CIA registered nurse jobs at the Central Intelligence Agency start at $103,478 a year on the GS 10 to 12 scale, for roles based in Washington, DC. Applications close January 31, 2027. This guide explains what the job actually involves, who qualifies, which experience fits, and how to apply through the CIA careers site.
Can Pakistanis apply? No. This role requires United States citizenship. Dual-national United States citizens are eligible, but Pakistani citizens without United States citizenship cannot apply.
CIA registered nurse jobs are for experienced nurses who enjoy a varied practice. The work spans travel medicine, OSHA programs, acute employee health care, case management, and emergency preparedness. You also need United States citizenship and a pass on a full background investigation, a polygraph, and medical and psychological exams.
- Role: Registered Nurse, Central Intelligence Agency
- Location: Washington, DC (on-site)
- Pay: $103,478 a year to start (GS 10 to 12)
- Closes: January 31, 2027
- Citizenship: United States citizenship required
- How to apply: through the CIA careers site, then MyLINK
By the ixjob.pk editorial team. Last verified November 2, 2026, against the official USAJOBS posting and the CIA careers pages.
This page summarizes the official posting. ixjob.pk is not affiliated with the CIA.
CIA registered nurse jobs at a glance
| Detail | What the posting says |
|---|---|
| Agency | Central Intelligence Agency |
| Start | Experienced level, five or more years of nursing experience |
| License | Registered as an RN in good standing in one or more states |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field |
| Security | Background investigation, polygraph, medical and psychological exams |
| Assignments | Washington, DC; clinical and non-clinical work as mission needs require |
| Job type | Permanent, full-time |
| Opened | September 1, 2026 |
Five terms to know.
- GS scale: the General Schedule, the federal pay scale. GS 10 to 12 is the grade range for this role.
- OSHA: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that sets workplace safety rules.
- ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support, the certification for responding to cardiac emergencies.
- MyLINK: the CIA online system for submitting a resume and ranking jobs.
- SF-86: the paperwork for the security clearance background check.
What a registered nurse actually does
A registered nurse at the CIA provides a range of services, starting with identifying and assessing occupational and non-occupational illness and injuries. You may administer a full range of immunizations and provide medical information to those traveling overseas. The work is varied, and no two days look the same. For example, a travel medicine question and an emergency call can land in the same morning.
Emergency care is a large part of the role. You may respond to medical emergencies and provide emergency medical assessments and interventions independently, plus inspect and maintain emergency supplies and equipment. You also support health education programs that comply with federal regulations and meet organizational needs, including OSHA mandated programs, spirometry testing, and hearing exams, plus individual counseling on disease prevention and health promotion.
Nurses also support clinical and non-clinical requirements as mission needs require. You must maintain required certifications along with knowledge, skills, and expertise through professional development activities, so the learning never stops.
The practice areas for CIA nurses
The posting names five experience areas: critical care, case management, emergency nursing, public health nursing, and occupational health nursing. You need five or more years of nursing experience in one or more of those areas. That bar is high on purpose, because the role asks for independent judgment in emergencies.
Certifications support the practice. The posting lists Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Trauma Nurse Core Course among the certifications. Skills in audiometry, spirometry, and ergonomic worksite evaluations also help, since the role runs OSHA programs and hearing exams.
What does a CIA registered nurse earn?
The USAJOBS posting lists CIA registered nurse jobs at GS 10 to 12, with pay starting at $103,478 a year. That figure is the starting point. Your exact step also depends on experience and education, so two new hires can start at different points inside the same range.
On benefits, the CIA careers page describes a federal package in general terms: competitive health care plans, retirement programs, generous time off, flexible schedules, fitness facilities, and chances to continue your education. The posting itself gives no figures for bonuses or allowances, so this guide gives none either.
Who can apply for CIA registered nurse jobs?
CIA CIA registered nurse jobs set a short list of hard conditions. Miss one, and the application stops there. Run through each item before you spend time on the rest.
- Be a United States citizen and at least 18 years old. Dual-national United States citizens are eligible.
- Be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume through MyLINK.
- Register for the Selective Service, if that applies to you.
Two more conditions completes the list.
- Be willing to move to the Washington, DC area.
- Pass a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
The posting lists no upper age limit. The only age rule is 18 or older.
Experience is the hard rule. You need five or more years of nursing experience in one or more of these areas: critical care, case management, emergency nursing, public health nursing, or occupational health nursing. You must also be registered as an RN in good standing in one or more states, and you need a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field.
Beyond the hard rules, the posting lists the qualities it screens for. Working knowledge of nursing principles, methods, ethics, techniques, and case management comes first, then basic knowledge of applicable federal regulations and laws. Skills in audiometry, spirometry, and ergonomic worksite evaluations help, as do certifications in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Trauma Nurse Core Course.
How CIA hiring works, step by step
According to the CIA’s How We Hire page, CIA CIA registered nurse jobs follow the same eight stages. The Agency itself warns that the process may be lengthy. No fixed timeline is published, so plan for a slow process and do not count on a quick answer.
