Summary

Organizational Psychologists work in a consulting environment, eliciting client needs then designing, conducting, and reporting applied research to meet those requirements.

Duties

Help

Organizational Psychologists for the CIA serve as internal consultants, working directly with stakeholders across the Agency to identify operational needs, design and conduct applied research, and deliver actionable findings. Work spans multiple organizational and personnel research domains, including determining effective approaches for collecting and analyzing operational data, assessing how organizational changes and climate factors affect workforce outcomes and mission effectiveness, evaluating whether employees have the resources and training necessary to perform effectively, identifying individual characteristics that predict success in specialized or non-traditional roles, developing and evaluating metrics to improve organizational efficiency, measuring stakeholder satisfaction, providing direct support to Agency operations, and evaluating whether programs and services achieve their intended outcomes.

Organizational Psychologists work within a rotation model and should expect to serve in multiple roles throughout their career, adapting to shifting expectations, responsibilities, work environments, and operational tempo as assignments change. The Agency seeks adaptable general practitioners capable of working across multiple content areas, applying varied methodological approaches, and engaging effectively with stakeholders who differ widely in technical background and organizational role. Opportunities for continued professional development are provided in both core psychological disciplines and adjacent technical areas as needed.

Positions are primarily located within the Washington Metropolitan Area, with the possibility of occasional travel required to support organizational priorities.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• You must be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume via MyLINK.
• You must be registered for the Selective Service, if applicable.
• You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age (dual-national US citizens are eligible).
• You must be willing to move to the Washington, DC area.
• You must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
• For further information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/how-we-hire/

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

• Strong demonstrated expertise in applied behavioral science research, research methodology, and statistics
• Demonstrated expertise in foundational Industrial-Organizational or Applied Psychology content domains (e.g., personnel selection and assessment, job performance measurement, motivation and work attitudes, organizational effectiveness, and psychological measurement theory)
• Demonstrated expertise in applied research methodology, including experimental design, survey design and item development, and application of advanced statistical methods (e.g., factor analysis, item response theory, structural equation modeling, multilevel modeling)
• Demonstrated proficiency in data visualization and reporting tools (e.g., R Shiny, Tableau, Power BI)/li>
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders who vary widely in organizational role, functional expertise, and technical background through written reports, verbal presentations, and interpersonal consultation
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in team-based environments
• Five years of post-ABD relevant work experience (e.g., working in the Intelligence Community, federal government, private sector consulting, or academic research with significant applied components)
• Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

• Experience consulting for and working with stakeholders who do not have an applied psychology background
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in multiple statistical programming languages or software packages (e.g., R, Python, STATA, SPSS, SAS)
• Demonstrated proficiency in advanced analytics approaches, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, or large language model applications (e.g., predictive modeling, natural language processing, automated text analysis, AI-assisted data workflows)
• Demonstrated expertise in psychometric test development and validation
• Demonstrated expertise in personnel assessment and selection research, including job performance measurement and evaluation

Education

Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Applied Psychology, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited, research-focused doctoral program

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.