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 (Customs and Border Protection).

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 federal law enforcement workforce that protects the nation’s borders and public safety. This is a full-time, career ladder role with on-the-job and academy training.

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 using surveillance and field operations, including night operations with specialized equipment
• Interpreting tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic and transportation checks, and city patrols
• Patrolling international boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles

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Qualifications

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

• One (1) year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure under stress, and the ability to learn regulations and techniques through training; OR
• A bachelor’s degree (any field) from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of general work experience and college education (evaluated from your resume and transcripts)

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

• One (1) year of specialized experience showing you can make sound firearms judgments, interact courteously and tactfully in law enforcement matters, analyze information rapidly, and perform arrests after required training; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA 3.0+/honor society/class standing) or one year of relevant graduate-level study; OR
• A combination of specialized experience and education (evaluated from your resume and transcripts)

Other mandatory requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years
• Age restriction: candidates must be referred before reaching their 40th birthday unless exempt under applicable federal law (veterans’ preference or prior covered federal LEO service may apply)
• Successful completion of approximately six months of intensive formal training at the training academy in Artesia, New Mexico (includes law, driver training, physical techniques, firearms, and Spanish language training)

Preferred/background qualifications:

• Prior experience in public safety, security, military police, or law enforcement
• Bilingual ability or willingness to train toward Spanish proficiency

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary (newly appointed BPAs): GL-5 / GL-7 — $51,632 to $92,912 per year (varies by grade and locality)
• Recruitment incentive: up to $20,000 (first $10,000 paid after academy graduation; remaining $10,000 for accepting a prioritized location)
• Retention incentive: may qualify for up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years
• Additional locality pay: fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional ~25% of base pay under applicable pay reform provisions
• Federal benefits: health, dental, retirement (Thrift Savings Plan), generous annual and sick leave, and other federal employment benefits
• Career ladder progression: GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12 (automatic promotion eligibility after required time in grade)

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Duty Locations & Mobility

Duty assignments are determined at the time of offer based on operational needs and may include mission-critical and prioritized locations (including southwest border assignments). Relocation may be required. Some prioritized locations (examples) include Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Lordsburg, Freer, Hebbronville, and Ajo.

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What to Prepare / Recruiter Notes

To streamline consideration, candidates should prepare:

• Current resume with detailed work history
• Official or unofficial transcripts (if claiming education credit)
• Documentation supporting veterans’ preference (if applicable)
• Readiness to take the BPA Entrance Exam and complete required screenings

Careertakes will provide candidate matching and may surface additional confidential-client opportunities. Final hiring decisions and job offers are made by the Confidential Client.

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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.