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, Legal.

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 (BPA) to join a mission-driven federal law enforcement team. In this role you will complete academy training and perform field and patrol duties that protect the U.S. border, detect and deter illegal activity, and support public safety.

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Key Responsibilities

• Detect, question, and inspect individuals and property to enforce immigration and customs laws.
• Conduct surveillance (including night operations using specialized equipment) and covert observation.
• Interpret and follow tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or smuggling.
• Perform farm, building, traffic, city, and transportation checks.
• Patrol boundary areas and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, and other assets.
• Make arrests and use sound judgment in the use of force after required training and authorization.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at the GL‑5, GL‑7 (or higher) grade level depending on education and experience.

GL‑5 (Minimum):

• One year of general work experience demonstrating the ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn rules/techniques, and gather information through questioning, observation, and document review; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college/university; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

GL‑7 (Specialized):

• One year of specialized experience showing ability to:
  • Make sound firearms decisions;
  • Interact courteously and effectively in law enforcement contexts;
  • Rapidly analyze information and make prompt decisions including arrests after training; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of relevant graduate-level study (criminal justice, homeland security, forensic fields, etc.); OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from submitted documents).

Additional notes:

• Prior law enforcement or military police experience may qualify candidates for GL‑9 or GS‑11 grade levels (see separate announcements).
• Spanish language skills are helpful; language training is provided at the academy.
• You must be a U.S. citizen and meet residency and age requirements (see Additional Requirements).

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Compensation & Incentives

• Annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated midpoint salary shown on some listings may vary by duty location and locality pay.
• Recruitment incentive: Up to $20,000 total (first $10,000 paid after successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; second $10,000 for accepting prioritized duty locations).
• Retention incentive: Eligible BPAs may receive up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Additional federal benefits: health, dental, retirement plan (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other federal employee benefits.
• Fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay depending on locality pay provisions.

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Duty Locations & Mobility

• Duty assignments are determined by operational needs at the time of offer and may include Southwest Border and other mission-critical sectors nationwide.
• Prioritized/mission-critical locations are available; selecting or accepting certain locations may influence incentive eligibility.
• Relocation may be required; pay rates and locality adjustments vary by duty location.
• Example sectors and mission locations include (but are not limited to): Big Bend (Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson), Del Rio, El Paso, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, Tucson (Ajo), Yuma, San Diego, and multiple other sector stations across the U.S.

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Training & Career Progression

• Selected candidates attend the Border Patrol Academy (approx. six months) for training in immigration and nationality law, operations, firearms, driver training, physical techniques, and language training as required.
• This is a career ladder position (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12). Promotion to the next grade typically occurs after meeting time‑in‑grade and performance requirements.

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Additional Requirements & Legal Notices

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age: Candidates must generally be referred for selection before their 40th birthday due to law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions exist for certain prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference eligibility.
• Veterans: Veterans may be eligible for special hiring authorities; some age restrictions may not apply.
• Offer conditions: Selection is contingent on successful completion of background investigation, medical, fitness, and other pre‑employment requirements as defined by agency policy.
• Language: Ability to read and speak English is required; Spanish proficiency is useful and training is provided at the academy.

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Why Join

• Start an impactful federal law enforcement career with structured training, competitive pay scale, and comprehensive benefits.
• Access recruitment and retention incentives that can significantly increase early-career earnings.
• Opportunity for advancement through a defined career ladder and specialized 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.