Demo

Foreign Language Instructor

Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC Full Time
POSTED ON 5/9/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 9/29/2026

Summary

Foreign Language Instructors provide CIA officers with the foreign language skills and cross-cultural savviness needed to live and work abroad. They also conduct regular language proficiency testing.

Summary

Foreign Language Instructors provide CIA officers with the foreign language skills and cross-cultural savviness needed to live and work abroad. They also conduct regular language proficiency testing.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
10/01/2025 to 09/29/2026
Salary
$85,546 - $133,142 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 10 - 12
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
  • 1040 Language Specialist
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High Risk
Trust determination process
  • National security
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
24-12405806
Control number
789407600

This job is open to

Help

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Videos

Duties

Help

As a Foreign Language Instructor, you will deliver programs that provide intelligence professionals with the Foreign language communications skills and cross-cultural awareness they need to live and work abroad effectively or to perform other language-related duties. Foreign Language Instructors apply the latest instructional methodologies to meet highly customized student needs. You will also complete a language proficiency testing certification to conduct and rate language proficiency tests in three modalities: reading, speaking, and listening. In addition, you may be asked to provide a variety of language support services worldwide.

Foreign Language Instructors have advanced proficiency in at least one of the following languages:

  • BCS (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian)
  • Chinese -Mandarin
  • Japanese
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Vietnamese

In addition to base salary, you can earn annual incentive pay based on the language and your language proficiency. Foreign Language Instructors who speak multiple languages may also qualify for additional incentive pay in varying amounts. Furthermore, new employees may qualify for a lump-sum hiring bonus.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume via MyLINK.
  • You must be registered for the Selective Service, if applicable.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age (dual-national US citizens are eligible).
  • You must be willing to move to the Washington, DC area.
  • You must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
  • For further requirements information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/cia-requirements/

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

  • Native-like proficiency in one or more of the languages listed above, as well as professional level ability in English. Candidates will be required to take proficiency tests in their claimed language/languages in reading, speaking and listening
  • Demonstrated ability to teach the language in the context of the culture of the region
  • Ability to use the latest technology and teaching methods
  • Ability to work well and collaborate within a team-teaching environment
  • Experience teaching language skills to adult learners, taking them from beginner to the general professional proficiency level in an intensive setting
  • Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience living, working, and/or studying abroad

Education

  • Bachelor's degree in one of the following fields or related studies:
    • Education
    • Foreign Languages
    • Linguistics
  • At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

For more information, please visit: https://cia.gov/careers/.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required Documents

Help

For further information, please visit: https://cia.gov/careers/.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Help

This post is for viewing purposes only. To get started, please visit https://cia.gov/careers/, where you can read more about this position and express your interest in up to four jobs. Upon expressing your interest, you will be taken to MyLINK, which allows you to submit your resume and job rankings and provide basic information about yourself.

Agency contact information

Central Intelligence Agency
Website
https://cia.gov/careers

Next steps

After you express interest for up to four positions on cia.gov/careers, a CIA recruiter may contact you for further discussion if your qualifications meet our needs. See the MyLINK FAQs on our website for more information.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request

Required Documents

Help

For further information, please visit: https://cia.gov/careers/.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Help

This post is for viewing purposes only. To get started, please visit https://cia.gov/careers/, where you can read more about this position and express your interest in up to four jobs. Upon expressing your interest, you will be taken to MyLINK, which allows you to submit your resume and job rankings and provide basic information about yourself.

Agency contact information

Central Intelligence Agency
Website
https://cia.gov/careers

Next steps

After you express interest for up to four positions on cia.gov/careers, a CIA recruiter may contact you for further discussion if your qualifications meet our needs. See the MyLINK FAQs on our website for more information.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request

Salary : $85,546 - $133,142

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs with skills like those required for the Foreign Language Instructor.

Click the checkbox next to the jobs that you are interested in.

  • Fitness Coaching Skill

    • Income Estimation: $40,727 - $62,445
    • Income Estimation: $46,361 - $58,685
  • Classroom Instruction Skill

    • Income Estimation: $43,329 - $75,372
    • Income Estimation: $43,813 - $80,149
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Foreign Language Instructor jobs in the Washington, DC area that may be a better fit.

  • ICA Language Services Arlington, VA
  • ICA Language Services is seeking an experienced Bulgarian language instructor to provide in-person instruction at our facility in Rosslyn, VA. Job Details ... more
  • 13 Days Ago

  • ICA Language Services Arlington, VA
  • ICA Languages Services is actively seeking experienced local Foreign Language Instructors, Distance Learning Mentors, Curriculum Developers, Curriculum Spe... more
  • 30 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!