Modern United States society puts a large emphasis on counterterrorism activities to improve national security and there are several jobs available in counterterrorism. Most of these career opportunities are federal positions.
Counterterrorism Analyst with the CIA
This specific job requires dedication to defeating terrorist organizations through identification of specific threats, disruption of the terrorist network, and warning the government of attacks. This job demands the individual to analyze tons of information in order to understand extremely complex issues. The analyst will need to deduce and explain different terrorist group’s motivations, plans, capabilities, and level of leadership in order to inform United States policymakers and military personnel. Benefits of this career include language and analytic training, foreign travel, and the opportunity for various assignments within the agency. Applicants generally have a GPA over 3.0, relevant experience, and strong writing and reading skills, according to the CIA.
FBI’s Counterterrorism Division
Since September 11, 2001, the FBI has ranked counterterrorism as its number one priority. The agency established an entire counterterrorism division to assist with national security issues. The division includes multiple branches with careers in each branch. The operations branch mainly handles major counterterrorism missions including domestic and international terrorism. The analytic branch supplies intelligence to tactical personnel. The operational support branch performs administrative duties in order to coordinate the various counterterrorism operations. Joint terrorism task forces join together experts from different fields to create super units. The terrorism fly teams are elite units that respond to terrorist activity as they develop. The terrorist explosive device analytical center and weapons of mass destruction directorate both study their respective weapons, global locations of weaponry, and the selling of technology and knowledge. The final branch, genocide and war crimes, devotes it’s time to preventing the creation of people with a terrorist mindset by investigating and analyzing evidence which would lead to the arrest of war criminals, according to FBI Agent.
An FBI career as a Special Agent within the Counterterrorism Division will propel any agent’s career forward. The special agent status requires 24/7 availability in addition to a 50 hour work week. The job involves monitoring terrorist activity, developing and executing plans, maintaining an awareness of situations and weapon locations, destroying terrorist’s financial networks, and identifying U.S. vulnerability.
National Counterterrorism Center
Opportunities are available in production and analysis, Watchlisting, watch officer, information and technology, and program resources. Production and analysis intelligence officers utilize the tools and intelligence available in order to create and present in-depth political analyses for policymakers. Watchlisting involves tracking, identifying, and entering suspected terrorists into the system and a focus on the data collection process. A Watch Officer provides global terrorism awareness by reporting and constantly staying aware of current threats. The information and technology department offers the ability for one to provide both leadership and guidance on information technology projects. A career in program resources has the responsibility of monitoring, evaluating, and coordinating all of the various agencies counterterrorism resources. This job also requires the agent to advise policy officials. One must already be a current federal employee in order to apply, according to the National Counterterrorism Center.
Related Resource: Piloting a Drone
With counterterrorism being the FBI and the United States number one priority for national security and safety it should come as no surprise the amount of fantastic federal jobs available in counterterrorism.
