Puzzles. Separated, the tiny pieces make no sense. But fit them together, and piece by piece they transform into a coherent picture. Keeping that visual in mind, that’s exactly what CIA analysts in the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) do every day. These men and women analyze fragmentary - and often contradictory - information from a variety of clandestine and open sources to produce reports that help inform US policymakers charged with protecting Americans and advancing US interests.

History

The DI was established in 1952 to help the President and other policymakers make informed decisions about our country’s national security. Check out some of the Key Events in DI History.

Who We Are

Our analysts are skilled subject-matter experts who study and evaluate information from multiple sources. They provide clear, concise, and most importantly, objective analysis to the President and other top senior officials. Our analysts are among the country’s best and the brightest, working on current and long-range national security issues.

Not everyone in the DI is an analyst. Multimedia producers, graphics designers, and cartographers craft products that convey our analytic judgments more effectively. From computer simulations to multi-dimensional maps, these specialists draw on their creative expertise to play an active and unique role in supporting the DI’s intelligence mission.

What We Do

An analyst’s challenge is to anticipate and assess rapidly changing international development -- as well as emerging trends -- and their implications for US policy. As officers of a non-policy agency, DI analysts do not offer policy recommendations.

Throughout their careers, analysts work a variety of assignments and have opportunities to work overseas. They continually add to their skill set and build expertise through formal and on-the-job training.

DI analysts are major contributors to the President’s Daily Brief (PDB), an Intelligence Community daily product managed by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) staff. Beyond the PDB, most DI finished intelligence appears in the CIA’s flagship daily publication, the World Intelligence Review (WIRe). Analysts also conduct longer-term research on emerging issues and strategic threats -- subjects captured in the DI’s annual research program. DI analysts are also frequent drafters or contributors to Intelligence Community products such as National Intelligence Estimates.

Learn more about the DI’s finished products.

Organization

The DI has 13 offices:

• The CIA Crime and Narcotics Center (CNC)

• The CIA Weapons, Intelligence, Nonproliferation, and Arms Control Center (WINPAC)

• The Counterintelligence Center Analysis Group (CIC)

• The Information Operations Center Analysis Group (IOC)

• The Office of Asian Pacific, Latin American, and African Analysis (APLAA)

• The Office of Collection Strategies and Analysis (CSAA)

• The Office of Corporate Resources (OCR)

• The Office of Iraq Analysis (OIA)

• The Office of Near Eastern and South Asian Analysis (NESA)

• The Office of Policy Support (OPS)

• The Office of Russian and European Analysis (OREA)

• The Office of Terrorism Analysis (OTA)

• The Office of Transnational Issues (OTI)

The DI also has a major training component, the Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis, which offers a wide range of courses for new and advanced analysts throughout their careers, and a Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program.

Learn more about each of these offices and programs.

Is the DI for you?

DI officers play an important role in protecting US national security interests in a fast-changing world.  They provide analytic products to a range of customers to inform their decisions on issues of national importance. Whether they are writing brief reports, conducting research for an in-depth study, examining networks that may pose a threat to US interests, or developing graphics or maps, DI officers know that they are helping to inform senior US policymakers on key national security issues.

The men and women who work in the DI come from all types of academic backgrounds. DI analysts are always up for an intellectual challenge and have an intense desire to learn more and ask questions.

Meet one of our analysts.

If you think the DI is right for you, see what positions are currently available.