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How to hire an intelligence specialist

Intelligence specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring intelligence specialists in the United States:

  • There are a total of 7,355 intelligence specialists in the US, and there are currently 10,759 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire an intelligence specialist is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per intelligence specialist on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • McLean, VA, has the highest demand for intelligence specialists, with 14 job openings.

How to hire an intelligence specialist, step by step

To hire an intelligence specialist, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a intelligence specialist:

Here's a step-by-step intelligence specialist hiring guide:

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

What does an intelligence specialist do?

An intelligence specialist is responsible for collecting and validating information for different operational functions to ensure its authenticity and accuracy before dissemination to the public and officials. Intelligence specialists analyze intelligence information and provide strategic recommendations to improve data gathering processes and distribution. They also maintain the security of reports on the database, working with technology professionals to develop security solutions to prevent unauthorized access and detail leaks until further notice of publicizing the information.

Learn more about the specifics of what an intelligence specialist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The intelligence specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    An intelligence specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, intelligence specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents intelligence specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Intelligence SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Intelligence SpecialistPolice 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.$26-53
    Geospatial AnalystA geospatial analyst specializes in analyzing aerial imagery to develop geographic data that provides essential information about a ground or land's condition. They can find employment in different fields and industries such as agriculture, urban planning, mining, and even military intelligence... Show more$23-38
    Military AnalystMilitary analysts are military professionals who work in the government or the armed forces to gather military information and make suggestions for an efficient course of action based on their findings. These analysts are required to keep detailed records while communicating information to multiple parties at once... Show more$28-63
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • DOD
    • Security Clearance
    • TS/SCI
    • Intelligence Analysis
    • Law Enforcement
    • Intelligence Community
    • PowerPoint
    • SME
    • National Security
    • OSINT
    • Visualization
    • Situational Awareness
    • Intelligence Collection
    • SIGINT
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage RFI requirements, direct production of all-source intelligence products and provide quality control.
    • Coordinate and manage Cognos customers from a select group of high revenue contribution, establishing exceptional customer relationships.
    • Create multiple SSIS packages and T-SQL store procedures to extract customer level activity data from multiple online subscription sites.
    • Create corporate innovation metrics analytics, enhancing executive decision making.
    • Build relationships with internal DoD officers, federal and local law enforcement agencies, and intelligence organizations.
    • Experience on DCGIS, ARCMap, FalconView, CPOF, M3, QueryTree, and MFWS.
    More intelligence specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your intelligence specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An intelligence specialist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, intelligence specialists' average salary in indiana is 50% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level intelligence specialists earn 50% less than senior-level intelligence specialists.
    • Certifications. An intelligence specialist 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 an intelligence specialist's salary.

    Average intelligence specialist salary

    $78,453yearly

    $37.72 hourly rate

    Entry-level intelligence specialist salary
    $55,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average intelligence specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$115,183$55
    2Maryland$99,091$48
    3Washington$95,349$46
    4District of Columbia$93,905$45
    5Virginia$85,201$41
    6New York$79,280$38
    7Massachusetts$79,129$38
    8Pennsylvania$76,203$37
    9Texas$75,568$36
    10Kansas$75,244$36
    11Delaware$74,829$36
    12Ohio$74,536$36
    13Colorado$73,486$35
    14Illinois$71,982$35
    15Utah$71,743$34
    16Florida$66,563$32
    17Minnesota$60,646$29
    18Georgia$58,610$28
    19Indiana$51,031$25

    Average intelligence specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Apple$134,641$64.734
    2SAP$111,981$53.842
    3Intuitive Surgical$110,715$53.23
    4Beaumont Health$104,108$50.05
    5Sumo Logic$103,428$49.73
    6TIBCO Software$101,910$49.00
    7General Motors$101,900$48.992
    8City National Bank$100,309$48.237
    9Proofpoint$92,485$44.46
    10Udacity$91,796$44.13
    11McKinsey & Company Inc$90,780$43.643
    12Booz Allen Hamilton$90,679$43.6055
    13Banco Itaú$90,649$43.58
    14Amazon$89,348$42.9613
    15Citi$88,105$42.362
    16Bank of the West$87,643$42.14
    17SAIC$87,279$41.9623
    18BNP Paribas$87,236$41.94
    19JPS Health Network$86,354$41.52
    20RPA$85,190$40.96
  4. Writing an intelligence specialist job description

    A job description for an intelligence specialist 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 an intelligence specialist job description:

    Intelligence specialist job description example

    BS 12-15, MS 10-13. Phd 10+

    Will consider: HS 16+ Years, BA/BS 10+ Years, or MA/MS 8+ Years

    Experience performing threat analyses and developing threat models. Conducted research and analysis of intelligence and related data support of threat studies. Experience providing advice, guidance and direction to threat studies team. Possesses in-depth knowledge of advanced threat analysis technology in such areas as telecommunications, IT, and cyber warfare.

    • Work location: Ft Meade, MD
    • Work schedule: Normal duty/hours of M-F 0800-1700 with ability to surge support as required
    • Clearance: Active TS/SCI with the ability to obtain a CI Poly and able to meet NSA security standards (TS/SCI with CI Poly and MEAD). interim work location is Building 310 at Fort Meade
    • Travel: Not expected, however possible travel to multiple OCONUS locations. Equipment when traveling -- laptop, laptop case, card readers, etc. -- will be furnished by the government.

    Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can’t be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.

    An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disability/Veteran.

    Colorado Salary Minimum: $98,000
    Colorado Salary Maximum: $237,800

    The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position, and is just one component of Peraton's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Peraton provides a variety of benefits to employees.
  5. Post your job

    To find intelligence specialists 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 intelligence specialists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level intelligence specialists 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 intelligence specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit intelligence specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit intelligence specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

    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 intelligence specialist

    Once you've found the intelligence specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new intelligence specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire an intelligence specialist?

There are different types of costs for hiring intelligence specialists. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new intelligence specialist employee.

You can expect to pay around $78,453 per year for an intelligence specialist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for intelligence specialists in the US typically range between $26 and $53 an hour.

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