The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) do not provides investigative services and intelligence to the President of the United States and other high-ranking government officials. Most CIA agent jobs within the investigation area fall under the supervision of the Directorate of Intelligence (DI), one of four sections within the CIA. Becoming a CIA agent in Maine requires a great deal of perseverance, patience and skill.
CIA agents in Maine often work with other federal bureaus, such as the FBI, in the investigation and collection of intelligence. They may also liaison with state and local authorities such as the Maine State Police or the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Requirements for Joining the CIA National Clandestine Services in Maine
In Maine, the National Clandestine Service of the CIA has two positions available to individuals wishing to pursue a career as a Core Collector:
- The Professional Trainee Program
For candidates with no previous work experience, a Bachelor’s degree and who are in the 21-25 year age range.
- The Clandestine Service Trainee Program
For candidates with work or military experience, a Bachelor’s degree and who are between 26-35 years old, with the maximum age for consideration being 35.
Educational Achievement Standards
- A GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Applicants should have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, with preference given to the following majors: biological engineering, economics, finance chemical engineering, international business, international relations, nuclear science or physical science.
Occupational Related Skills
Candidates for Core Collector positions in Maine should have certain occupational related skills, including:
- Ability to maintain overseas interactions
- Superior interpersonal and communications skills
- Capability to think quickly and make decisive actions in high-pressure situations
- Ability to work independently or as part of an investigative team
Foreign Expertise and Experience
Successful Core Collector applicants will have a substantial knowledge of foreign countries, residency or extensive travel to foreign countries and proficiency in a second language, including:
- Arabic
- Chinese
- Dari
- Indonesian
- Korean
- Kurdish
- Pashto
- Persian
- Russian
- Somali
- Turkish
- Urdu
Conditional Requirements for Core Collector Careers
As part of the hiring process for a Core Collector career in Maine, candidates must:
- Complete comprehensive medical and psychological exams
- Undergo a background check
- Participate in a polygraph interview
- Have no evidence of illegal drug use for 12 months
- Answer questions in two personal interviews
Minimum Requirements for CIA Agent Jobs in Maine
CIA jobs in Maine are highly competitive. For entry-level CIA agent jobs in Maine, certain requirements must be met.
General Requirements
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen
- Applicant must be at least 18 years old
- Applicant must not have used illegal drugs within the past year
- Applicant must be willing to keep CIA agent job a secret from family and friends
- Applicant should not have intellectual property/copyright violations on record
- Applicant must pass a background investigation and polygraph test
- Applicant must pass mental and physical exams
Education and Experience Requirements
Education and experience is required in order to be considered for an entry-level CIA agent job in Maine. Applicants must possess:
- Bachelor degree from an accredited institution
- While this degree may be in any field, the most helpful fields to CIA agents in Maine include criminal justice, political science, psychology, sociology, and criminal investigation
- Three years of experience in criminal investigations and complex matters within them
- Knowledge of administrative and criminal investigation procedures and techniques
- Ability to communicate well in writing and orally
- Ability to prioritize tasks
- Ability to interact with persons of various cultures
- Diplomacy and negotiation skills
Training Requirements
All applicants for CIA agent jobs in Maine will be evaluated based upon the qualifications above. Additionally, those who have already completed the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia will have an advantage over applicants who have not completed this training. If not completed, this will be the first step in a new Maine CIA agent’s training. This training lasts 56 days and includes classroom training and practical exercises. Students will get training in the following areas:
- Interviewing witnesses
- Working undercover
- Writing and executing warrants
- Testifying in a courtroom
- Performing other skills necessary to serve as a CIA agent in Maine
After the CITP is completed, new CIA agents in Maine must complete 18 months of intensive training, the Career Analyst Program (CAP). This training will combine classroom time with practical exercises in the basic skills necessary for CIA agents, such as counterintelligence, analysis, warning and analyzing deception. This takes place at the Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis in Reston, Virginia.
Once the CAP training is completed, ongoing trainings will take place throughout CIA University, a training program sponsored by the agency that started in 2002 in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Courses within CIA University include, but are not limited to:
- Analyzing media reports
- Analyzing wiretap transcripts
- Analyzing satellite images
- Foreign languages
Camden’s Connection to the CIA
Since 1983, an annual conference has taken place in Camden, Maine, started by a retired foreign service officer. The Camden Conference, as it has come to be known, occurs on the first weekend of February and draws speakers including senators, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada and other top-ranking foreign policy experts.
The conference was designed to be a mid-winter meeting for a town that experiences most of its tourism business in the summer. Many current and retired CIA agents have attended the conference, and many former CIA agents settle in the Camden/Rockport area after retirement.