Foreign Affairs Specialist

Summary

These positions are located at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Department of Energy's Headquarters in Washington, DC, Office of International Nuclear Security (NA-211). The incumbent serves as a foreign affairs specialist in the Office of International Nuclear Security, advising on a wide-range of nuclear security topics and engaging with key stakeholders within the U.S. interagency and international community.

This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Individuals with disabilities
• Land & base management
  
  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
• Military spouses
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees with competitive status or other eligibility; Former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; VEOA, or 30% disability; Military Spouses; Individuals with Disabilities Schedule A; Peace Corps, Vista (AmeriCorps) eligibles; Those eligible under an OPM interchange agreement or other special appointing authority.

Duties

As a Foreign Affairs Specialist, you will:

• Represent NNSA in developing and maintaining relationships with foreign and domestic partners to formulate and implement nuclear security policy and agreements; actively participates in negotiations and collaborations with other U.S. agencies, foreign countries, and international organizations. Develop negotiating positions. Build consensus among key stakeholders. Maintains regular communications with partners, monitors progress of agreements and commitments and identifies areas for future cooperation.
• Plan, organize, and execute nuclear security activities and projects, including technical projects, involving a variety of stakeholders and implementers. Manage relationships with foreign and domestic partners, and multi-disciplinary laboratory teams. Apply critical thinking to identify and resolve issues. Evaluate work performed and manages quality and risk. Ensure project alignment with DOE/NNSA strategic goals and priorities. Coordinate with other DOE/NNSA, U.S. interagency or other stakeholders as applicable.
• Develop budget projections and track the commitment of project funds; maintain and update project management documents, including schedules and critical milestone tracking; apply knowledge of implementation and sustainability principles and best practices; and complies with contracting requirements.
• Communicate effectively to meet deadlines, unite teams, resolve disagreements, and flag project obstacles and successes. Communicate project/program missions, plans, and performance to DOE/NNSA senior management and other stakeholders as appropriate.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Subject to Random Drug Testing
• Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
• Favorable suitability determination required.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.
• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band NQ-02 or GS -12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience in leading or supporting the execution of nonproliferation or national security programs that require establishing and maintaining effective working relationships among multiple U.S. agencies, international organizations, and other countries to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation and terrorism through cooperative efforts with other countries.

Examples of Specialized Experience:

• Experience in the development, implementation, sustainability and oversight of U.S. Government nonproliferation or national security programs
• Experience in U.S. foreign policies, government-to-government agreements, regulations, guidelines, and sustainability challenges related to nonproliferation and/or nuclear or national security issues.
• Experience in international relations and foreign affairs, including relevant U.S. foreign policies and Government-to-Government agreements and other arrangements between the U.S. and international partners relevant to nonproliferation or national security mission.
• Experience in supporting and advising senior leaders in the execution of nonproliferation or national security programs.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This position has an educational component, please make sure to provide transcripts

1. Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling 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 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR

2. Combination of education and experience courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in 1 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

3. Experience - four 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.

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website, and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

• The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
• If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
• Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
• Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
• All males born after December 31,1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
• A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified applicant in accordance with Agency policy.

EEO Policy: Click HERE.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE.

Veterans Information: Click HERE.

Telework: Click HERE.

Selective Service Registration: Click HERE.

Information about the NNSA Demonstration project can be found by clicking HERE.

• 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 windowLearn 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.

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

Merit Promotion & VEOA Procedures: If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated to determine if you are a best qualified candidate. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. Due weight will also be given to federal employees, when applicable, for performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3). Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements and current employees must have at least a fully successful or equivalent performance rating to receive consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Communication, Diplomacy/Negotiation, Project and Program Management, and Technical Competence

Your application and resume shall demonstrate that you possess the following Competencies. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the Competencies identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application.

Non-competitive Procedures: If you are applying under a non-competitive or special hiring authority, you will still be required to answer the assessment questions. However, you will not be evaluated against the rating and ranking criteria. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you are minimally qualified for this job. Veterans' Preference will be applied when required by the hiring authority (e.g., VRA, Schedule A).

All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below.

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12505667

• 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 windowLearn 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.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.
  
  • Your resume shall list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer.
  • For all types of work experience, you shall indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
  • For paid work experience, you shall indicate your starting salary for each position and the highest salary you earned (if different).
  • Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
  • You may list all incentive awards on your resume.
  • Limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
  • For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
  
  If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.
  
  
  • Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
  • Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
  
  Submit one or more of the following to support your eligibility(s) to apply to this job announcement:
  
  SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" (current/former federal employees):
  
  To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility! Full position title; appointment type; occupational series; pay plan, grade, and step; tenure code; and service computation date (SCD).
  
  If your current position SF50 does not indicate you have competitive service status or does not reflect the pay plan and grade of the highest position you have held in the competitive service, in addition to your current SF50, you must provide your previous SF-50s that provide the proof of competitive status and highest grade held on a permanent basis.
  
  If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy: experience.">Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.
  
  Veterans: DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
  
  Individuals with Disabilities: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
  
  Certain Military Spouses: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorizing you to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
  
  Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: provide documentation which supports your eligibility.
  
  Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
  
  Performance Appraisals: Submit your two (2) most recent performance appraisals. Your performance appraisals and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other applicants. If the performance appraisals are not available, please provide a written statement of explanation and upload as a separate document.
  
  Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
  
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  
  Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
  
  The application process is as follows:
  
  
  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  
  
  You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
  
  To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
  
  If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
  
  If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Camille Britt
  
  Phone
  
  240 308-4613
  
  Email
  
  camille.britt@nnsa.doe.gov
  
  Address
  
  NNSA - Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
  
  24600 20th St SE
  
  Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5507
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
  
  You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
  
  You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.

• Your resume shall list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer.
• For all types of work experience, you shall indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
• For paid work experience, you shall indicate your starting salary for each position and the highest salary you earned (if different).
• Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
• You may list all incentive awards on your resume.
• Limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
• For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.

If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.

• Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
• Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.

Submit one or more of the following to support your eligibility(s) to apply to this job announcement:

SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" (current/former federal employees):

To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility! Full position title; appointment type; occupational series; pay plan, grade, and step; tenure code; and service computation date (SCD).

If your current position SF50 does not indicate you have competitive service status or does not reflect the pay plan and grade of the highest position you have held in the competitive service, in addition to your current SF50, you must provide your previous SF-50s that provide the proof of competitive status and highest grade held on a permanent basis.

If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy: experience.">Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.

Veterans: DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.

Individuals with Disabilities: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

Certain Military Spouses: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorizing you to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: provide documentation which supports your eligibility.

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.

Performance Appraisals: Submit your two (2) most recent performance appraisals. Your performance appraisals and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other applicants. If the performance appraisals are not available, please provide a written statement of explanation and upload as a separate document.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.


If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.

You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Camille Britt

Phone

240 308-4613

Email

camille.britt@nnsa.doe.gov

Address

NNSA - Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

24600 20th St SE

Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5507

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.

You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.

You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request