There are many different career options for someone who wants to work in Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security oversees a wide array of agencies with numerous purposes. It is important to carefully consider the options that each agency offers and then choose the one that best matches your skills.

The Department of Homeland Security works with other agencies to help coordinate the intelligence and efforts in order to best protect the nation. Each agency has a separate hiring officer and different specific criteria for their active officers. It is important to carefully research each option and to follow the guidelines carefully. Often both education and experience are required for the jobs for agents and officers.

One option is to work as a Homeland Security Officer in the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard gives you the opportunity to begin working as an officer in a wide array of fields upon completion of a four-year degree. The focus on the Coast Guard is to stop drug dealers and people who pollute around the ocean. Additionally, they may perform rescue missions and help protect the borders of the country. Officers may also work in aviation, engineering, and intelligence fields.

Another option is to work as a Homeland Security Officer in Customs and Border Protection. A border patrol agent has a wide range of job duties which include monitoring the border, following up on leads, stopping theft and smuggling rings, and the possibility of doing intelligence work. This field has a variety of jobs available within it as well. The Customs and Border Patrol will require you to learn to speak Spanish.

Another option to work as a Homeland Security Officer is to work in Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is a very competitive area, and there are special application procedures to follow in order to become an agent. This agency provides protection to federal buildings and works to uphold the immigration and customs laws. The organization focuses on stopping terrorists and criminals.

Another opportunity to work as a Homeland Security Officer is in the Secret Service. The primary duty of the Secret Service is to protect the president and other leaders of the country. They also provide protection to former presidents and their children. There is a rigorous application process in order to become a Secret Service Agent. Secret Service Agents also investigate financial and computer crimes.

In addition to working as an active officer, there is the opportunity to work for the Homeland Security department in a number of support roles. One opportunity is working for the Office of Citizenship and Immigration to help people come to the country legally. This can include working in the forensics division. You can also work in the intelligence agencies, as well as for support groups such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Transportation Security department. There is also the opportunity to work directly for the department as an inspector or control person. The skills for these jobs vary, and some may not require a background in criminal defense.