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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Position Overview

Confidential Client is hiring full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) at GL-5/GL-7 grade levels to join a federal law enforcement mission protecting the nation’s borders. This is a career-path role with academy training and grade progression opportunities. Candidates with public safety, security, military, or law enforcement experience are encouraged to apply.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL-5 / GL-7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year.
• Estimated local salary shown: $71,566 per year.
• Up to $60,000 in hiring and retention incentives available (see Incentives below).
• Federal benefits package including health/dental insurance, generous leave, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (retirement).
• Locality and pay differentials may apply depending on duty location.

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Incentives

• Recruitment Incentive: Up to $20,000 total. $10,000 paid after successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; additional $10,000 available for accepting a prioritized location.
• Retention Incentive: Eligible BPAs may earn up to $40,000 distributed over the first four years.

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Duty Locations & Assignment Notes

• Duty assignments may include the Southwest Border and other mission-critical stations nationwide. Prioritized locations may be required for some incentives.
• Examples of duty locations include (not exhaustive): Presidio, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Comstock, Lordsburg, Freer, Hebbronville, Ajo, and multiple sector stations across the U.S.
• Duty assignment is determined at the time of offer based on operational needs. Relocation may be required.
• Fully trained BPAs may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay under applicable pay reform provisions.

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What You’ll Do

Typical BPA duties include:

• Detect and question people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws; inspect documents and possessions.
• Prevent and apprehend undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance and enforcement tactics.
• Interpret tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry or contraband movement.
• Conduct farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrol international boundaries and coastal waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, and other assets.

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Qualifications

You may qualify for GL-5 with one of the following:

• One year of general work experience demonstrating decision-making, composure in stressful situations, ability to learn regulations and techniques, and skill in gathering concise information; OR
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; OR
• A combination of education and general work experience (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

You may qualify for GL-7 with one of the following:

• One year of specialized experience showing ability to make sound judgments in firearms use, deal effectively and tactfully with people on law enforcement matters, analyze information rapidly, and perform arrest/ enforcement work; OR
• A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (class standing, GPA 3.0+, or honor society), OR one full year of graduate-level study in a related field; OR
• A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

If you have prior federal or military law enforcement experience you may qualify at higher grade levels (GL-9, GS-11).

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Required & Preferred Criteria

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Must be referred for selection before reaching 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement provisions (exceptions may apply for certain prior service or Veterans’ Preference).
• Ability to speak and read English; Spanish language proficiency is highly desirable and training is provided to improve Spanish skills at the academy.
• Must be willing and able to complete approximately six months of formal training at the Border Patrol Academy.

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Training & Career Path

• New hires attend the Border Patrol Academy for roughly six months of intensive instruction covering immigration and nationality law, law enforcement operations, firearms, defensive tactics, driving, and other required skills.
• This is a career-ladder position (GL-5 → GL-7 → GL-9 → GS-11 → GS-12) with promotion eligibility after successful completion of time-in-grade requirements.

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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.