TDNA requirements: experience, education and clearance
GS Consulting welcomes TDNA candidates at Levels 1–4. Compare relevant experience and education using the reference paths below, then confirm the requirements for your specific billet with recruiting. Active TS/SCI with a current polygraph is required.
How to read the requirements
A Target Digital Network Analyst opening has its own duties, access conditions, and contract rules. Use the matrix below to identify a possible level to discuss, then compare your actual work to an approved requisition. A degree or a number of years by itself does not settle the question.
Level 1 paths come from GS’s TDNA career guide, reviewed October 3, 2026. Levels 2–4 come from its recruiting summary reviewed September 28, 2026. Recruiting must confirm that they still apply to any newly published opening. Level numbers are specific to the position and should not be treated as universal titles across employers.
Experience and education paths
The figures below are years of relevant experience paired with the education listed in that GS reference. They are not a general TDNA industry standard.
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| Education | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High school diploma / GED | 6 years | 9 years | 12 years | 15 years |
| Associate degree | 4 years | 7 years | 10 years | 13 years |
| Bachelor’s degree | 2 years | 5 years | 8 years | 11 years |
| Master’s degree | 2 years | 3 years | 6 years | 9 years |
| Doctorate | 2 years | 2 years | 4 years | 7 years |
Sources: GS Consulting’s TDNA career guide for Level 1 (reviewed October 3, 2026) and recruiting summaries for Levels 2–4 (reviewed September 28, 2026). Exact degree fields, substitutions, duties, and contract applicability must be confirmed for a current requisition.
For example, five documented years of relevant work plus a bachelor’s degree identifies a Level 2 reference path to discuss. It does not override a job’s exact duties, access prerequisites, or recruiter review.
Describe relevant experience, not only total time
Recruiting needs to understand what you did and when. Separate TDNA-related duties from unrelated assignments, even when both appear under the same job title. A useful unclassified summary names your responsibility, the period you performed it, and the kind of analytic work involved.
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| Area | What to explain |
|---|---|
| Target development | How you investigated a question, refined indicators, or maintained a target profile. |
| Collection research | How you compared available information, recognized gaps, and stated uncertainty. |
| Analytic continuity | How you preserved context across changes or handed useful findings to another analyst. |
| Collaboration | How you coordinated with technical or reporting colleagues without disclosing mission details. |
Military service can be relevant when the actual duties match the work. A military specialty, clearance, or total service length alone does not establish a TDNA level. Keep all examples unclassified; do not send mission names, identifiers, restricted tools, or intelligence products through a general inquiry.
Clearance and customer access
The supplied GS reference describes active TS/SCI with a current polygraph. An actual opening may require more specific customer acceptance or a particular polygraph type, and those details need confirmation from recruiting. This site does not promise sponsorship, a transfer of access, or a remote arrangement.
If you are uncertain about your status, use an approved recruiting channel to ask what general information is needed. Avoid placing sensitive case details in a public form or email.
A practical way to assess your fit
- Check current TDNA opportunities for an approved, open requisition.
- Compare the job’s actual duties, location, and access requirements with your experience.
- Map your education and dated relevant work to one possible reference path above.
- Prepare a short, unclassified summary of the work you performed and the questions you need the recruiter to resolve.
If the experience looks relevant but the level is uncertain, ask GS Consulting about your TDNA fit. That is an inquiry, not an application to a confirmed opening.
Common requirements questions
Does Level 1 mean no experience?
No. GS Consulting welcomes Level 1 candidates, but relevant experience is still required. GS career guidance lists 6 years with high school/GED, 4 with an associate degree, or 2 with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate. Explore the Level 1 opportunity and confirm your fit with recruiting.
Can education replace every year of experience?
The table shows specific paired paths in a dated GS summary. It does not establish a universal exchange rate, and a current requisition may add conditions.
Does an active clearance guarantee access?
No. Customer acceptance and the exact access prerequisites belong to the position. Recruiting can confirm what applies.
What if my duties span TDNA and adjacent roles?
Describe the work you actually did, with dates and general outcomes. Ask a recruiter which opening best matches that evidence rather than choosing solely by an acronym.
See which GS Consulting TDNA jobs are listed now, or ask recruiting to review your fit.