- Submit your resume through MyLINK.
- Receive an invitation to apply for a specific position.
- Complete screening, testing, and interviews.
- Receive a Conditional Offer of Employment.
- Complete and submit the conditional offer paperwork, including the SF-86.
- Complete security and medical evaluations as part of the clearance process.
- Receive the official job offer and onboarding information.
- Onboard.
Two practical points follow from those steps. First, the application starts on the CIA careers site, where you express interest in up to four jobs and then move to MyLINK to submit your resume and rankings. Second, the polygraph interview and the medical exams come after the conditional offer, as part of the security and medical evaluations, so an early interview is not a job offer. Readers weighing other federal paths can also look at the CIA student internship program in Washington, DC], which is a separate route for students.
Who should apply and who should wait
Apply for CIA registered nurse jobs when the checklist above fits you cleanly. That means a nursing degree, an active RN license in good standing, at least five years of experience in a listed area, and a record that can survive a full background investigation. It also means you accept the polygraph, the medical exams, and the move to the DC area without hesitation. In particular, independent judgment matters, since emergency assessments often happen without a doctor at hand.
Wait when any hard condition misses. Non-citizens cannot apply, and neither can anyone who cannot pass the background investigation or the medical exams. Waiting also makes sense when your experience falls short of five years or your license is not in good standing. The process rewards patience, and forcing an application that fails a hard rule wastes months of your time.
One more group should think twice. If your main draw is the salary, compare it with the demands first. The pay is strong federal pay, but the job asks for independent emergency work, varied practice, and a long clearance process. A reader who wants the mission itself will find those trade-offs easier to accept than a reader who wants only the paycheck.
Mistakes that cost applicants the role
The most common error is applying with too little experience. The posting asks for five or more years in a listed area, so a new graduate does not meet the stated rule. A second error is an expired or lapsed license. The posting requires registration as an RN in good standing in one or more states, so the license must be current.
A third error, and a common one for CIA registered nurse jobs, is following the wrong apply button. The USAJOBS listing is for viewing only; apply through the CIA careers site. Use the official route, because a resume sent to the wrong place never reaches the hiring team.
The last error is impatience. The CIA says the process may be lengthy, and applicants who press for fast answers do themselves no favors. Prepare one strong application, submit it through the right channel, and let the process run.
Watch out for fake CIA job offers
Apply for CIA CIA registered nurse jobs only through the official CIA careers site and MyLINK. No recruiter can sell you a place in the hiring process.
The FTC’s job scams guide states that it is always free to apply for a federal job. Any message that asks for money, bank details, or gift cards in exchange for a CIA job is a scam. Check any unexpected job message against the official site before you reply.
Fake federal job offers are a known pattern. The United States Federal Trade Commission keeps a plain-language guide to spotting them. Read the FTC guide to job scams] before you answer any recruiter who contacts you first. If an offer asks you to pay, share banking details, or move fast, walk away and report it.
Frequently asked questions
What does a CIA registered nurse do?
A CIA registered nurse provides travel medicine, OSHA programs, acute employee health care, case management, and emergency preparedness. You assess illness and injuries, give immunizations, respond to medical emergencies, and run health education programs.
How much does a CIA registered nurse make?
A CIA registered nurse makes $103,478 a year to start on the GS 10 to 12 scale.
What experience do you need to become a CIA registered nurse?
You need five or more years of nursing experience in one or more of these areas: critical care, case management, emergency nursing, public health nursing, or occupational health nursing. You must also be registered as an RN in good standing in one or more states.
What certifications help for CIA registered nurse jobs?
The posting lists Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Trauma Nurse Core Course among the certifications. Skills in audiometry, spirometry, and ergonomic worksite evaluations also help.
How long does it take to get hired by the CIA?
The CIA says its hiring process may be lengthy and gives no fixed timeline. The steps are a resume through MyLINK, an invitation to apply, screening, testing, and interviews, a conditional offer, paperwork, security and medical evaluations, and then onboarding.
Can non-US citizens apply for CIA registered nurse jobs?
No. United States citizenship is required. Dual-national United States citizens are eligible, but non-citizens cannot apply for this role.
Sources
Pay, dates, duties, and requirements for CIA CIA registered nurse jobs above come from the official posting and the CIA careers pages linked here.
- USAJOBS Registered Nurse posting]: duties, requirements, education, and pay.
- CIA How We Hire]: minimum requirements and the eight hiring steps.
- CIA Careers]: the application route through MyLINK and the general benefits description.
- FTC Job Scams guide]: how to spot fake federal job offers.
The January 31, 2027 closing date comes from the supplied USAJOBS listing summary. The fetched posting text shows a September 1, 2026 publication date and no closing date, so confirm the date on the CIA careers site before you apply.
Related jobs: CIA student internship program in Washington, DC], job search websites], International Jobs].
