class standing, honor society), or one year of graduate-level study in a related field (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic technology, etc.); OR
  • A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts)

• Applicants with prior federal or military law-enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11); please review details during application.

Other mandatory requirements:

• U.S. citizenship required
• Residency: primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years
• Age: must be referred for selection before your 40th birthday per applicable federal law-enforcement retirement provisions, unless you qualify for an exception (e.g., prior qualifying federal civilian LEO service or certain Veterans’ Preference exceptions)
• Veterans: Veterans’ Preference and certain hiring authorities may apply; age restriction exceptions may be available for eligible veterans
• Formal training: successful candidates will attend the Border Patrol Academy for approximately six months of intensive, job-specific training (immigration law, tactical operations, firearms, defensive tactics, driver training)
• Language: Border Patrol work requires reading and speaking Spanish and English; language training is provided at the Academy

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (grade-dependent): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (GL-5 / GL-7 ranges). Locality and pay reform adjustments may increase total compensation.
• Recruitment incentive: newly appointed agents may be offered up to $20,000 (e.g., payments tied to Academy completion and assignment to prioritized locations).
• Retention incentive: eligible new agents may receive up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years in select circumstances.
• Additional pay: fully trained agents may be eligible for locality pay (up to an additional ~25% depending on location and pay reform rules).
• Federal benefits: comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, generous annual and sick leave, Federal Employees Retirement System participation, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

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Locations & Assignments

Duty assignments are determined at the time of offer based on operational needs. Assignments may include stations along the Southwest Border and other mission-critical locations. Relocation may be required.

Preferred/mission-critical duty locations include (examples):

• 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 South, Cotulla, Hebbronville, Freer, Laredo North, Zapata
• Tucson Sector — Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Sonoita, Casa Grande, Three Points, Willcox
• San Diego, El Centro, Rio Grande Valley, Yuma, Spokane, Grand Forks, Houlton, Havre, Swanton sectors, and others

Note: Some locations are prioritized for recruitment incentives. Duty location affects pay rates and locality pay.

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Training & Career Development

• Successful candidates are detailed to the Border Patrol Academy (~6 months) for immersive instruction in immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, firearms and defensive tactics, driver training, and Spanish language development.
• This is a career-ladder position with opportunities for promotion (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12) based on time-in-grade and performance. Continuous on-the-job training, specialized assignments, and professional development pathways are available.

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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.