Summary
EPAP provides appointment eligible spouses with Professional Associate employment opportunities at post. Positions offered are full-time in Political, Economics, Management, Public Diplomacy, Facility Management, Financial Management, General Services, Human Resources, Diplomatic Technology, Office Management, and Medical areas. EPAP uses GTM/OTA position descriptions (see EPAP webpage for PDs). Specific description of duties may be requested from the HRO at posts.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
To be eligible to apply, EPAP applicants must meet the definition of an Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM) as defined in 3 FAM 7120. AEFMs employed at post on a Family Member Appointment (FMA) or a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) are NOT eligible to apply within the first 90 calendar days of their employment regardless of their qualifications or skills. (This restriction does not apply to AEFMs with a When Actually Employed (WAE) or intermittent work schedule.)
Duties
The Qualification Standards for EPAP positions may be found here: The EPAP Qualification Standards and position descriptions (PDs) were created in consultation with GTM/TAC, GTM/OTA, and other relevant Human Resource offices. For general PDs, please visit the EPAP webpage . For a detailed description of the duties and responsibilities, the applicant should contact the HRO at post.
EPAP incumbents, unless they are separately accredited, do not have the same status as U.S. Foreign Service employees. Rather, such family members have derivative privileges and immunities, i.e., deriving from the sponsoring employee’s status. Such status imposes a de facto limitation on what family members may do on the job and how they represent post.
As is required for all Family Member Appointments (FMA), EPAP incumbents and supervisors will agree upon specific Work Requirement Statements (WRS, Form JF-57 EPR, Section III), within the first 45 days of employment at post. The WRS will confirm the duties and responsibilities as defined in the EPAP PD.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- EPAP applicants must meet the definition of AEFM as described in 3 FAM 7120. Foreign Service Generalists and Specialists on Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and Civil Service employees with re-employment rights to their agency or bureau remain ineligible for the program.
- EPAP positions are full-time positions unless otherwise specified. As with all EFM appointments, availability may be a factor.
- AEFMs must be able to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance within nine months of acceptance of the position. Candidates must be able to maintain the required clearance level during their employment.
- EPAP employees hired into DT and OBO positions may be required to complete certain functional training within the first year of their appointment. DT training requires travel which must be paid for by post.
- Additional items that may be considered when determining successful candidacy include nepotism, conflicts of interest, advancing the work of the mission, etc.
Qualifications
Please refer to the EPAP Qualification Standards. Each EPAP area and its corresponding grade lists the minimum requirements, which are a combination of education and professional or specialized experience.
Prior EPAP experience in lieu of EPAP Qualification Standards: Applicants who have been successfully employed in an EPAP position for 12 months or longer and who can document fully satisfactory performance will be considered qualified for the same EPAP position at the same grade or at a higher grade depending on the length of service. Applicants must submit:
(a) Two Notifications of Personnel Action (SF-50s) documenting 12 or more months of experience in the same EPAP position; and,
(b) Employee Performance Report(s) (EPR/JF-57) documenting fully satisfactory or better performance for 12 or more months of service in the same EPAP position.
Please note, prior experience in lieu of EPAP qualification standards only applies to the same EPAP area. (Exceptions: prior EPAP Facility Management and Medical positions’ work experience will not serve in lieu of meeting the EPAP qualification standards.)
Past or current EPAP employees should be mindful that regardless of their current or past EPAP status, they need to document their eligibility and qualification (education transcript and resume showing experience) in addition to the two SF-50s and the EPR/JF-57. Doing so will ensure eligibility and qualification.
Education
See Qualification Standards, which are a combination of education and general professional or specialized experience per the selected EPAP area.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
EPAP applicants must submit an application package (see section “How to Apply” and “Checklist page for mandatory and optional Documents” for additional guidance).
The USAJOBS resume serves as a basis for determining whether a candidate meets or exceeds the minimum qualification standards for EPAP positions. Therefore, candidates who are applying for multiple EPAP positions should ensure that their USAJOBS resume completely addresses each position’s required EPAP qualification standards. Only one USAJOBS resume (which must be created with the USAJOBS resume builder) will be accepted, even if the candidate is applying for several EPAP positions. In this case, address each EPAP’s qualification requirement by creating different sections related to the chosen EPAP area(s) in the resume.
When creating a USAJOBS resume, the candidate needs to focus on the following sections:
Section “Add Work Experience” MUST include the following:
(a) paid and non-paid work experience, position titles, dates worked (include month and year), number of hours worked per week, and salary (optional);
(b) specific duties performed (i.e., fully describe the level and complexity of the work); and,
(c) name and contact information for current and/or previous supervisors.
