Murphy entered the FBI as a special agent in 1987 and served in various field offices including Newark, Tampa, Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati. He also held numerous positions at FBI headquarters including assistant director of the Finance Division and associate deputy director.
In 1987, Joyce began his FBI career as a special agent in the Dallas Division, where he investigated violent crimes. He later worked in the Miami and Dallas Field Offices. In 2004 and 2005, Joyce earned the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service for his contributions on two separate counterterrorism matters.
In 2007, Joyce was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office. He was then named chief of the Counterterrorism Division's International Terrorism Operations Section in 2008. A year later, Joyce was appointed assistant director of the FBI's International Operations Division.
Since 2010, Joyce has been serving as executive assistant director of the National Security Branch. In this position, he has been responsible for the FBI's national security and intelligence operations.
"Sean Joyce has made tremendous contributions to the Bureau and met tough challenges head-on. I have every expectation that he will do the same as deputy director," said FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III.
