Adventure…challenge…international affairs…calculated risk-taking…problem solving…travel…if these words are appealing, you may want to pursue a career in the Intelligence Collection field.
You may live and work anywhere in the world. You may be asked to learn a foreign language. You will be on the cutting edge of intelligence. In the performance of your work you will learn a great deal about people and other cultures. Your work will have a profound impact…it will help protect national security. Policymakers will be better able to make decisions based on the work that you do.
Individuals working in Intelligence Collection have very unique careers indeed. They work with intelligence analysts to determine the vital information needed to produce finished intelligence. There are six basic intelligence sources or collection disciplines (i.e., SIGINT, IMINT, MASINT, HUMINT, OSINT, and Geospatial Intelligence). Intelligence Collection personnel use technical and human resources to obtain that information. The important issues are diverse and may include international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, missile and space developments, defense-related medical and health issues, counterintelligence, and international drug trafficking, to name a few.
To effectively collect intelligence information you must be able to establish and build interpersonal relationships. The arts of persuasion, negotiation, interviewing, and problem solving will serve you well. The ability to work in ambiguous and unstructured situations is critical. You must be a team player. Language proficiency in one or more foreign languages is desired, and a bachelor's degree is often required. Individuals within this career come from a variety of backgrounds such as nuclear, biological, or chemical engineering; international economics; business; or the physical sciences. Prior foreign travel, residency abroad, or military experience is a plus.
US citizenship is required. All applicants must successfully complete an extensive background investigation. Some positions may also require medical and psychological examinations and a polygraph interview.
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