Career Fields

Our acquisition workforce provides critical support in many fields, including program managers, contract officers, IT specialists, system engineers, research and development scientists, facilities engineers and business support specialists. As an acquisition professional, you are part of the larger Department of Defense workforce and must achieve certification standards through the Defense Acquisition University. Certifications in acquisitions are competitive for other acquisition work across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.

Our acquisition workforce provides critical support in many fields.

• Program managers
• Contract officers
• IT specialists
• System engineers
• R&D scientists
• Facilities engineers
• Business support specialists

You will collect, analyze and report intelligence that reveals the intentions of foreign governments and other entities on the front lines of the nation's defense. You will transform raw information into critical reports to understand intelligence issues within the United States and abroad. You will analyze complex situations under pressure, identify intelligence gaps, evaluate data from multiple sources, monitor trends and interpret events related to countries or issues.

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Data science and analysis
• History, government or political science
• Intelligence
• International affairs
• Library sciences
• National security studies

You will help the business of intelligence run smoothly. As part of our team, you will support an internal infrastructure as big as one of the top Fortune 500 companies. You formulate and execute budgets, develop and allocate workforce resources and help implement cost, finance and accounting policies. Start a career where you become a steward of taxpayer dollars, seeking the most significant return that money can provide—a superior intelligence service for the safety and security of our nation.

• Accounting
• Business administration
• Economics
• Finance
• Management

As an intelligence collector, you will apply your exceptional interpersonal skills, high-level training and professional talents to collect intelligence from anywhere in the world. You may use your proficiency in a foreign language, or learn a new language, as part of this career. Persuasion, negotiation, interviewing and problem-solving are vital skills needed while working in ambiguous and unstructured situations.

• Applied social sciences
• History, government or political science
• Intelligence
• International studies
• Library or information sciences

Communication professionals draft clear and compelling communication products and work with words and/or images, online and print publications, and know how to articulate ideas and craft communication products that tell a story. Whether your expertise is in visual communication, writing, editing or web development, you will use your skills to create internal and/or external communication products that successfully communicate the agency’s mission.

• Communications, public affairs or journalism
• History, government or political science
• Marketing
• Publishing
• Support services
• Theater arts or arts design
• Video production
• Visual communications

NGA needs computer science experts who can solve complex problems, test innovative approaches and research new solutions to store, manipulate and present the information to agency leaders. You should know how to apply the theoretical models of computer science to complex system architecture and system software organization challenges and seek to create new standards for the transformation of information by applying your computer science expertise.

• Computer engineering or science
• Data engineering
• Data science and analysis
• Electrical engineering
• Information assurance
• Information systems
• Information technology
• Networking and security
• Programming

As a cyber professional at NGA, you will work as part of a team on the frontlines to defend the nation against our cyber adversaries. We need cyber professionals with technical expertise and a driving desire to remain at the forefront of their field. You can help protect national security interests as part of the world's most advanced team of cyber professionals.

• Computer engineering
• Computer networking and security
• Computer science
• Information assurance
• Information systems
• Information technology
• Programming

Do you enjoy helping people learn using state-of-the-art methods to develop and administer training courses and curricula that address the developmental needs of all employees? Not only will you create or distribute education and training, but you will also constantly review course content to ensure that our programs are up-to-date and that we are creating a learning environment conducive to each learner's success. You will keep our workforce at the forefront of their chosen field with a fulfilling career in education and training.

• Applied social sciences
• Education, training or instructional design
• Human resources or human capital management
• Support services

The NGA is seeking engineering and physical science professionals to create the systems and tools that enhance intelligence operations. You will work on scientific projects that include planning, designing and constructing specialized equipment, identifying and eliminating hazardous conditions and ensuring compliance to engineering and scientific standards and principles. There are multiple areas of focus, including computer, electrical, mechanical and structural engineering. We offer a wide range of opportunities in the physical sciences, including chemistry, biology and physics.

• Computer engineering
• Computer science
• Engineering disciplines
• Mathematics
• Science fields

You might also be interested in positions in bathymetry, geodetic survey work, cartography and more.

If you have a passion for foreign languages, strong oral and written communication abilities and critical thinking skills, you may qualify for a career in foreign language analysis. You will work in research, translation, transcription, reporting and analysis. We need applicants who understand the nuance of foreign language, context, cultural overtones and regional dialects.

• Foreign languages
• Government, history or political science
• Linguistics
• Intelligence
• International studies

Consider applying for a job where your contribution will have a positive impact on a global scale.

General administrative support professionals provide support to all key aspects of our mission. You will work closely with strategic and tactical leaders, manage projects and serve in staff officer positions. Administrative support positions help develop, explain and implement policy, identify problems and provide direct administrative and technical support to senior leaders.

• Business management or administration
• Social sciences
• Support services

Consider putting your skills and education to work supporting the critical mission of the NGA.

