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 federal law enforcement teams protecting the border. Typical duties include:

• Detecting and questioning people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspecting documents and possessions.
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers, including covert surveillance and night operations using infrared scopes.
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation inspections.
• Patrolling international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.

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Salary & Benefits

• GL-5 / GL-7 annual base salary range for newly appointed BPAs: $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated midpoint for this posting shown on job boards: ~$71,430 per year (varies by locality).
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 upon completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location).
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.
• Comprehensive federal benefits including health, dental, life insurance, generous annual and sick leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement savings).

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Locations & Assignments

Duty assignments are based on operational needs and may include the Southwest Border and other mission-critical locations. Relocation may be required. Prioritized or mission-critical locations (examples) include:

• Arizona: Ajo, Tucson, Nogales, Douglas, Casa Grande, Willcox
• Texas: Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Sanderson, Lordsburg*, Freer, Hebbronville, Van Horn, Alpine, Marfa
• New Mexico: Lordsburg, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde (and others)
• Additional sector locations across AZ, CA, NM, TX, ND, WA, VT, and more as listed in the job announcement.

Note: Location affects pay (locality pay and potential up to +25% per BPA Pay Reform provisions). You will be asked to select preferred locations but final assignment is determined at offer.

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Qualifications

You may qualify at different grade levels depending on experience and education:

GL-5 (minimum):

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making under stress, ability to learn regulations/methods, and gather concise information through questions/observation; OR
• A bachelor’s degree; OR
• A combination of experience and college education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

GL-7 (specialized):

• One year of specialized experience showing ability to:
  • Make sound judgments and decisions in the use of firearms.
  • Deal effectively and courteously with people in law enforcement contexts.
  • Analyze information rapidly and make prompt enforcement decisions (e.g., arrests) after training. OR a bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement or one year of relevant graduate-level coursework in criminal justice/homeland security/forensics or a combination of experience and education.

Higher grades (GL-9 / GS-11) may be available for applicants with prior federal/military law enforcement experience—see the higher-level BPA announcements.

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Other Requirements & Eligibility

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Must have primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
• Age restriction: candidates must generally be referred before their 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement provisions; exceptions apply for certain prior federal or veterans’ service—see full announcement.
• Veterans’ Preference: Veterans may be eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., Veterans Recruitment Appointment) and exemption from the age limit in certain cases.
• Formal training: successful hires attend the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, NM (~6 months) for intensive instruction (laws, operations, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, Spanish training, etc.).
• Ability and willingness to work varied schedules, field conditions, and use of force when necessary.
• Spanish language proficiency is beneficial; language training is provided at the Academy.

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Training & Career Path

• Academy: approximately six months of paid, intensive training in Artesia, NM.
• Career ladder: progression through GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12 with eligibility for promotion upon completion of required service time in each grade.
• Ongoing professional development, specialized assignments, and opportunities for advancement within federal law enforcement.

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Why Join Confidential Client

• Meaningful, mission-driven federal law enforcement career that provides public service impact, job stability, and strong benefits.
• Competitive pay with locality adjustments and significant recruitment/retention incentives for prioritized locations.
• Structured training and clear advancement pathway.

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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.