Foreign Affairs Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. ACT-AVS-25-AUS200-93404 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $123,884.00 to $192,056.00 Grade J to J
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/5/2024 Close Date 12/19/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position serves as a Lead Foreign Affairs Specialist in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office (AUS). The incumbent supports the mission of the Office of UAS Integration focused on UAS-related international regulatory and policy activities, and the global leadership strategic initiative. Acts as team lead as well as principal policy and/or technical specialist. Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the minimal direction of a manager.

Duties

The incumbent of this position is a recognized subject matter expert in international aviation affairs-related functional activities and provides team leadership for highly complex and challenging initiatives under minimal direction of a manager. Shares responsibility for the performance of programs/projects that frequently affect more than one LOB/SO or the FAA. Applies experience and comprehensive knowledge of U.S. and foreign aviation policies and programs, as well as an understanding of new technologies and methodologies to solve complex problems and develop improved processes or systems.

Works in a team environment and must effectively collaborate, cooperate, and coordinate to meet program and project goals. Ensures open and effective communication, cooperation, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders. Leads project meetings involving a wide variety of stakeholders and prepares accurate and timely project status reports.

Leads and manages the team for all programmed activities within the assigned responsibilities to align with FAA objectives. Serves as the primary advisor to the manager/director to execute and validate all proposed foreign affairs activities. Applies experience to identify, interpret, and apply regulatory guidance and policy to assigned programs. Identifies and resolves challenging problems or issues that often cross organizational boundaries impacting the accomplishment of the organization's strategic objectives. Typical assignments include: providing guidance to less experienced professionals, defining and developing internal policies and procedures, and predicting potential issues and proposing preventive actions.

Resolves complex problems and issues, and establishes realistic schedules and milestones. Applies knowledge of FAA's policies and objectives to identify, define, and organize resources for large projects/programs/work activities. Acquires and allocates resources to accomplish activities within established schedules and budgetary requirements. Keeps the manager informed of team activities at all times.

Provides assistance to management through the coordination and preparation of programs to further the office's mission, focusing on the international aspects of UAS integration. This support includes, but is not limited to the following tasks: leads the coordination of a subset of UAS international work in technical/policy areas, research and reviews U.S. and foreign aviation policies and programs, attends meetings, prepares briefing materials, and supports the wider FAA team to work with key stakeholders both within the FAA and with foreign counterparts, and facilitates FAA involvement in projects, as well as official foreign delegation visits. The incumbent is the principal subject matter expert and assists in developing international standards and recommended practices across all aspects of UAS integration and global engagement.

Provides expert guidance on foreign affairs activities and coordinates within the FAA, other U.S. government agencies, and foreign organizations to implement an agenda, determining FAA participation and input. Evaluates the environment to decide what organization members and external stakeholders want to know, need to know, and how they prefer to receive information. Develops briefing materials for senior officials engaged in training and technical activities; collects and analyzes information about UAS-related policies, programs, and overall UAS ecosystems. Works on regional portfolios for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Western Hemisphere, Asia-Pacific as well as with organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), European Commission (E.C.), UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), or Latin America Civil Aviation Commission (LACAC).

Develops briefings to convey strategic vision and/or organizational policies to internal and external audiences.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • Please Attach Transcripts (See Required Documents)

Qualifications

To view the complete qualification standard, applicants should reference - U.S. Office of Personnel Management the Individual Occupational Requirements for Foreign Affairs Series:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/foreign-affairs-series-0130/

Basic Requirements:

  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 A 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.

To qualify for this position you must also demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-I, FG/GS-13 in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience includes: Experience developing, aligning and coordinating policy positions within an organization, especially with other International Offices, other US government agencies, and with foreign organizations to formulate and implement a policy.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their resume.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or priority grouping and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Please ensure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.

If the selecting official decides to interview any employee on the selection list for a vacancy, then all who remain under consideration for the position at that point in the process must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

A selection may be made from this announcement or ACT-AVS-25-AUS200-93412.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Preview Job Questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a highly diverse workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.

Leave Enhancement: FAA organizations may offer enhanced annual leave accrual to newly appointed or reappointed employees. In order to receive consideration for such a benefit, applicants' prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service must directly relate to the duties of the position to which appointed. Granting enhanced annual leave is at the sole discretion of the hiring organization, and granting such benefit is not an entitlement nor guaranteed to any newly hired employee.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

This is not a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Required Documents

Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). To qualify based on education, you must upload or email a copy of your high school or college transcripts or certificates at time of application to monique.heriegel@faa.gov. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to employment. Only supplemental documentation, e.g. transcripts or veteran's documentation will be accepted in combination with your on-line application. These documents must be uploaded or emailed to monique.heriegel@faa.gov or faxed to 1 (609) 485-8995 on or before the closing date of this announcement. All submitted documents should reference the announcement number.



This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 130 series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 130 series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 130 series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

All Veterans: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit either a DD Form 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member 4 Copy or equivalent), or a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10 point preference, you must also submit a completed SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference, and supporting documents outlined on the SF-15. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

If you are claiming 10 point preference but fail to submit the supporting documents outlined on the SF-15, you will be tentatively assessed as a 5 point preference eligible provided your DD Form 214 reflects that you have the service required to qualify for preference. Documents must be uploaded or faxed to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office listed in this announcement and all documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit documentation, you will be assessed as a non-veteran.

Veterans currently on active duty claiming veterans' preference: You will be granted tentative preference if you submit a document from the armed forces certifying that within 120 days you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions and your application shows that you have the required service. Prior to being appointed, you must provide to the Servicing Human Resource Management Office a DD Form 214 documenting discharge/release and showing that the service was honorable or general. If you are on terminal leave, you must provide documentation certifying authorized terminal leave.

If you want consideration for one or more of the Special Hiring Authorities, documentation that must be submitted at time of application can be found at Direct Hiring Authorities | Federal Aviation Administration (faa.gov).

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

You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE OR EDUCATION.

We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:

  • Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)

  • Duties (be specific in describing your duties)

  • Employer's name and address

  • Supervisor name and phone number

  • Start and end dates including month and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)

  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

  • Salary (optional)


Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible.

You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.

Agency contact information

Monique Heriegel
Phone
1 (609) 485-6754
Fax
1 (609) 485-8995
Email
monique.heriegel@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
ACT Regional HR Services Branch
Atlantic City International Airport, Bldg. 300
AHF-N710
Atlantic City, NJ 08405
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide.

Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request. Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.