Our employees operate in high-risk, high-stress and high-reward environments. Human resource professionals are involved in human resource management, including recruitment, job placement, employee benefits, compensation, job design, performance management and professional development. You will be a trusted strategic partner who supports a vital part of the Intelligence Community—our employees.

• Applied social sciences
• Business administration or management
• History, government or political science
• Human resources or human capital management
• Law or legal support
• Psychology or psychological services
• Support services

Play a vital role in the development of the world's most advanced intelligence workforce.

If you specialize in designing and maintaining facilities and infrastructure, the Intelligence Community offers a wealth of opportunities. The NGA offers a variety of roles, including designing physical facilities, preparing engineering calculations and drawings and analyzing HVAC, air distribution and piping systems.

• Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
• Engineering disciplines or physical sciences
• Environmental health or industrial hygiene
• Facilities management
• Prepress technical apprenticing
• Operations or logistics

Start—or continue—your career where the facilities are specialized to meet a critical mission.

As an inspection, investigation and compliance professional at the NGA, you support national security by examining facilities, equipment and procedures to ensure adherence to standards and making recommendations for improvement. Investigation professionals conduct detailed investigations, ranging from employment suitability to performing independent reviews of personnel-related incidents. Compliance professionals review numerous processes and procedures to ensure that all efforts adhere to the appropriate standards, rules and regulations.

• Criminology
• Criminal justice
• Law or legal support
• Physical security

The Intelligence Community operates in a highly complex arena governed by international and domestic laws, rules, regulations and standards. You will advise leadership and mission professionals on legal issues associated with intelligence operations. You will use your knowledge of the law and applicable standards to inform leadership and guide policymakers on the IC's legal issues today and in the future.

• Active U.S. bar membership (for attorney positions)
• Law or legal support experience or education
• Paralegal certification

At the NGA, you will design and analyze complex algorithms, work on interdisciplinary teams to help co-workers tackle complex mathematical problems and express complicated cryptographic concerns in mathematical terms. We need people well-versed in number theory, group theory, finite field theory, linear algebra, probability theory, mathematical statistics or combinatorics. Expand your experience and put your skills to work for the good of the nation.

• Data science and analysis
• Mathematics or applied mathematics
• Statistics

You might be interested in jobs in analytic methodology, data science or others at the NGA.

As a medical professional, you will perform a wide variety of functions, including medical evaluations, laboratory analyses or pharmaceutical care. Occupational health professionals ensure that conditions for employees are safe by evaluating work spaces to ensure conditions meet health and efficiency standards and amending issues that negatively impact an employee's health or ability to work. This includes helping provide counseling services to employees and family members in need of assistance.

• Educated or experienced in environmental health or industrial hygiene
• Educated or experienced in health care
• Educated or experienced in psychology or psychological services
• Licensed clinical psychologist
• Licensed pharmacist
• Licensed physician
• Licensed professional counselor
• Registered nurse

Student Internship assignments are entry-level professional jobs, which involve a great deal of independent and team-oriented work under the guidance of a supervisor and mentors.

If you perform successfully and meet the program requirements, we may invite you to continue in the program during your entire degree program, or we may offer you a permanent employment position upon graduation.

While the Intelligence Community works to protect the nation, our security and law enforcement officers work to protect the Intelligence Community. If you have a knack for uncovering hidden truths, you can work in personnel security, evaluating the character, background and history of employees and applicants. Or, you could apply your law enforcement skills to provide counterterrorism and force protection, critical incident management and vehicle, facility and material security inspections.

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training
• Criminology or criminal justice education or experience
• Department of Defense Polygraph Institute continuing education certificate
• Military service
• Physical security experience or education

Use your experience and education and apply for NGA positions in security and law enforcement today.

Imagine being able to identify anything on, above or beneath the Earth's surface using cutting-edge technology to provide real-time intelligence to U.S. warfighters or traveling to the site of a world crisis to offer geospatial products to humanitarian efforts. These are just some of the extraordinary everyday challenges of NGA, where talented, dedicated and driven professionals strive every day to meet the nation's national security and humanitarian needs.

You will use statistics, remote sensing, mapping, charting, surveying and geodetic data to identify the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features and boundaries on the Earth.

You will collect technical, geographic and intelligence information by interpreting or analyzing imagery and collateral materials.

You will collect and analyze satellite imagery to determine the likeness or presentation of natural or man-made features, related objects or activities and the simultaneously acquired position data.

• Aeronautical science
• Animation or art and graphic design
• Astronomy
• Cartography
• Computer science
• Geospatial information
• Data science
• Engineering
• Environmental or earth sciences
• Foreign area studies
• Geodetic science
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Mathematics or statistics
• Maritime transportation
• Military air traffic control
• Oceanography
• Operations Research
• Photogrammetry
• Physics
• Statistics
• Imagery intelligence