The general secretariat is headed by a Secretary-General, an undersecretary-rank official appointed by the Monarch with the advice of the Science Minister.

[1] The current Secretary-General is Rafael Rodrigo Montero, an astrophysicist who served as President of the CSIC from 2008 to 2012.

[2] The origins of the general secretariat dates back to the beginning of the second term of the premiership of José María Aznar in May 2000.

[4] In 2008 it was re-created the Ministry of Science and in 2009 the general secretariat was abolished and its powers divided into several new organs.

(6) Secretary-General for Research The General Secretariat is integrated by three main organs through which it exercises its powers and a technical assistance cabinet:[1]