This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
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 HR/TAC, HR/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
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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.
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EPAP positions are full-time positions unless otherwise specified. As with all EFM appointments, availability may be a factor.
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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.
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EPAP employees hired into DT and OBO positions are required to complete certain functional training within the first year of their appointment. DT training requires travel which must be paid for by post.
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Additional items that may be considered when determining successful candidacy include nepotism, conflicts of interest, advancing the work of the mission, etc.
- AEFM must either already be at post or arriving at post within six months of the date the EPAP position is scheduled to become available.
- For Regional HR positions in Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP), applicants may apply from anywhere within the region, provided they meet eligibility criteria. For Regional HR positions in the Bureau of African Affairs (AF), applicants posted to Nigeria may apply for the Abuja – FP-04/05 – Human Resources – Remote position. Applicants posted to South Africa may apply for the South Africa (Pretoria) – FP-04/05 – Human Resources – Remote position.
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 start and end dates of 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.
Additional information
Although the series and grade level above indicate a default FP-07 grade level and a Top Secret clearance level, the actual pay grades range and the clearance requirement may vary from one position to another.
To confirm the specific grade level and clearance requirement for each position, applicants need to check the advertised positions lists found either on the EPAP webpage or in this vacancy announcement. This information will be available after the applicants have answered the Eligibility and Vacancy questions.
Although the duty location indicates “MANY Vacancies in Department of State Posts - Overseas and Domestic, U.S.,” EPAP positions are only available at U.S. Missions abroad.
Applicants do not need to hold a security clearance at the time of their EPAP application, nor do they need to be a member of the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps (FSFRC) to apply. However, selected candidates must obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for their specific position before they are appointed. If the candidate cannot obtain the required clearance within nine months of acceptance of the position, the bureau may rescind the offer of employment.
AEFMs hired into EPAP positions in DT will be required to complete the FAST-DTO (YW885) course offered at NFATC within the first 12-months of Entrance on Duty (EOD). This is a 3-week in-person training course, and posts will be responsible for all travel related expenses including per-diem.
Administrative Promotions: Administrative promotion is available to EPAP employees whose positions were advertised with a grade range; therefore, these employees may receive an administrative promotion from FP-07 to FP-06 after 12 months of fully successful or better performance, from FP-06 to FP-05 after 12 months of fully successful or better performance, and from FP-05 to FP-04 after an additional 18 months of fully successful or better performance, as applicable, based on the advertised grade range for their current EPAP position. The performance appraisal must cover at least 12 months via a regular or interim performance appraisal (JF-57 EPR Employee Performance Report).
Grade conversion is not an entitlement or automatic. Upon determining that the employee demonstrates the ability to perform at a higher grade, the supervisor must submit a request for the new grade through a memo to Post HR. The memo will certify that the incumbent’s performance has been fully successful or better since the last formal review and that the employee has demonstrated the ability to perform at the next grade level. Post HR will follow up with the regional bureau’s EPAP coordinator via an SF-52 to request the promotion. EPAP applicants are reminded that they are responsible for seeking their supervisor’s review for administrative promotion. They should initiate this conversation at least one month prior to their anniversary date as promotions are not automatically granted or retroactively applied. More details on promotions can be found on GCLO's EPAP web page.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Individuals hired will accrue leave at a rate based on their length of service. They are also able to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program, and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). They also earn Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) after 52 weeks of service overseas.
For additional information on position grades, steps, and benefits, please visit the EPAP webpage and our benefits page.
Review our benefits
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
A federal resume serves as a basis for determining whether a candidate meets the minimum qualification standards for EPAP positions. Therefore, candidates who are applying for multiple EPAP positions should ensure that their resume completely address each position’s required EPAP qualification standards. Only one, two-page USAJOBS resume (created with the USAJOBS resume builder or uploaded) will be accepted, even if the candidate is applying for several EPAP positions.
When creating a federal resume, the candidate needs to focus on the following sections:
Work Experience MUST include the following:
(a) job titles, employer, grade and series, paid and non-paid work experience, position titles, start and end dates (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.
Education MUST include the following:
(a) school or program name, country, major, minor, degree/level attained; and,
(b) relevant coursework, licensures, and certifications deemed applicable. 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, 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 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.
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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 2-page federal resumes 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 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.