Border Patrol Agent - Experienced

About the role

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is hiring immediately for full-time, career Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) opportunities as a Border Patrol Agent. As a BPA, you will be part of our 60,000+ workforce that strives to protect the American people by safeguarding our borders, deterring illicit activity, and enhancing the nation’s economic prosperity.

Duties And Responsibilities

Typical assignments include detecting and questioning people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws and inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations. Other duties include:

• Preventing and apprehending aliens and smugglers of aliens at or near the borders by maintaining surveillance from covert positions to include using infrared scopes during night operations.
• Interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence of illegal entry of persons or contraband.
• Performing farm checks, building checks, traffic checks, city patrols, and transportation checks.
• Patrolling the international boundary and coastal waterways using a variety of government assets such as vehicles, horses, vessels, watercraft, off-road vehicles, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles for the accomplishment of the USBP Mission.

Qualifications

To qualify for the GL-9 grade level, you must possess one (1) year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Performing physical searches of detained individuals, their vehicles, and their immediate surroundings for weapons, contraband, currency, and other evidence.
• Apprehending, physically restraining, or working with law enforcement officials to identify or apprehend violators of state, federal, or immigration laws.
• Proficient in the use of firearms, preparing investigative reports, serving court orders (e.g., warrants, subpoenas, etc.), and gathering evidence for criminal cases prosecuted through the court system.

To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, with the authority granted by the state or government to enforce laws, make arrests, and investigate crimes, performing primary duties in an official law enforcement capacity such as:

• Utilizing intelligence information to track illegal operations, criminal activity, threats to our nation, and/or contraband while serving as a state, federal, or military law enforcement official.
• Leading investigations of fraud, contraband, criminal activity, threats to our nation, and/or illegal operations to determine sources and patterns while serving as a state, federal, or military law enforcement official.
• Apprehending violators of state, federal, or immigration laws by utilizing various forms of complex technology that include surveillance, detection, situation awareness systems, and/or communications equipment.

Skills

Border Patrol work requires the ability to speak and read Spanish, as well as English. Border Patrol Agents will be provided training to become proficient in the Spanish language at the Academy.

Benefits

All Border Patrol Agents may select from an array of federal employment benefits that include:

• Health and insurance plans
• A generous annual and sick leave program
• Participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement plan that is similar to traditional and ROTH 401(k) offerings

Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents will be offered up to a $20,000 incentive. The first $10,000 will be paid upon successful completion of the Border Patrol Academy, with the remaining $10,000 awarded for accepting a prioritized location. Prioritized locations include Sierra Blanca, TX; Presidio, TX; Sanderson, TX; Comstock, TX; Lordsburg, NM; Freer, TX; Hebbronville, TX; Ajo, AZ. Additionally, newly appointed Border Patrol Agents may also qualify for up to $40,000 in additional incentives distributed over their first four years.

Pay

Salary for newly appointed law enforcement Border Patrol Agents varies from: Base Salary: GL-9/GS-11, $65,545 - $124,717 per year. Locality Pay: Varies by duty location. Overtime Pay: Up to 25% Duty location impacts pay rates; locality pay for federal law enforcement is higher in some locations than others. A fully trained BPA may be eligible for up to an additional 25% of base pay per the BPA Pay Reform Act of 2014.

Schedule

Duty assignments available at the time of offer may include the Southwest Border, including prioritized locations. U.S. Border Patrol determines duty assignments at the time of offer based on operational needs, which may or may not align with candidates’ first-choice preferences. Relocation may be required.