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Political Analyst

Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC Full Time
POSTED ON 5/9/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 9/30/2026

Summary

Political Analysts support US policymakers by producing written and oral assessments of the domestic politics, foreign policy, stability, and social issues of foreign governments and entities.

Summary

Political Analysts support US policymakers by producing written and oral assessments of the domestic politics, foreign policy, stability, and social issues of foreign governments and entities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
10/01/2025 to 09/30/2026
Salary
$63,940 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8 - 15
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)
  • 0132 Intelligence
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
  • National security
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-12842341
Control number
851633800

This job is open to

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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

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As a Political Analyst at CIA, you will support US policymakers by producing and delivering written and oral assessments of the domestic politics, foreign policy, stability, and social issues of foreign governments and entities. Political Analysts examine actors' goals and motivations, culture, values, history, society, decisionmaking processes, and ideologies and their implications for U.S. national security.

You will have opportunities for foreign and domestic travel and language study. You will receive tradecraft and leadership training while increasing your substantive expertise through academic study, collaboration with Intelligence Community peers, and professional conferences. You may also participate in broadening assignments within the Agency and across the U.S. Government.

Requirements

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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

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.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications:

  • Deep regional or functional expertise, including travel or residency in the region
  • Strong verbal presentation skills
  • Awareness of U.S. national security interests
  • Foreign language capability
  • Proficiency in at least one language pertinent to area expertise
  • Demonstrated ability to write clear, concise text
  • Research experience in international affairs
  • Ability to work in a team environment
  • Interest in a career that requires regular writing assignments

Education

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in:
    • International Affairs
    • Political Science
  • 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.

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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://www.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

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For further information, please visit: https://www.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://www.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://www.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://www.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 : $63,940 - $158,322

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