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U.S. Department of State

Foreign Affairs Officer - Direct Hire Authority

Washington, DC

Summary

This position is in the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability; Office of Multilateral and Nuclear Affairs (ADS/MNA).

MNA leads efforts to develop and implement U.S. policy and participation in multilateral nuclear arms control and disarmament agreements, commitments, and multilateral bodies. These efforts advance U.S. security interests, embody U.S. leadership in UN and other multilateral structures, and preserve and strengthen the multilateral disarmament machinery.

Duties

  • Develops initiatives to advance multilateral nuclear arms control efforts.
  • Represents the U.S. government in international arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament meetings and conferences.
  • Advises on the development of Department and interagency policies and positions concerning multilateral arms control.
  • Leads the implementation of diplomatic engagement strategies to secure international support for policies and programs.
  • Administers contracts and grants with non-governmental organizations and national laboratories to achieve foreign policy objectives.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment
  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/
  • Obtain/maintain eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information
Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants must have the required experience or education as described below and meet any selective factors, when specified.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Have a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in international law, international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities;

OR Have a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university that included a combination of courses, with at least 24 semester hours in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities;

OR Have 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics / quantitative methods.

OR Have a combination of education and experience where your coursework was equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, (as shown above), PLUS appropriate relevant experience OR additional education.

OR Have completed at least 4 years of appropriate experience in one OR more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs. (NOTE: qualifying work experience may have been gained through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries.)

Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
  • Experience evaluating multilateral nuclear arms control issues to develop policy recommendations;
  • Experience advising on diplomatic engagement strategies to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives;
  • Experience analyzing project performance data to recommend operational changes.
Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements, if applicable.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

Additional information

· For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.

· If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.

· Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to similar positions in any Bureau/Office listed on this announcement for approximately 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

  • Benefits

    A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits.

    Review our benefits

    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is being filled through the Department of State's direct hire authority for Foreign Affairs positions. Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply. For this announcement, all applicants will be forwarded to the selecting official for further consideration, and you may be subject to assessments during the selection process (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, structured interview, etc.). If you are selected, we will review your resume and required documents to determine if you meet the qualifications for this position, specifically the education, specialized experience, and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary to perform the work of the position.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following KSAs and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
  • Ability to make policy recommendations related to multilateral nuclear arms control.
  • Knowledge of U.S. foreign affairs information sources, processes, and organizations.
  • Knowledge of current U.S. foreign policy objectives and programs.
  • Ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Skill in leading multilateral negotiations.
  • Skill in project management.
Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) candidates must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for selection priority. Candidates are considered well qualified if their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) exceed the minimum qualifications described in the announcement.

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Client-provided location(s): Washington, DC, USA
Job ID: USDep-HRSC/T/ADS-2024-0012
Employment Type: Full Time

Perks and Benefits

  • Health and Wellness

    • Health Insurance
    • Dental Insurance
    • Vision Insurance
    • Life Insurance
    • Long-Term Disability
  • Parental Benefits

    • Birth Parent or Maternity Leave
    • Non-Birth Parent or Paternity Leave
  • Vacation and Time Off

    • Paid Vacation
    • Paid Holidays
    • Personal/Sick Days
    • Leave of Absence
  • Financial and Retirement

    • 401(K) With Company Matching
    • Pension
    • Relocation Assistance
  • Professional Development

    • Access to Online Courses
    • Tuition Reimbursement
    • Mentor Program

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