Counterintelligence Officer

About the role

The Argonne Regional Field Office (ARFO) provides expertise and resources to combat foreign intelligence activities targeting laboratory personnel, facilities, research, and technologies. ARFO supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE‑IN) with a regional area of responsibility covering Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Ames National Laboratory. Counterintelligence Officers (CIOs) conduct DOE‑IN authorized investigations and operations to identify and mitigate national security threats — including foreign intelligence services, foreign government operations, international terrorist organizations, insider threats, and counterintelligence‑related cyber intrusions. CIOs also deliver defensive and proactive engagement such as host and travel briefings/debriefings, targeted threat briefings, reviews of external agreements and collaborations, and counterintelligence education and awareness programs. They prepare and present intelligence briefings to laboratory management, DOE‑IN, and U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) partners; develop and maintain liaison relationships with laboratory leadership, DOE Site Offices, USIC partners, and DOE‑IN program managers; coordinate investigative activities with Analysis and Cyber Program leads; support other CI Program initiatives as directed; and attend counterintelligence training to enhance CI educational levels within the laboratories. This posting specifically supports DOE‑IN’s Covering Officer Program, which provides tailored, enhanced CI support to high‑risk and prioritized programs. Covering Officer responsibilities include serving as the conduit between priority programs and the DOE CI Program, proactively engaging with program leadership and key personnel, identifying and maintaining threat and vulnerability awareness, providing correspondingly tailored CI support, and integrating CI support into the program mission.

Responsibilities

• Conduct DOE‑IN authorized counterintelligence investigations and operations to identify and mitigate national security threats.
• Provide defensive and proactive engagement: host/travel briefings and debriefings, targeted threat briefings, reviews of external agreements and collaborations, and CI education/awareness programs.
• Prepare and present intelligence briefings to laboratory management, DOE‑IN, and USIC partners.
• Develop and maintain liaison relationships with laboratory stakeholders, DOE Site Offices, USIC partners, and DOE‑IN program managers.
• Coordinate investigative activities with Analysis and Cyber Program leads to ensure appropriate threat reporting and dissemination.
• Support other CI Program initiatives under the direction of the Senior Counterintelligence Officer, Operations Program Manager, or Intelligence Program Manager.
• Attend counterintelligence training and apply it to enhance CI educational levels within the laboratories.
• Serve as a Covering Officer for high‑risk/prioritized programs: act as conduit between those programs and the DOE CI Program, proactively engage program leadership, maintain threat/vulnerability awareness, deliver tailored CI support, and integrate CI into the program mission.

Requirements

• PA4: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and 6+ years of experience, or a Master’s degree and 4+ years of experience, or equivalent.
• U.S. citizenship required (proof must be provided to comply with federal regulations and contract).
• Current TS/SCI clearance.
• Extensive national security experience, with preference for counterintelligence or counterterrorism investigative background.
• Extensive experience and training in conducting interviews.
• Extensive experience developing and resolving