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Cartographer

Cartographers research, design, and produce thematic and reference maps that contribute to complex intelligence analysis for senior policymakers, including the President of the United States.
  • Full time
  • Starting salary: $62,733 - $183,500
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Foreign language bonus eligible
Express Interest

Agency-wide Requirements

All applicants must be:

  • U.S. citizens (dual U.S. citizens also eligible)
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Willing to move to the Washington, DC area
  • Able to complete security and medical evaluations
  • Registered for the Selective Service

About the Job

As a Cartographer, you will be responsible for researching, designing, and producing thematic and reference maps in support of CIA finished intelligence. Intelligence maps are designed for conveyance via mobile devices, web, and print. Cartographers work on regional accounts, such as: Africa, Eurasia, Western Hemisphere, Europe, Middle East, or South Asia-Oceania. Cartographers are encouraged to participate in internal training as well as external workshops, training, and conferences.

You will work as part of a cartographic or interdisciplinary team managing multiple mapping projects under minimal supervision. You will work with analytic colleagues to define project requirements and provide advice on processes and procedures for optimal visual presentation. You will be expected to develop and maintain sufficient regional expertise to provide substantive input into the final map product, including geographic features, Board on Geographic Names (BGN) rulings, key issues, and recent developments.

Who You’ll Work With

At the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), we recognize our Nation’s strength comes from the diversity of its people. People from a broad range of backgrounds and viewpoints work at CIA, and our diverse teams are the reason we can keep our country safe.

Read more about diversity and inclusion

What You’ll Get

Our benefits support every aspect of a working professional’s life, including health and wellness, time off, family, finances, and continuing education. Our programs include highly sought-after government health benefits, flexible schedules, sick leave, and childcare. In some cases, we also offer sign-on incentives and cover moving expenses if you relocate.

As a CIA employee, you’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing your work is part of something bigger than yourself. Our work is driven by one mission: to keep our Nation safe. Every day is an opportunity to enhance U.S. national security.

Learn more about working at CIA

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in one of the following:
    • Cartography
    • Geography
    • Geospatial Information Systems (GIS)
  • At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale is preferred, but exceptions are made for extenuating circumstances
  • Ability to collect, analyze, and integrate geographic and substantive data into an effectively designed cartographic product
  • Knowledge of cartographic design principles including color theory and symbology, map projections, thematic and statistical mapping, topographic and reference mapping, display hierarchies, typography, and data generation
  • Knowledge of GIS principles including data types; data layers; basic geographic, analytic, and statistical functions; geographic coordinate systems; and data formatting
  • Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

  • Proficient in the use of, or be rapidly gaining expertise with the software, hardware, and platforms necessary for cartographic, graphic, and web/mobile production, such as some of the following:
    • GIS
    • ESRI ArcGIS
    • Adobe software such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Acrobat
    • Avenza MAPublisher
    • Intergraph GeoMedia Pro
    • HTML
    • Programming languages
    • Microsoft Office
  • Experience with the Adobe suite of software and web and mobile conveyance