Border Patrol Agent; BPA Entry Level

Salary and Benefits

Annual base salary for newly appointed BPAs varies per grade, as follows: GL-5/GL-7 $ 51,632 - $92,219 per year. Border Patrol Agents are eligible to select from an array of federal employment benefits that include health, dental and other insurance plans, a generous annual and sick leave program, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement plan akin to a traditional ROTH 401(k) offering.

• Recruitment Incentive:
  Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (as defined in 5 CFR 575.102 ) will be eligible for up to $20,000 in incentives. 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 such as Sierra Blanca, Presidio, Sanderson, Comstock, Freer or Hebbronville, TX;
  Lordsburg, NM; or Ajo, AZ.
• Retention Incentive:
  Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents may also qualify for up to $40,000 in additional incentives distributed over their first four years.

IMPORTANT NOTICED:
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.

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. This is a career ladder position with a grade level progression of GL-5, GL-7, GL-9, GS-11, and GS-12. You will be eligible for a promotion to the next higher grade level (without reapplying) once you successfully complete 52 weeks in each grade level.

Duty Locations:
You will be asked to select your preferred location for one of the following mission critical locations:
Big Bend Sector Stations - Presidio, Van Horn, Sanderson, Alpine, Sierra Blanca, Marfa;
Buffalo Sector Stations - Wellesley Island, Del Rio;
Del Rio Sector Stations - Del Rio, Brackettville, Comstock, Eagle Pass North, Eagle Pass South, Carrizo Springs, Uvalde, El Paso;
El Paso Sector Stations - Alamogordo, Clint, Deming, El Paso, Fort Hancock, Las Cruces, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Ysleta, El Centro;
El Centro Sector Stations - El Centro, Indio, Calexico, Grand Forks; ... (additional locations as listed in original posting) ...

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. Typical assignments include:
Detecting and questioning people suspected of violating immigration and customs laws and inspecting documents and possessions to determine citizenship or violations; preventing and apprehending undocumented noncitizens and smugglers of noncitizens 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.

You qualify for the GL‑5 grade level if you possess one of the following:

• Experience:
  
  One (1) year of general work experience that demonstrates the ability to take charge, make sound decisions, and maintain composure in stressful situations; to learn regulations, methods, and techniques through classroom training and/or on‑the‑job instruction; and the ability to gather concise information through questioning, observation, and examination of documents and records.
• Education Substitution: A bachelor’s degree or successful completion of a full four‑year course of study in any field leading to a bachelor’s degree from an…