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

Our confidential client is hiring full‑time, entry‑level Border Patrol Agents (BPA) to join a federal law enforcement career path. This role is mission-driven and ideal for candidates seeking long-term public service, career stability, and professional development. New hires may be eligible for significant recruitment and retention incentives (see Incentives).

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Salary & Benefits

• Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs (GL‑5 / GL‑7): $51,632 – $92,912 per year (grade- and locality-dependent). Estimated midpoint shown in some sources: $84,086/year.
• Federal benefits package including:
  • Health, dental, and vision plans
  • Generous annual and sick leave
  • Retirement participation via the Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k)/Roth)
  • Career ladder promotions (GL‑5 → GL‑7 → GL‑9 → GS‑11 → GS‑12) with eligibility for grade increases after required time-in-grade

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Incentives

• Recruitment Incentive: Up to $20,000 for newly appointed agents (first $10,000 after successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy; remaining $10,000 for accepting certain prioritized locations).
• Retention Incentive: May qualify for up to $40,000 more, paid over the agent’s first four years.
• Note: Incentive availability and amounts are set by the hiring agency and vary by posting and selected duty location.

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Duty Locations

• Duty assignments are determined at the time of offer based on operational needs. Some offers may require relocation and may include work along the Southwest Border and other mission‑critical stations.
• Examples of mission-critical / prioritized locations include areas in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and other sectors (e.g., Presidio, Sierra Blanca, Lordsburg, Ajo, Hebbronville, Freer). Locality pay may increase total compensation in higher-cost or prioritized areas.
• A fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay per applicable pay reform rules in certain locations.

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What You’ll Do

As an entry‑level Border Patrol Agent you will support border security operations and perform duties such as:

• Detecting, questioning, and inspecting individuals and belongings for compliance with immigration and customs laws
• Preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers using surveillance (including night operations with infrared equipment)
• Interpreting and following physical evidence (tracks, marks) to locate illegal entries
• Conducting farm checks, building checks, traffic stops, city and transportation patrols
• Patrolling international boundaries and waterways using vehicles, horses, vessels, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles and other government assets

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Qualifications

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

• GL‑5 (entry level) — one of:

  • One (1) year of general work experience that demonstrates decision‑making, composure under stress, the ability to learn regulations/methods, and information‑gathering skills; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree (or completion of a four‑year course of study) from an accredited college or university; OR
  • A combination of related work experience and college education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

• GL‑7 — one of:

  • One year of specialized work experience demonstrating law‑enforcement‑related skills such as firearms judgment, working with the public in law enforcement contexts, rapid information analysis and decision making, arrests or criminal code enforcement; OR
  • A bachelor’s degree with superior academic achievement (GPA/honors/class standing), OR one full year of graduate‑level study in a related field; OR
  • A combination of experience and education (evaluated from resume and transcripts).

• Candidates with prior civilian or military law enforcement experience may qualify at higher grade levels (GL‑9 or GS‑11). Review the full announcement for grade‑specific requirements.

• Additional preferred/required competencies:

  • Ability to read and speak English; Spanish language proficiency is typical and training is provided at the Academy.
  • Physical fitness and ability to complete training.

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Other Requirements & Important Notices

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Residency: Must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years.
• Age restriction: Candidates must be referred for selection before their 40th birthday per law enforcement retirement rules (exceptions apply for some prior federal law enforcement employees or Veterans’ Preference eligibles as noted in federal guidance).
• Veterans: Eligible candidates may qualify for Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or Veterans’ Preference provisions where applicable.
• Formal training: Selected candidates will be detailed to a Border Patrol Academy (approximately six months) for intensive instruction in immigration/nationality law, law enforcement operations, driver training, firearms, tactics, and language training.
• Offers are contingent on successful completion of required background investigations, medical/drug screening, and other hiring conditions per federal law enforcement standards.

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Recruiter Note

Careertakes is presenting this opportunity on behalf of a confidential client in federal law enforcement. Applicants may be considered for additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform. This posting omits application links and step‑by‑step submission instructions; follow the instructions in the official job announcement your recruiter or client portal provides.

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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.