Customs and Border Protection Officer
The Customs and Border Protection Officer role involves enforcing U.S. immigration, customs, and agricultural laws to protect national borders from illegal activities such as smuggling and unauthorized entry. Officers conduct inspections, surveillance, and apprehensions while facilitating lawful international travel and trade, requiring strong law enforcement skills, physical fitness, and adherence to federal policies. This full-time position offers career advancement, federal benefits, and specialized training at federal academies.
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 (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
About the Role
Confidential Client is recruiting for full-time Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) opportunities serving in Hercules, CA and other U.S. locations. This federal law-enforcement role combines inspections, investigations, and enforcement to protect the U.S. border and facilitate lawful trade and travel.
What You’ll Do
As a Customs and Border Protection Officer with Confidential Client, typical duties may include:
- Conduct inspections of people, documents, vehicles, cargo, and personal property to enforce immigration, customs, and agricultural laws
- Screen travelers and shipments to detect contraband, illegal goods, and national-security threats
- Perform surveillance, gather and analyze intelligence, and support investigations
- Apprehend, detain, and process suspected violators following established law-enforcement procedures
- Prepare clear reports, maintain case files, and provide testimony when required
- Work at ports of entry, land borders, seaports, and airports; perform field assignments as operational needs require
Minimum Qualifications
Candidates may qualify through education, work experience, or a combination as determined by the vacancy announcement. Typical minimums include:
- U.S. citizenship and the ability to meet applicable federal background and suitability requirements
- Education/work options (examples — exact requirement depends on grade/appointment):
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, OR
- Three years of general work experience (including at least one year equivalent to GS-4), OR
- A qualifying combination of experience and education
- Ability to meet residency and age requirements for federal law enforcement appointments
- Successful completion of required medical, physical, firearms, and training standards
Preferred / Role-Specific Experience
- Prior law-enforcement, military police, security, or related public-safety experience
- Experience with inspections, evidence collection, report writing, or investigative work
- Strong judgment, composure under pressure, and effective interpersonal skills
- Spanish language proficiency is a plus in some assignments
Training & Career Path
- Newly appointed CBPOs attend an entry training program (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center or equivalent) covering customs law, inspection techniques, defensive tactics, and firearms.
- Federal career progression available; grade and promotion potential depend on performance and vacancy announcements.
- Position-specific recruitment and retention incentives may be available for designated locations.
Compensation & Benefits
Pay and benefits depend on grade, appointment, and duty location. For this posting in California, salary information from the source ranges are:
- Estimated midpoint (example): $72,872 per year (estimated)
- Representative CBPO range: $41,863 — $127,464 per year (annual base salary range; exact rate depends on grade and locality)
Employees may also be eligible for:
- Federal health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
- Retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) participation
- Paid annual and sick leave
- Overtime opportunities (where applicable)
- Recruitment and retention incentives at designated locations (subject to terms)
(Do not rely on these figures for final pay; the official vacancy announcement will list exact salary, grade, and locality pay.)
Location & Mobility
Primary location for this posting: Hercules, CA. Assignments may require work at ports of entry, border sectors, airports, seaports, and other duty locations across the United States. Candidates should expect geographical assignment flexibility based on mission needs.
Important Notes
- This posting is for positions within a federal law enforcement organization. Applicants must meet the official announcement’s U.S. residency, citizenship, age, and background-investigation requirements.
- Specific grade-level qualifications (entry, advanced entry, and experienced) are defined in the official vacancy announcement; applicants should review the full announcement for documentation requirements (transcripts, service records, etc.).
- Confidential Client and Careertakes comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. Where state pay-transparency rules apply, available salary information is shown above.
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.
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