What are the responsibilities and job description for the INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST (COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AGENT) position at Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA)?
Summary
DCSA'S Eastern Region is seeking a qualified CI professional to serve as a Counterintelligence Agent. In this role you will serve as an SME responsible for providing CI functional services, oversight, and support to the cleared Defense Industrial Base (DIB). This is a great opportunity for those with a broad experience in CI collection, reporting, FIE tradecraft, and operations.
Duties
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As an Intelligence Operations Specialist (Counterintelligence Agent) you will be responsible for the following duties:
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Conditions of employment
The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/intelligence-series-0132/i.e. for professional positions or positions with a basic education requirement: http://main.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/ classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/foreign-affairs series- 0130/; i.e. for positions with no IOR: http://main.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/ classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0300/management and -program-analysis-series-0343/) for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 12/01/2025
Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.
You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade GS/GG-12 in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility.
Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience.
Specialized Experience For This Position Includes
Processing and Exploitation Capabilities
Teamwork
Legal, Government, Jurisprudence
Collection Operations
Education
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL
In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria.
Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf
Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions.
If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS.
All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.
For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here.
For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here.
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.
DCSA'S Eastern Region is seeking a qualified CI professional to serve as a Counterintelligence Agent. In this role you will serve as an SME responsible for providing CI functional services, oversight, and support to the cleared Defense Industrial Base (DIB). This is a great opportunity for those with a broad experience in CI collection, reporting, FIE tradecraft, and operations.
Duties
Help
As an Intelligence Operations Specialist (Counterintelligence Agent) you will be responsible for the following duties:
- Serves as a subject matter expert responsible for providing CI functional services, oversight, and support to the cleared Defense Industrial Base; and for conducting CI collections directed against Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) targeting cleared industry.
- Collect, evaluate, analyze (field-level), and disseminate CI threat information regarding suspicious activities and other actionable information concerning cleared contractor facilities.
- Serves as a technical consultant related to CI and counter-proliferation issues involving facilities where critical program information (CPI) resides and also facilities supporting DoD Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA) programs.
- Conducts CI threat awareness training to educate DCSA and cleared contractor personnel on the threats posed by FIEs; makes recommendations of appropriate CI countermeasures necessary to counter FIE collection efforts.
- Establishes and maintains highly collaborative relationships with the DoD components, USG LE and IC counterparts, and with cleared contractors.
- Represents DCSA CI in daily internal and external meetings pertaining to CI-related discussions to identify and resolve threats to cleared industry.
Help
Conditions of employment
- Must be a US citizen
- Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. For more information http://www.sss.gov
- Resume and supporting documents received by 11:59PM EST will be considered
- This is a Drug Testing designated position
- Position is a (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under U.S.C. 1601
- Work Schedule: Full Time
- Overtime: Occasionally
- Tour of Duty: Flexible
- PCS (Permanent Change of Station): Not Authorized
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
- Financial Disclosure: Not Required
- Telework Eligibility: Supervisors may approve situational telework on a case-by-case, temporary basis for limited situations.
- If selected, the incumbent must obtain and maintain appropriate security clearance as indicated in job announcement.
The experience described in your resume will be evaluated and screened from the Office of Personnel Management's (OPMs) basic qualifications requirements. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/intelligence-series-0132/i.e. for professional positions or positions with a basic education requirement: http://main.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/ classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/foreign-affairs series- 0130/; i.e. for positions with no IOR: http://main.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/ classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0300/management and -program-analysis-series-0343/) for OPM qualification standards, competencies and specialized experience needed to perform the duties of the position as described in the MAJOR DUTIES and QUALIFICATIONS sections of this announcement by 12/01/2025
Applicant must have directly applicable experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary for immediate success in the position. Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position.
You must have specialized experience sufficient to demonstrate that you have acquired all the competencies necessary to perform at a level equivalent in difficulty, responsibility, and complexity to the next lower grade GS/GG-12 in the Federal service and are prepared to take on greater responsibility.
Generally, this would include one year or more of such specialized experience.
Specialized Experience For This Position Includes
- Conducting CI collection activities in cleared industry and produces and disseminates relevant reports meeting collection requirements;
- Providing subject matter expertise to planning efforts with internal and external CI partners to provide input for the development and refinement of the CI operations objectives, priorities, strategies, plans and programs;
- Coordinating with intelligence and CI defense partners to obtain relevant essential information; and
- Establishing and maintaining relationships, both internal and external; and
- Experience with the National Industrial Security Program and the DoD Personnel Security Program process sufficient to correlate counterintelligence issues emerging within cleared industry.
Processing and Exploitation Capabilities
Teamwork
Legal, Government, Jurisprudence
Collection Operations
Education
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
- Selectee is required to successfully complete the DoD CI Agent Course (DCAC) offered by the Joint CI Training Academy (JCITA) and be certified to carry CI Special Agent credentials within 18 months of onboarding in accordance with DoD 5240.02 and DoD 5240.06. This time period may be extended due to class availability. Failure to obtain DCAC certification may result in mandatory reassignment to a position that does not require credentials.
- Selectee will be required to sign a continued service agreement agreeing to stay with the agency for 12 months upon completion of the DCAC training.
VETERANS PREFERENCE/CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL
In accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, veterans preference is not required to be applied when considering candidates with prior Federal competitive or excepted service who have completed a probationary or trial period and have not been separated for cause. Therefore, veterans preference will not be applied to applicants with current federal service, or former federal civilian service meeting the above criteria.
Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf
Applicants selected from this announcement may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
If selected, Federal employees currently serving in the competitive service must acknowledge that they will voluntarily leave the competitive service by accepting an offer of employment for a DCIPS excepted service positions.
If selected, non-DCIPS candidates must acknowledge in writing that the position they have been selected for is in the excepted service and covered by DCIPS.
All Defense Intelligence positions under the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) are in the excepted service by specific statue, 10 U.S.C. 1601. This position is in the excepted service and does not confer competitive status.
For more information on the DCIPS occupational structure click here.
For more information about career advancement in DCIPS click here.
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.
