How to hire a counterintelligence analyst

How to hire a counterintelligence analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step counterintelligence analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a counterintelligence analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new counterintelligence analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a counterintelligence analyst, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect counterintelligence analyst also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents counterintelligence analyst salaries for various positions.

   Type of Counterintelligence Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Counterintelligence Analyst	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$21-50
   Analyst	Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes... Show more	$25-47
   Imagery Analyst	An imagery analyst is responsible for interpreting information by analyzing photographs and images to provide solutions for industrial and community issues. Imagery analysts must have excellent technical skills and the knowledge of computer navigation to utilize various software tools and applications to generate clear results and analysis... Show more	$20-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOD
   • National Security
   • Threat Assessments
   • DIA
   • Intelligence Operations
   • Intelligence Community
   • Law Enforcement
   • FIE
   • Intelligence Analysis
   • Chain Risk
   • Threat Analysis
   • Ci/Humint
   • Insider Threats
   • OSINT

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare and manage multiple self assessment checklists to evaluate overall effectiveness and ensure compliance with USAF directives.
   • Produce numerous detail and relevant all-source intelligence assessments in direct support of sensitive DoD Counterintelligence/HUMINT operations worldwide.
   • Recognize GCC and Afghanistan SME.
   • Research theater specific counterintelligence information utilizing M3, JWICS, and SIPRNET systems.
   • Synthesize multiple intelligence sources (HUMINT, COMINT, IMINT, SIGINT, OSINT) to produce finish intelligence.
   • Compile a monthly publication on significant events within the AOR for senior agency and community operations managers and Washington area policymakers.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your counterintelligence analyst job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A counterintelligence analyst salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, counterintelligence analysts' average salary in oklahoma is 46% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counterintelligence analysts earn 57% less than senior-level counterintelligence analysts.
   • Certifications. A counterintelligence analyst with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a counterintelligence analyst's salary.

   Average counterintelligence analyst salary

   $69,217yearly

   $33.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level counterintelligence analyst salary

   $45,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a counterintelligence analyst job description

   A job description for a counterintelligence analyst role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a counterintelligence analyst job description:

   Counterintelligence analyst job description example

   **Title:**
   
   Senior Counterintelligence Analyst
   
   KBR is seeking a Senior Counterintelligence Analyst to support a CI program located in Washington DC. Must have an active Top Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain a DOE "Q" clearance.
   
   **Responsibilities:**
   
   + Assess the foreign intelligence (FI), international terrorist, and technological collection threats directed against DOE personnel, resources, science and technology (S&T), facilities and programs.
   
   + Produce CI products to include national security studies, and policy recommendations for circulation within DOE, and for external dissemination throughout the USIC.
   
   + Capitalizes on existing liaison contacts within the USIC to further research and analytical objectives and goals of the Program.
   
   + Works with the Program Director to contribute to the integration of field and headquarters analysis.
   
   + Makes oral presentations, which convey ideas, facts, conclusions, estimates, and projections to a variety of DOE and USIC personnel.
   
   **Required Qualifications:**
   
   + Must have a minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience in counterintelligence (CI) analysis, as a primary case agent in counterintelligence case management at DOE, the FBI or DOD.
   
   + Extensive knowledge of CI tradecraft, analytic standards and integrity, methodology and tools is required.
   
   + A thorough understanding of adversary methodologies and collection interests is also required.
   
   + Special expertise, such as area or country specialization, foreign language fluency, and emerging science and technology research is desired.
   
   + Possess excellent oral and written communication skills and proven performance delivering high-quality products under sometimes seemingly enormous pressure to meet tight deadlines.
   
   + Must have earned a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or college relevant to geopolitical or national security studies.
   
   + Must demonstrate direct and current knowledge of the mission, structure, and key intelligence programs of the USIC, tactical analysis in support of predicating CI investigations, international political, economic, and military matters as they impact U.S. national security policy and issues, all aspects of the intelligence cycle, and must demonstrate core analytical competencies to include critical thinking skills and strong collaboration skills.
   
   **Desired Qualifications:**
   
   + A Master's Degree, Juris Doctor, or higher, and/or foreign language written and spoken proficiency (such as Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, or related languages) are highly desirable.
   
   **Required Clearance:**
   
   + TS Clearance (with SCI preferred)
   
   + Ability to obtain a DOE "Q" clearance
   
   In compliance with the U.S. federal government's vaccine mandate, only candidates who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a reasonable accommodation or approved medical exception will be considered for this position.
   
   KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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5. Post your job

   To find counterintelligence analysts for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any counterintelligence analysts they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level counterintelligence analysts with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your counterintelligence analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit counterintelligence analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with counterintelligence analyst candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new counterintelligence analyst

   Once you've selected the best counterintelligence analyst candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new counterintelligence analyst. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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