CIA Internship Application 2023 – See the available positions, qualifications/eligibility, responsibilities, benefits, salary, and how to apply.
About CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA is an American intelligence agency saddled with the responsibility of housing important and sensitive information about the country, and safeguarding that information so that it does not fall into the wrong hands. They also gather, house and safeguard intelligence about foreign countries and issues.
Internship with CIA is a coveted position, as it is a unique experience that will be a great addition to your resume. It is excellent opportunity for students to see how the United States’ premier espionage agency works. The internship position is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. CIA Internship
CIA internship hiring process
The hiring process for CIA internship can take up to a year or even more. Below are the step-by-step process CIA takes to hire their interns.
1. Online Application
This process can take about 45 days. You will have to search through various jobs available on the CIA website, choose the position you want, make sure they meet the requirements for that position, and then apply through the official CIA Application Portal. Each applicant can apply for up to four positions.
2. Screening, testing, and interviews
This step takes about 2-3 months. If your application interests the CIA, you will take part in phone screenings, testing, and in-person interviews at one of their sites. The testing process may include an online aptitude test or personality assessment.
3. Conditional Offer of Employment and completion of the SF-86 form
This step takes 2-3 month to complete. You will receive a Conditional Offer of Employment if you are a good match for the CIA. You will also complete the SF-86 form to move forward with the security clearance process. You’ll need a security clearance before you can start working at CIA, and it includes a set of medical and security evaluations.
4. Security and Medical Evaluations
This step takes from 6 months to over a year. You will need to complete security and medical evaluations, before you can start working at CIA, which includes a:
- Background investigation
- Polygraph interview
- Physical and psychological examination
5. Official job offer and onboarding
If you make it pass all the above steps, you’ll receive a call to discuss specific onboarding activities and your start date.
Top 10 CIA internship hiring positions and their salary
There are several internship hiring positions for both undergraduate and graduate. Below are the best 10 hiring positions:
1. Computer science
Interns will work on various programs with experts from the agency’s Research and Development department. $81,000 is the starting salary.
2. Data and system administration
Interns are tasked with digitally managing and organizing the agency’s data and programs, securing agency information, improving business processes, guiding data and data management standards, and developing the best policies and standards for the most effective use of digital resources. The starting salary is $73,000.
3. Human resource analyst
Interns will work in groups with a full-time intelligence HR analyst to practice data-driven human resources through analysis and writing and a briefing on human capital data assets. The starting salary is $57,000.
4. Support integration officer
Interns assist Support Integration Officers to drive interconnected international support to missions by helping to solve tactical support issues and implement or create new processes to meet the office’s needs.
5. Technical Researcher
Interns help the Technical Researchers to find and identify new technologies, materials, and techniques that can be applied to existing business areas. $81,000 is the starting salary.
6. Foreign language specialists
Interns will create online learning materials and provide language instruction at all proficiency levels, and also prepare assessments of foreign language proficiency in accordance with Intelligence Community standards. Interns must be fluent in at least one of the following languages: French, German Spanish, Italian, Greek, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and others. $46,000 is the starting salary.
7. Data exploitation and digital targeting
Interns are tasked with collecting and exploiting digitally obtained data to deliver actionable targeting strategies and data-driven targets products. $53,000 is the starting salary.
8. Intelligence analyst
Interns will be part of a team of full-time intelligence analyst experts who will study and evaluate data from every available source before analyzing it to provide timely, accurate, and targeted assessment. $57,000 is the starting salary.
9. Engineering
Interns will be working in Research and Development with full-time intelligence experts on various programs aimed at discovering new technologies, materials, and techniques for designing, assembling, and fabricating all types of mechanical equipment from initial concept to final assembly, as well as modifying commercial products and customizing aftermarket services. $81,000 is the starting salary.
10. Cyber operations and mission enablement
As a CIA intern in cyber operation and mission enablement, you’ll design, deploy, develop, operate, manage, and maintain international systems, hardware, software, and applications to start, conduct, and support new and ongoing intelligence missions. $56,000 is the starting salary.
Benefits of CIA internship program
CIA offers generous salary, medical insurance and even paid vacation to their interns. The salary for CIA interns is from $46,000 and above. The agency will also pay for your transportation and relocation to Washington, DC where you will be working.
Responsibilities
Interns do not do the espionage work that normal CIA agents do. They perform lower level responsibilities in various departments. They also help experts in several fields. They mostly research, analyze, write, and brief on important international events.
Qualifications
There certain requirements you have to meet and qualifications you have to have to be able to join CIA as an intern.
The minimum eligibility requirements includes:
- You have to be a citizen of the United States of America.
- You have to be at least 18 years old.
- You must be a full-time student pursuing a four-year degree in any accredited university or college, and also prove that you are planning on returning to school for at least one more semester after your internship.
- You have completed at least one semester in your college before applying for the position.
- Applicants enrolled in a 2-year degree program that fits into accredited 4-year degree programs will also be considered.
- At least a 3.0 average grade point n either Engineering, Information Technology, or another science course.
- You must have been accepted into or be enrolled in a four-year MSI program.
- You must not have used any illegal drugs within the last one year (12 months).
How to search for CIA internship opportunities online
Go to the official CIA website at CIA.gov, where you can view several internship positions, requirements and guidelines on how to apply.
Step-by-step application guide
It is important to plan ahead and apply as soon as possible because application process can take from 9 to 12 months. This is because thousands of applicants apply to this position, and the CIA will have to perform a background check of each of them.
- Provide an unofficial academic transcript from a college or high school.
- Send in your resume.
- Fill out and submit the application for the scholarship program.
- Provide a letter of acceptance from the four-year university or college you are attending.
- Provide proof that you can meet the internship’s financial requirements. This proof can be in the form of a copy of page one or two of your parent’s most recent tax returns showing the adjusted gross profit, with you listed as a dependent, or a copy of page one or two of your own most recent tax returns showing the adjusted gross profit.
- Research the organization and the position you applied for to prepare for an in-person interview at the CIA headquarters in Washington, DC.
Official CIA internship website: https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-programs/