Section “Add Education” MUST include the following:
(a) school or program name, country, major, minor, degree/level attained; and,
(b) relevant coursework, licensures, and certifications. If the EPAP applicant’s degree is not listed in the Qualification Standards and the applicant believes their degree is related to the EPAP field, this section is where the applicant may demonstrate that relevance. Your degree transcript will be carefully reviewed, at the post and Bureau levels, to determine if it relates to the EPAP area you are applying for. At least 60 percent of the course work should be related to the EPAP area.
The regional bureaus will review application packages after the vacancy announcement closes to confirm that applicants are eligible. Upon this confirmation, bureaus will forward applications to posts, DT, or MED, or OBO (as the case may apply) to confirm that applicants meet or exceed the EPAP qualification standards for each EPAP position for which they are applying. Only education and experience (general professional or specialized per the chosen EPAP area), as documented and included in the application package will be considered. Incomplete application packages will be ineligible and no additional documents will be accepted once the vacancy announcement is closed. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
The documents listed below must be uploaded to "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Upload and save all the documents as instructed under the tab “Other” from “Documents” tab of USAJOBS. Transfer your documents onto “Gateway to State” after you click “Apply.” You may modify your application before the vacancy closes, but note that if you upload new documents, you will override other applications. Applications submitted without the following documentation will be found ineligible:
1) Only resumes prepared with the USABJOBs Resume Builder will be accepted.
2) One of the following documents that lists the name of the sponsoring employee, sponsoring agency, post of assignment for which you are applying, and your name as dependent: (a) assignment notification (TMONE); or (b) travel orders (TMFOUR); or (c) approved Foreign Service Residency and Dependent Report (Form OF-126), which must be signed by an authorizing official from the agency’s headquarters and which confirms the post of duty/assignment. The sponsoring employee’s post of assignment must be the same location as the post at which you are applying. If one document does not provide all the requested information, a combination of the listed documents is acceptable. For positions at Priority Staffing Posts (PSPs), you must include the sponsoring employee’s assignment notification (TMONE), even though your name may not be listed. For questions, find your regional contact on the Expanded Professional Associates Program webpage. No late documents will be accepted.
3) Legible copies of U.S. high school Diploma/GED Certificate (if relevant) or college/university degree that include your name, the institution name, degrees (if any) and year awarded, and course work completed. If transcripts do not include degree(s) awarded, include a scan of the diploma/degree with your transcripts. Transcripts should include all education you believe is relevant to your application and/or demonstrates that you meet or exceed the EPAP qualification standards. This is especially important if undergraduate and graduate fields of study are different. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable provided they meet the above requirement.
Foreign education transcripts will not be accepted without an accompanying credential evaluation. In order to be credited, foreign education (i.e., education acquired outside of the U.S.) must be evaluated by a credential evaluation service, and the name, logo or seal of the credential evaluation service must be listed on the evaluation report. Applicants may request a credential evaluation report from one of the following credential evaluation services: (a) National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) www.naces.org association; or (b) Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) www.aice-eval.org association. Credential evaluation reports are not free, and applicants are responsible for paying for the report. Applicants should submit copies of their foreign credential evaluation reports with their application packages, as well as copies of their foreign degrees and the related transcripts. No late transcripts will be accepted.
4) Applicants for medical EPAP positions must include the requested certification as listed in the EPAP qualification standards (e.g., U.S. National MLS and MT certification; national certification and licensure in a U.S. state; U.S. RN license or equivalent).
5) Former or current EPAP employees seeking qualification based on EPAP experience must submit at least two Notification of Personnel Actions (SF-50s) to show that they have served in an EPAP position for 12 or more months AND Employee Performance Report(s) (EPR or JF-57) with a fully satisfactory or above performance rating for 12 or more months.
6) Employees wishing to request HPR (Higher Previous Rate) need to submit at least two SF-50s to show they served a minimum of 90 days in a federal position.
7) Former U.S. DOS Information Management Specialists applying for an Diplomatic Technology EPAP position must include a SF-50 verifying prior employment.
8) U.S. Veterans’ hiring preference is applied for candidates in the following order: (a) qualified AEFMs who are preference-eligible U.S. Veterans; (b) qualified AEFMs. EPAP applicants claiming U.S. Veterans’ hiring preference must submit one of the following with their application package: (a) most recent Member Copy Four of Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Form DD-214); (b) letter from U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs; or (c) other supporting documentation. Applicants claiming conditional eligibility for U.S. Veterans’ preference must submit proof of conditional eligibility. If documentation is not received by 11:59 p.m. ET on the vacancy closing date, the U.S. Veterans’ preference will not be considered.
