Professional Examiners Trained to APA Standards
140+ Professional Testing Locations Across the U.S. & Canada
Trusted by 10,000+ Clients, Attorneys & Organizations
LieDetectorTest.com Private & Confidential Polygraph Provider
ActiveFull-time access to classified informationGS-7 to GS-12

Polygraph Examiner

Washington, District of Columbia
$70,506 - $131,826per year
15
days left
CLOSING SOON
Closes September 30, 2026
Posted Oct 1, 2025 Closes Sep 30, 2026 Found Apr 5, 2026 at 4:25pm Via USAJobs Many openings
Washington, District of Columbia
Location
$70,506 - $131,826
Salary
Full-time
Job Type
access to classified information
Clearance
GS-7 to GS-12
Pay Grade
Central Intelligence Agency
Employer
Data completeness
88%

Position Details

Pay GradeThe lowest General Schedule (GS) pay grade for this position. GS grades range from 1-15, with higher numbers indicating more senior roles and higher pay
GS-7 to GS-12
Promotion PotentialThe highest GS grade you can be promoted to in this position without competing for a new job. For example, if hired at GS-12 with promotion potential to GS-14, you can advance to GS-14 through performance
GS-15
OpeningsThe number of positions the employer is looking to fill with this announcement
Many
Hiring PathWho is eligible to apply — e.g., open to the public, federal employees only, veterans, etc.
Fed Competitive, Fed Excepted, Public
RelocationWhether the employer will pay for your moving expenses if you need to relocate for this position
Offered
TravelThe expected amount of travel required for this position — from none to 76% or more of the time
Not required
Drug TestWhether you must pass a drug test as a condition of employment. Standard for all federal law enforcement and intelligence positions
Required
Financial DisclosureWhether you must file financial disclosure forms reporting your assets, income, and liabilities. Required for positions with certain decision-making authority
Required
Job CategoryThe federal occupational series or job category this position falls under
Security Administration (0080)
Work Schedule
5/4-9
Hiring Incentives
Available [1] Source [1]
"Upon successful completion of the federal Polygraph Examiner Program, you will receive Polygraph Premium Pay, a significant addition to your base salary"
Department
Office of Security [2] Source [2]
"seek new skills through other opportunities in the Office of Security"

Security & Clearance

Security Clearance
access to classified information [3] Source [3]
"determine eligibility for access to classified information"
Polygraph
required [4] Source [4]
"You must be a federally certified polygraph examiner or be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program"

Key ResponsibilitiesThe specific duties and tasks you will perform in this role

  • assess the credibility of individuals as part of the personnel security process [5] Source [5]
    "Polygraph Examiners assess the credibility of individuals as part of the personnel security process, determine eligibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
  • determine eligibility for access to classified information [6] Source [6]
    "...iduals as part of the personnel security process, determine eligibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
  • interpret physiological data [7] Source [7]
    "...ibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
  • assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission [8] Source [8]
    "...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."
  • conduct two polygraph sessions per day [8] Source [8]
    "...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."

Qualifications

RequiredThe minimum qualifications you must meet to be considered for this position
  • Must be a federally certified polygraph examiner or be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program [8] Source [8]
    "...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."
EducationThe education requirements for this position — minimum degree level and any preferred fields of study

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (applicants within one year of earning a four-year degree will be considered); there is no preferred major or program of study (degrees from foreign academic institutions are accepted, but you are responsible for obtaining and providing CIA with a credential evaluation from an accredited firm confirming that the foreign degree is the equivalent of a BA/BS and/or MA/MS degree conferred by a U.S. college or university). At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale is preferred

Required Training

CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program [9] Source [9]
"be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program which provides training and certification to meet this requirement"

Certifications

federally certified polygraph examiner [8] Source [8]
"...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."

Technical Skills & Tools

assess credibility interpret physiological data [7] Source [7]
"...ibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."

Compensation & BenefitsThe compensation and benefits package offered with this position

$70,506 - $131,826 per year
Polygraph Premium Pay, a significant addition to your base salary [8] Source [8]
"...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."
three-day weekend every other week [8] Source [8]
"...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."
Domestic and foreign travel opportunities may be available after a proven record of performance [8] Source [8]
"...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."

