Diplomatic Security: Foreign Service Security Technical Specialist (FS 2560) Job in Department of State Posts - Overseas and Domestic

The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Foreign Service Security Technical Specialist (STS) positions. Learn more about a career in the Foreign Service and about the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

There is more to joining the Foreign Service than just salary. Refer to the section for more information on total compensation.

Clarification from the agency

Must be a U.S. citizen. Candidates should read the entire announcement to ensure they meet all requirements. Candidates may reapply one year after their most recent DS Security Technical Specialist Tests (DSSTST) for the same position. Candidates may not apply if a State Department Suitability Review Panel denied suitability in the last two years for any position, (except if the denial was for a DS Special Agent (SA) candidate whose denial was based solely on the unique requirements for SAs).

Qualifications

Education

At the time of application, candidate must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. 

Candidates can substitute additional educational achievements for Specialized Experience. Please see Qualifications section for Specialized Experience requirements. Please note 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours is equivalent to one year.

For one year of Specialized Experience: One full academic year of education in any electronics or electro-mechanic specialty, or the equivalent amount of vocational, military, and/or formal job-related classroom training.

For two years of Specialized Experience: Completion of all requirements for an Associates' degree in any electronics or electro-mechanic specialty, or the equivalent of two full academic years of vocational, military, and/or formal job-related classroom training.

To substitute educational achievements for Specialized Experience, you must submit a copy of your official or unofficial university transcript(s) with your application. Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of program completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign Education

Foreign education acquired outside of any state of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S. must be evaluated by a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services (NACES or AICE) in order to be given credit towards qualification.

• The accredited interpretation must include the summary and the foreign education transcripts.
• Foreign education transcripts that have not been evaluated by a credential evaluation service will not be accepted and the candidacy will be terminated.

For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Foreign Education section, and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.

OPM: www.opm.gov
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov

Please refer to the Required Documents Section on how to submit the required educational documentation for this position.

Additional information

Benefits

Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, and paid leave. Overseas benefits include tax-free housing overseas, tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K-12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures. 

The salary range listed is extracted from the Foreign Service Overseas and Washington pay scales. The starting step is determined in part by highest education level achieved and specialized experience beyond minimum qualifications. Individuals already working in government positions may be appointed based on their highest previous rate as a federal employee. For information on salary, please visit https://careers.state.gov/benefits/benefits/.

Review our benefits

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

Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among Candidates possessing the best qualifications. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

The Department of State prohibits candidates from plagiarizing any portion of their employment application materials to include responses to questions in which candidates must provide a narrative response. Candidates must create their own responses originally and not copy or adapt them from other sources. The Department analyzes candidate submissions for plagiarism and will discontinue any individual’s candidacy if found to have violated this plagiarism policy.

While the Department of State encourages candidates to create their narratives with great care, including correct use of grammar and style, candidates are prohibited from using any artificial intelligence (AI) tool, to include but not limited to ChatGPT, to aid in their written responses. The Department will discontinue any individual’s candidacy if found to have violated this prohibition on use of AI tools in the application process.

REQUIRED TRAINING

Selected candidate will complete approximately ten months of specialized training and orientation. The selected candidate must complete the Technical Security Training Path (TSTP) in Springfield, VA. This specialized initial provides the candidate with the knowledge and skills to operate, install, maintain, and repair technical security systems at post. Failure to successfully complete any portion TSTP is grounds for separation. 

It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure the application is complete.

Candidates must answer all questions, include 10-years of work history, and complete the Personal Narrative Questions and Statement of Interest. Applications missing any responses will be terminated.

1. Personal Narrative Questions
   
   These questions provide an opportunity to describe examples/accomplishments from the candidate’s education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate their qualifications for becoming a STS. Examples may be from any part of the candidate’s professional/personal experience. Each response is limited to 300 words. Compose carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Information in cover letters, resumes, or CVs will not be accepted/reviewed.

• Substantive Knowledge: Using your knowledge of technical security programs as described in the Vacancy Announcement, give what you consider to be the best example of a job-related situation where you found a solution to a practical problem. Indicate the nature of the problem, who was affected by the problem and in what way, and the results or benefits of your solution. The best example highlights your knowledge of physical/technical security, IT, electronics, or equipment to solve a practical problem.
• Intellectual Skills: Describe a time when you had to analyze a situation (including gathering and analyzing information, critical thinking, and active learning) to make a technical decision. What process did you follow for making the decision and how did it demonstrate these skills?
• Interpersonal Skills: Provide an example that demonstrates you are good at working with others in difficult situations, such as understanding their perspectives, building relationships, and achieving agreement. What are your strongest interpersonal skills and how exactly did you demonstrate your skills in this situation?
• Communication Skills: Describe a time in which your communication skills were key to the success of a project, such as active listening, explaining clearly, checking for understanding, perhaps public speaking and writing, and other communication skills. 
• Managerial Skills: Describe a project you managed or helped to manage and how you sought to achieve the project’s goals. What techniques/tools did you use and how does this demonstrate your project management skills? Projects can include maintenance, repair, personnel assignments and/or logistics.
• Leadership Skills: Describe a project you managed or helped to manage and how you sought to achieve the project’s goals. What techniques/tools did you use and how does this demonstrate your project management skills? Projects can include maintenance, repair, personnel assignments and/or logistics.

2.Statement of Interest

This narrative should discuss:

• Motivation for joining the Foreign Service.
• Relevant work experience, including unique strengths not previously mentioned, special skills, current licenses, certifications, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position.
• Experience living/working in a multicultural environment, overseas, or in the United States.

3. Education Documents

Candidates with qualifying DSSTST scores must submit the following to demonstrate they possess the educational level required when requested. Candidates should add *@state.gov as a trusted sender. Neither the Department of State nor Pearson Vue are responsible for the failure of candidates’ internet service provider to deliver messages.

• Official/unofficial college/university transcripts (if applicable). Do not submit university diplomas in lieu of higher education transcripts.

Transcripts must comply with the following requirements:

• Must be sent in PDF format. Other formats will be rejected.
• Must be an attachment. Documents sent via link, secured message, or other non-attachment format will be rejected.
• Must include candidate’s name, school’s name, degree and date awarded/conferred (if applicable).
• Must have no missing pages.
• Must be legible.
• All foreign education transcripts must adhere to additional requirements. See the Education Requirements section.

4. Submit Veteran’s Preference documentation in PDF format for candidates aged 60 to 64 when requested.

If claiming Veteran’s Preference, a copy of the candidate’s DD-214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty" that must include the candidate’s Character of Service must be submitted with the application. If claiming a 10-point Veteran’s Preference, the candidate’s VA letter and SF-15 must be submitted in addition to the DD-214. A certification from the armed forces is required only if a veteran has not yet received the DD-214. It must confirm that the service member is expected to be discharged under honorable conditions within 120 days and include service dates, expected discharge date, character of service, and any applicable disability rating.

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