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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Overview

Confidential Client is recruiting full-time, entry- and mid-level federal law enforcement candidates for Border Patrol Agent (BPA) and Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) roles. These positions offer career stability, advancement, federal benefits, and potential recruitment/retention incentives for qualified candidates.

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What You’ll Do

Depending on assignment (BPA or CBPO), typical duties include:

• Patrol international borders, coastal waterways, ports of entry and designated sectors using vehicles, vessels, ATVs, motorcycles, horses and other equipment
• Enforce immigration, customs, agricultural and other federal laws and regulations
• Inspect individuals, documents, vehicles, conveyances and cargo to determine admissibility and identify violations
• Detect and prevent illegal entry, human and drug smuggling, contraband trafficking and other threats
• Conduct surveillance, analyze intelligence, interpret physical evidence and conduct investigative interviews
• Detain or apprehend suspected violators, conduct searches, collect evidence and prepare reports
• Facilitate lawful international travel and trade while ensuring regulatory compliance
• Perform operational assignments: patrols, traffic checks, farm/building checks, transportation inspections, airport/seaport duties

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Salary & Benefits

Salary varies by position, grade level and duty station. Pay ranges supplied in the source material:

• Border Patrol Agent (BPA): $51,632 - $124,717 (annual base range, entry through experienced grades)
• Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO): $41,863 - $127,464 (annual base range, entry through experienced grades)

Additional compensation and benefits may include:

• Federal health, dental and life insurance
• Annual and sick leave; retirement benefits; Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
• Career development and advancement opportunities
• Position-specific recruitment incentives (examples below)
• For fully trained officers, potential overtime opportunities (source cites up to $45,000 subject to rules and availability)

Recruitment & retention incentives (examples from source):

• BPA: up to $20,000 recruitment incentive (e.g., $10,000 at academy completion + up to $10,000 for select locations); possible additional retention incentives up to $30,000 over three years (terms apply)
• CBPO: eligibility for location-based recruitment incentives up to $15,000 per year under certain service agreements (terms apply)

(Verify current rates and incentive availability in the official vacancy announcement.)

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Qualifications

Candidates may qualify through education, work experience, or relevant law enforcement background. Minimum requirements differ by grade and role.

Border Patrol Agent (BPA)

• GL-5 (entry): one year general work experience demonstrating judgment and composure, OR a bachelor’s degree, OR combination of experience and education
• GL-7 (advanced entry): one year specialized experience in law enforcement/security, OR bachelor’s with Superior Academic Achievement, OR qualifying graduate education
• GL-9 & GS-11 (experienced): specialized experience at the next lower grade level (examples: searches, apprehensions, firearms use, investigative reporting)

Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO)

• GS-5 (entry): three years general experience (including one year equivalent to GS-4), OR a bachelor’s degree, OR combination of experience/education
• GS-7 (advanced entry): one year specialized experience (inspections, document/merchandise examination, enforcement decisions), OR bachelor’s with SAA, OR graduate education
• GS-9 (experienced): one year specialized experience at the next lower grade (detentions/arrests, import/export law enforcement, intelligence/behavioral analysis, interviews)

General requirements for both positions

• U.S. citizenship
• Residency requirements (generally primary U.S. residency for at least 3 of the last 5 years, subject to rules)
• Federal law enforcement age restrictions (generally referral before age 40, with exceptions)
• Successful completion of background investigation and suitability requirements
• Medical, physical, firearms and training requirements as specified in the vacancy announcement
• Veterans’ preference or special hiring authorities may apply where appropriate

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Training & Career Development

• BPA: Approximately six months of training at the Border Patrol Academy (e.g., Artesia, NM) covering immigration law, law enforcement techniques, firearms, operations and language training as required.
• CBPO: Approximately 103 days of training at a federal law enforcement training center covering inspections, customs laws, enforcement techniques and related skills.
• Ongoing career development, promotion pathways and specialized training opportunities are available once assigned.

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Location & Assignments

Positions may be assigned nationwide based on operational needs. The source lists potential assignments across multiple states and sectors. Assignments include but are not limited to:

• Land border sectors and ports of entry (various stations in AZ, CA, NM, TX and other states)
• Airports, seaports, coastal waterways and designated sector locations

Candidates should expect potential relocation and flexible assignment locations as mission requirements dictate. If a preferred location is not available at final offer, candidates may be offered other U.S. duty stations.

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Who Should Apply

• Applicants seeking a full-time federal law enforcement career with competitive pay, benefits and training
• Candidates with backgrounds in public safety, security, military police, law enforcement, investigations, or related fields
• Individuals who meet federal employment eligibility and suitability 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.