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.

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 federal law enforcement career ladder. This role combines field patrol, investigative activity, and public-safety work to safeguard the border and deter illicit activity. You will train at an academy, then perform operational duties that may include vehicle, foot, or mounted patrols and the use of surveillance technology.

• Detect, interview, and inspect persons and documents to determine immigration or customs violations
• Conduct patrols (vehicle, foot, ATV, watercraft, horseback, or other assets) and coordinate covert surveillance operations, including night operations with infrared scopes
• Interpret and follow signs of illegal entry (tracks, marks, physical evidence) and perform building, farm, traffic, and transport checks
• Apprehend and process undocumented individuals and assist in interdiction of contraband/smuggling activity
• Prepare clear incident reports and collaborate with multi‑agency partners as required

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Key Qualifications

Candidates may qualify at different grade levels based on experience and education. Typical qualifying paths include:

• GL‑5 eligibility — One year of general work experience showing an ability to take charge, make sound decisions under stress, learn procedures in training/on the job, and gather concise information through questioning and observation; OR a bachelor’s degree; OR a combination of experience and education
• GL‑7 eligibility — One year of specialized experience (e.g., criminal code enforcement, corrections, security, military police, law enforcement) demonstrating firearms judgment, effective people skills in law‑enforcement contexts, rapid analysis, and prompt decision‑making; OR a bachelor’s with superior academic achievement; OR one year of relevant graduate‑level study; OR a combination of experience and education
• Applicants with prior federal or non‑military civilian law‑enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL‑9 / GS‑11) — refer to the specific announcement for those opportunities

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Other Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required
• Primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years is required
• Candidates must be referred before reaching their 40th birthday unless an exception applies (e.g., prior federal law enforcement service or Veterans’ Preference where applicable)
• Successful completion of background, medical, fitness, and other pre‑employment checks will be required
• Spanish language ability is valuable; academy training includes language proficiency development

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Salary & Incentives

• Annual base salary for newly appointed Border Patrol Agents varies by grade (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (est. midpoint shown on some listings)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 for newly appointed agents (first $10,000 after academy graduation; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location)
• Retention incentive: potential additional payments up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years for qualifying hires
• Federal benefits include health/dental plans, annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (federal retirement/savings)

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Duty Locations & Mobility

Duty assignments are based on operational needs and may include mission‑critical locations along the Southwest Border and other sectors nationwide. Candidates will be asked to indicate preferred locations, but relocation may be required. Pay and locality adjustments vary by duty station; fully trained agents may be eligible for additional locality/LEO pay under applicable pay reform provisions.

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Training & Career Path

• New hires attend academy training (approximately six months) covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, firearms and defensive tactics, driver training, and other mission‑essential skills
• Entry positions are part of a career ladder (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12); promotions within the ladder may occur after meeting time‑in‑grade and performance requirements

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Why Work Through Careertakes

As a third‑party recruiting platform, Careertakes connects you to this Confidential Client opportunity and other matched federal law enforcement openings. We provide clarity on the process and help surface career paths that match your experience and goals.

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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.