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Open Source Exploitation Officer

Open Source Exploitation Officers discover, collect, curate, and assess foreign-based publicly available information, providing open-source data and reporting to help answer intelligence questions.
  • Full time
  • Starting salary: $69,287 - $145,617
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Foreign language bonus eligible
Express Interest

Agency-wide Requirements

All applicants must be:

  • U.S. citizens (dual U.S. citizens also eligible)
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Willing to move to the Washington, DC area
  • Able to complete security and medical evaluations
  • Registered for the Selective Service

About the Job

As an Open Source Exploitation Officer (OSEO) for CIA, you will discover, collect, curate, and assess publicly available information, also known as Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), providing partners with data-driven deliverables to help answer intelligence questions. OSINT includes, but is not limited to: traditional mass media, social media, publicly available datasets, specialized publications, studies, conference proceedings, geospatial information, and more. As an OSEO, you will oversee the development and implementation of researching and collecting open source information, and provide partners with actionable OSINT based on data-driven methodologies for use in all-source analysis and operations. Using your knowledge of a geographic or subject area, the open source information environment, and language proficiency, you will tackle complex problems like understanding public messaging, event reporting, and influence and convey your findings to partners in written products and briefings.

Opportunities exist for travel, technical and specialized training, and broadening assignments in other CIA offices.

Who You’ll Work With

At the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), we recognize our Nation’s strength comes from the diversity of its people. People from a broad range of backgrounds and viewpoints work at CIA, and our diverse teams are the reason we can keep our country safe.

Read more about diversity and inclusion

What You’ll Get

Our benefits support every aspect of a working professional’s life, including health and wellness, time off, family, finances, and continuing education. Our programs include highly sought-after government health benefits, flexible schedules, sick leave, and childcare. In some cases, we also offer sign-on incentives and cover moving expenses if you relocate.

As a CIA employee, you’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself. Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security.

Learn more about working at CIA

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in one of the following fields or related studies:
    • Area Studies
    • International Affairs/Relations
    • International Business
    • Media Studies/Mass Communications
    • Political Science
    • National Security Studies
    • Geography/GIS
    • Foreign language/Linguistics
    • STEM degrees
    • Terrorism Studies
    • Journalism
    • Data Science or Data Analysis
  • At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale preferred
  • And/or at least 5 years’ professional experience working in the following areas:
    • Area Studies
    • International Affairs/Relations
    • International Business
    • Media Studies/Mass Communications
    • Political Science
    • National Security Studies
    • Geography/GIS
    • Foreign languate/Linguistics
    • STEM
    • Terrorism Studies
    • Journalism
    • Data Science or Data Analysis
  • Basic foreign language(s) proficiency
  • Strong critical thinking skills
  • Strong analytic and research skills
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills/polished presentation and writing skills
  • Willingness to work with a dynamically evolving digital environment as a member of a diverse, collaborative and often dispersed team
  • Willingness to research and collect publicly available, internet or social media, commercially acquired, and emerging information responsive to intelligence needs
  • Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience with the collection or analysis of open source data as applied to current geopolitical or technical issues
  • Experience with both quantitative and qualitative data analysis
  • Experience using methodologies or models to identify trends, patterns, relationships, and/or anomalies within large datasets
  • Graduate degree