Watch Officer
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Posted: April 1, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location
McLean, Virginia
Salary
$102,415 - $158,322
per year
Type
Full-Time
More Other jobs →Closes
Base salary range: $147,649 - $221,900
Typical requirements: Executive-level leadership experience. Senior executive qualifications required.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job is about monitoring global terrorism threats around the clock in a high-pressure operations center, analyzing intelligence reports, and sharing critical updates with government partners to keep the nation safe.
It involves quick decision-making, teamwork, and clear communication during urgent situations.
A good fit would be someone with experience in intelligence or security who thrives in fast-paced, shift-based work and enjoys collaborating across agencies.
The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) leads the nation's effort to protect the United States from terrorism by integrating, analyzing and sharing information to drive whole-of-government action and achieve our national CT objectives.
Required Qualifications: Knowledge of intelligence analysis and production.
Ability to maintain and develop effective working relationships with counterparts and senior staff in the IC for the purpose of sharing information.
Ability to make assessments of time-sensitive issues, adjust priorities, and change focus quickly as demands change.
Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team or collaborative environment, coupled with established and effective interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work rotating shifts of 12.5 hours in a fast-paced demanding environment.
Good oral and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey complex information to all levels of management.
Interpersonal and organization skills, including ability to manage competing priorities under strict guidelines while maintaining superior customer service. Major Duties:
The NCTC Operations Center (NCTOC) serves as NCTC's point of entry for intelligence reporting and provides situational awareness on global terrorism issues and breaking real-world events.
It is the central hub for communications between the Center, the IC, and the broader CT community.
The Operations Officer, Senior Level is a member of team leadership who assists in all aspects of running NCTC's 24x7 situational awareness mission.
The team serves a number of customers, including the Intelligence Community, the broader counterterrorism community, the Director of NCTC, and the Director of National Intelligence.
Maintain 24/7 global situational awareness by independently researching and analyzing raw intelligence reporting and maintaining awareness of current intelligence issues.
Monitor, sort, prioritize, and analyze intelligence and operational message traffic in support of counterterrorism (CT) operations and terrorism crisis management.
Draft all-source Alerts, Advisories, and other sensitive CT situational awareness products while ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
Perform community outreach and collaboration activities by supporting internal and external information sharing, fostering collaborative relationships with interagency partners, and communicating timely and relevant threat information to the CT community.
Coordinate with other NCTOC officers to ensure situational awareness across the teams; support intelligence production, tradecraft development, and other NCTOC initiatives.
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