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(FEATURED!) INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH SPECIALIST
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Department of Justice

Overview

Open & Closing Dates
05/19/2026 to 06/01/2026

Salary
$76,463 - $118,204

Pay Scale & Grade
GS12, GS13 per year

Work Schedule
Full-Time

Promotion Potential
GS13

Appointment Type
Permanent

Location

City
Multiple Locations across the U.S.

State
VA

Duties

Summary
TOUGH WORK. VITAL MISSION. Challenge yourself! You have the power to help combat drug trafficking. Be a part of DEA! It's tough work, but a vital mission. Whatever your background or expertise, your work at DEA will be tremendously rewarding because it will have a daily impact on national security and the quality of life of all Americans.

These positions are located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Responsibilities
As a Intelligence Research Specialist, your typical work assignments may include: The incumbent is a newly hired Intelligence Research Specialist who assists Senior Intelligence Research Specialists and Special Agents by performing preliminary research, analysis, and evaluation of raw intelligence data for segments of large projects and studies.As an Intelligence Research Specialist, work assignments may include, but not limited to:

Receives and analyzes highly specialized, sensitive information from multiple sources.

Collects and evaluates information and provides recommendations and observations as to the vulnerable points within an organization.

Monitors projects, plans, organizes, and performs research and analysis of complex issues, and provides guidance/directions to lower-graded employees.

Plans, implements, and maintains databases to store and process technical information.

Collects, reviews, interprets, evaluates, and integrates large volumes of complex information from multiple sources pertaining to extensive, interrelated topic areas.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment
Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.

Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).

Incumbent is subject to random drug testing.

Selectee may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR 1-year OR 2-year trial period, as appropriate) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest

Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Polygraph may be required. 0132 Applicants who have previously completed and passed a polygraph examination with their current or former agency, may seek reciprocity with the DEA during the hiring process.

Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance. Each applicant will be reviewed individually to agency suitability policy. Upon completion of this review, the DEA will decide, if any additional clearance will be required.

This position requires that the incumbent must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.

Must sign a mobility agreement that confirms your understanding and agreement to accept relocation to any location depending on the needs of the DEA.

Newly hired Intelligence Research Specialists must successfully complete the 11 week Basic Intelligence Research Specialist (BIRS) Training Course at the DEA Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

Qualifications
An additional assessment questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions which provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education or if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants applying for the GS-12 and GS-13 must meet one of the following requirements:

GS-12: Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 Federal grade level performing the following duties: receiving and analyzing highly specialized, sensitive intelligence information from multiple sources; planning, organizing and performing research and analysis of complex issues; collecting and evaluating intelligence information and providing recommendations and observations as to the vulnerable points within an organization; analyzing intelligence reports and data to develop recommendations; and developing, applying and disseminating information regarding "targeted profile".

Security Clearance

Required
Top Secret

Required Application Materials

Resume

Application Instructions

For more information and to apply, please visit the USAJOBS link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/869662200

The DEA will stop collecting applications once they have received 2500 applicants.

This is not an NSEP exclusive job. Please direct all questions to the agency point-of-contact listed in the announcement.
Apply at the following website or click Apply below: <a href='http://usajobs.gov/job/869662200'>usajobs.gov/job/869662200

Additional Notes

NSEP cannot pre-approve positions for service credit, but positions with national security responsibilities with the Department of Justice, a Tier Two federal agency, may be considered for service credit. All requests for credit outside of Tier One are considered on a case-by-case basis.

NSEP award recipients who have not yet completed their service requirement in full have two special hiring authorities available to them: Schedule A (r) and NDAA’13. Awardees with these special hiring authorities can advertise their non‐competitive eligibility in both their resume and in the “Additional Information” section of job applications.

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