How to Apply
Applicants must register on USAJOBS. Once the USAJOBS registration process is complete and the resume has been finalized, applicants will select the “Apply” button when the vacancy becomes live on the opening date. Applicants will then be transferred to the “Gateway to State” site and should follow the “Apply” instructions. Applicants will be invited to answer two sets of supplementary questions, the first set (“Eligibility”) is to confirm eligibility for federal positions and the second set - (“Vacancy Questions”) is to determine eligibility for EPAP. In Vacancy Question #16, applicants will select a regional bureau and then indicate for which EPAP position(s) they are applying. Applicants may only select positions at the post to which their sponsoring employee is or will be assigned. If there are no EPAP positions advertised at the sponsoring employee’s post of assignment, do not apply, unless it is for a regional position. EPAP applicants must be at post or arriving at post within the six months that precede the date the EPAP position is scheduled to become available (but no later than December 31, 2024).
Each bureau can only fill up to the number of vacant positions allocated within the centrally funded positions cap. However, more positions than the centrally funded number may be advertised to give maximum flexibility to applicants, bureaus, and posts in seeking good matches for the positions and meeting the mission’s needs. Applicants are reminded that discontinued availability of the position and/or funding for the position is possible.
If an applicant’s response to any question indicates that they are not eligible to apply for EPAP positions, their application will not move forward in the recruitment process.
For this vacancy announcement, the applicant must upload all required supporting documents (see Required Documents section) and transfer them to the Department of State’s “Gateway to State” site as indicated. It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify that required documents have been successfully attached to the “Gateway to State” site (see below section “To View the Status of an Application’) prior to the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
Applications received without the required documents will not move forward in the recruitment process. No late submissions will be accepted.
Please note that USAJOBS may temporarily be interrupted for maintenance and applicants will not be able to complete their application during such times. Maintenance is scheduled during the following dates and times: : September 27, 2024 from 12:00AM ET to 6:00AM ET, and October 12, 2024 from 12:00AM ET until updates are complete. Applicants are strongly encouraged to plan ahead, allowing at least three hours for completion, and submit their application in advance of the deadline in order to confirm that all of the required documents are attached.
The application is automatically saved as applicants proceed through it. Should the application process be interrupted, applicants may return to it until it is submitted.
Paper applications and information sent by mail or fax WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
For technical problems with the USAJOBS site, please contact the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) from Monday through Friday. Please do not contact GCLO for USAJOBS technical issues. GCLO is unable to assist with USAJOBS technical issues.
Application packages MUST be complete and MUST be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. No applications or documents will be accepted after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
To view the status of an application:
- Sign into your USAJOBS account.
- Go to your "Applications" tab located on USAJOBS home page.
- Scroll down the tab and find your list of "Application(s)."
- Under "Application Status", click on "Track this Application", the system will bring you to the "Gateway to State."
- You will be led to your application dashboard which summarizes your application.
- Under the "Vacancy Status" column, you will find the status of the vacancy announcement (e.g., “Accepting Applications” or “No Longer Accepting Applications” NOTE: Once the vacancy is closed, you will not be able to add any document(s) to your application.
- Under the "Application Status" column, you will find the status of your application (e.g., Incomplete - Did not Submit all Required Documents, or not Referred - Ineligible - Does Not Meet Minimum Qualifications or Referred - Application Referred for Additional Consideration, etc.). NOTE: Only EPAP applications that are submitted with a complete set of documents will be reviewed and referred for eligibility and qualification determination.
- Click the "Return to USAJOBS" radio button to return to USAJOBS.
Next steps
The regional bureaus will determine whether applicants have demonstrated that they meet the eligibility requirements. A list of eligible EPAP candidates will be forwarded to posts, DT, MED, or OBO as appropriate, and they will each determine the qualification for each eligible applicant. Posts will conduct any required pre-employment testing and will interview qualified applicants who pass the required testing, in the following hiring preference order:
(1) AEFM who is also a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran;
(2) AEFM.
The regional bureaus, in coordination with DT, MED, OBO, where appropriate, review the top candidate’s qualifications, confirm the grade and step at which the selected candidate qualifies and make all final hiring and salary decisions.
Posts, DT, MED, or OBO, as applicable, will notify candidates of the status of their EPAP application at the end of the recruitment process.
UPON SELECTION
Successful EPAP candidates will be hired using the Family Member Appointment (FMA) hiring mechanism. The regulations governing FMAs are contained in 3 FAM 8210. Information on the FMA is available on Family Member Employment FAQs. For additional information, see the After Selection section on EPAP webpage.
EXPECTATIONS OF SELECTED APPLICANTS
EPAP positions are full-time positions unless otherwise specified. As with all EFM appointments, availability may be a factor.
Selectees will be evaluated annually on the Employee Performance Report (EPR, Form JF-57).
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