Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Truly the alt-est of #altchemjobs

From See Arr Oh, who found it in the Wall Street Journal.

It'd actually be interesting to know what percentage of American chemical company employees were actually CIA officers over the years; I suspect the number is larger than zero. 
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16 comments:

  1. AnonymouseMarch 9, 2016 at 7:51 AM

    Not entirely an answer to your question, but the former director of the CIA, John Deutch, is indeed a chemist and Institute Professor at MIT.

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  2. Lisa BalbesMarch 9, 2016 at 8:16 AM

    How about this job - a Secret Service Chemist? https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/369205300

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    1. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 1:16 PM

      Wow, the requisition is already closed...

      Delete
    2. Lisa BalbesMarch 10, 2016 at 8:54 AM

      It was an old post - I had just saved the URL as an example in a talk. Looks way cool - I would love to talk to the person who got that job.

      Delete
  3. NMHMarch 9, 2016 at 8:45 AM

    I think I need to apply for this. I would thoroughly enjoy busting, and seeing hauled- off to prison, foreign nationals that were stealing secrets from my beloved american company. Spying would be awesome, especially on suspected foreign traitors. Finally, a way out of my low -paying academic gig!

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    Replies
    1. ChemjobberMarch 9, 2016 at 2:04 PM

      I think that's actually the FBI.

      Delete
    2. milkshakeMarch 9, 2016 at 2:43 PM

      Never mind, it is about dirty foreigners stealing our wealth. (And the hauling of suspected persons to prisons - a nice perk to have.) I think he should apply to border patrol too.

      Delete
  4. milkshakeMarch 9, 2016 at 1:54 PM

    Robert Baer has said this about the CIA: "gotta be smart to get in and wise to get out"

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  5. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 2:49 PM

    About 20 years ago, there was a chemical engineer who worked for my company, who said he had worked for the CIA. He didn't ever say anything about working there, though. If he was lying and just wanted to boast, he would probably have been talking non-stop about what he did for the Agency. Since he was quite mum, I think there's a good possibility that he really did work for them.
    After two years with the company, he just disappeared.

    When I was looking for work 9 years ago, the CIA was advertising for material scientists. I recall they wanted a person with experience working with silicones. The bizarre thing was in the ad (on CareerBuilder), it said that you shouldn't tell anyone that you had applied to the Agency.

    BTW, the CIA does not post jobs on USAJOBS.gov. They have their own career website, with its own job portal.

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  6. WavefunctionMarch 9, 2016 at 2:50 PM

    Anyone who wants to join the CIA would do well to read Tim Weiner's damning chronicle of the agency's history, activities, (few) successes and failures, "Legacy of Ashes".

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  7. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 3:33 PM

    How old is the CIA advert? The recent career fair for spooks had no job adverts for physical scientists.

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  8. Lyle LangleyMarch 9, 2016 at 3:40 PM

    From the website (and just like Fight Club):

    Important Notice: Friends, family, individuals, or organizations may be interested to learn that you are an applicant for or an employee of the CIA. Their interest, however, may not be benign or in your best interest. You cannot control whom they would tell. We therefore ask you to exercise discretion and good judgment in disclosing your interest in a position with the Agency. You will receive further guidance on this topic as you proceed through your CIA employment processing.

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  9. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 3:43 PM

    Hi Lyle, this is Anon 3:33. Do can you please comment on my observations?

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  10. Lyle LangleyMarch 9, 2016 at 3:45 PM

    I don't know what your observations are. Do you mean how old is the advert? No idea, just made a couple clicks on the internets and found the Important Notice that I shared here, more in response to Anon 2:49, but my response was added here.

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  11. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 7:00 PM

    The CIA advertise for these positions fairly regularly in The Economist. Up until a few years ago,they always stated a maximum age (32 or 34?), but they have seemed to dropped that requirement.

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    Replies
    1. milkshakeMarch 10, 2016 at 12:37 AM

      Also, they don't want necessarily to hire the best experts in the field, they like young ambitious bright people they can mold to the needs of the agency. People who can be cleared in a reasonable time (olde folks have more history and potential baggage). Also, working for CIA is a stable government job but fun it is not, the pay is just average and it forces you to lie to your friends and family about what to do. You also have to give away the right to publish anything without the agency approval, even after you leave the CIA job. The disillusion with the agency is frequent, and the job takes toll on the marriages.

      Delete

looks like Blogger doesn't work with anonymous comments from Chrome browsers at the moment - works in Microsoft Edge, or from Chrome with a Blogger account - sorry! CJ 3/21/20

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