View full benefits information

How to ApplyStep-by-step instructions for submitting your application

Ready to Apply?

This post is for viewing purposes only. To get started, please visit https://www.cia.gov/careers/, where you can read more about this position and express your interest in up to four jobs. Upon expressing your interest, you will be taken to MyLINK, which allows you to submit your resume and job rankings and provide basic information about yourself.

Apply Now
Application deadline: September 30, 2026The deadline to submit your application. Applications received after this date will not be considered

What to Expect NextWhat happens after you submit your application — timeline, next steps, and what to prepare for

After you express interest for up to four positions on cia.gov/careers, a CIA recruiter may contact you for further discussion if your qualifications meet our needs. See the MyLINK FAQs on our website for more information.

Required DocumentsDocuments you must include with your application — resume, transcripts, certifications, etc.

For further information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/.

About Central Intelligence Agency

We are the Nation's first line of defense, and we have a mission for you. Join us as we leverage the power of information to keep our Nation safe by collecting foreign intelligence, producing objective all-source analysis, conducting covert action at the president's direction, and safeguarding secrets that protect the United States. Our workforce is our strength. CIA is a place that values people with different backgrounds and perspectives. The goal being to create a community that fosters a sense of belonging in a way that enriches officers and empowers them to advance CIA's mission. Read more about life at CIA here: https://www.cia.gov/careers/working-at-cia/

Visit Website

Work Conditions

Travel
Required [10] Source [10]
"Domestic and foreign travel opportunities may be available after a proven record of performance"
Schedule
alternate work schedule comprised of one week of 9-hour days and a second week with three 9- hour days, an 8-hour day, and Friday of that week off. This is known as a 5/4-9 schedule
Trial Period
four-year tour of duty [11] Source [11]
"Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty"
Weekly Hours
9-hour days and 8-hour day in alternating weeks hrs/week

Sources & Citations

All extracted details are sourced from the original job posting below. Click any citation number to highlight the source.

1"Upon successful completion of the federal Polygraph Examiner Program, you will receive Polygraph Premium Pay, a significant addition to your base salary"
2"seek new skills through other opportunities in the Office of Security"
3"determine eligibility for access to classified information"
4"You must be a federally certified polygraph examiner or be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program"
5"Polygraph Examiners assess the credibility of individuals as part of the personnel security process, determine eligibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
6"...iduals as part of the personnel security process, determine eligibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
7"...ibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data...."
8"...As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must..."
9"be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program which provides training and certification to meet this requirement"
10"Domestic and foreign travel opportunities may be available after a proven record of performance"
11"Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty"

Original Job Posting

This is the original employer listing. Key details are extracted and displayed in the sections above.

Polygraph Examiners assess the credibility of individuals as part of the personnel security process, determine eligibility for access to classified information, and interpret physiological data.

As a Polygraph Examiner for CIA, you will assess the credibility of individuals in support of CIA's mission. Your career at CIA as a Polygraph Examiner begins with a four-year tour of duty primarily located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. You must be a federally certified polygraph examiner or be willing and able to complete CIA's Polygraph Examiner Program which provides training and certification to meet this requirement. Upon successful completion of the federal Polygraph Examiner Program, you will receive Polygraph Premium Pay, a significant addition to your base salary. After your initial four-year tour, you may express interest for additional polygraph tours to hone your expertise or seek new skills through other opportunities in the Office of Security. Polygraph examiners typically conduct two polygraph sessions per day and must work an alternate work schedule comprised of one week of 9-hour days and a second week with three 9- hour days, an 8-hour day, and Friday of that week off. This is known as a 5/4-9 schedule and results in a three-day weekend every other week. This schedule can make for a fast paced, demanding, and, at times, unrelenting job, but the challenge is worth it. Domestic and foreign travel opportunities may be available after a proven record of performance.

Find More Polygraph Jobs

Browse all current polygraph positions across the United States.

Listed via USAJobs · View on job board
Need to book now? Our online booking system is open 24/7. Speak directly with our team about your test or booking.