This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
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 date of application submission 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).
Duties
The following are typical duties, performed at various grade levels, during a career as a Construction Engineer (CE).
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Although specific assignments vary, most overseas assignments include the following major responsibility areas and example tasks:
Project Direction and Coordination
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Monitors and reports on the contractor's quality control program, including inspections, procurement, and trade qualifications.
Commissioning and Close-Out
Although specific assignments vary, most domestic assignments include the following major responsibility areas and example tasks:
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Be a U.S. citizen and accept assignments based on the needs of the FS.*
- Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
- Be able to meet the minimum medical qualification standard.
- Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
- Be at least 20 years old to apply; at least 21 years old to be appointed.
- Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***
The Department of State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), Office of Construction Management, manages a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of overseas construction projects. Construction Engineers (CE) serve as key members of U.S. government teams, ensuring that construction is executed in accordance with all applicable plans, specifications, schedules, and standards. CEs must demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, dependability, attention to detail, teamwork, and cooperation. The position requires flexibility, including frequent travel, overseas assignments, and, when necessary, extended periods away from family.
In addition to Education requirements, at the time of application, candidates must possess a minimum of:
- Three years of Specialized Experience for consideration at FP-04 level;
- Five years of Specialized Experience for consideration at FP-03 level
Qualifications
Specialized experience demonstrates that the candidate has acquired, and is able to apply, a combination of specific knowledge, skills, and abilities appropriate to a Foreign Service Construction Engineer position. Specialized experience must show that candidates have an in-depth knowledge of their field and can perform engineering or architectural duties related to construction at Department of State projects in varying locations and conditions. Candidates must demonstrate that their job-related experience has been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility through such indicators as promotions, raises, increases in duties and responsibilities, and organizational and employee impact.
At the time of application, candidates must possess at least three years of specialized experience in the last 10 years, working in the field on major vertical construction projects, to be considered for this position.
Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to:
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Reviewing, interpreting, and verifying construction drawings, architectural plans, engineering documents, and specifications to ensure compliance; identifying errors, ambiguities, or omissions; and providing corrective recommendations.
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Inspecting construction techniques, procedures, standards, and materials to confirm construction is performed in accordance with approved plans and specifications.
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Managing financial elements of construction projects, such as monitoring project costs, reviewing and certifying contractor progress payment requests, forecasting total construction expenses, and managing project budgets.
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Demonstrating leadership, team building, and consensus-building skills with colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates.
Specialized experience must have been obtained through assignments to field sites on vertical construction projects. Vertical construction projects include, but are not limited to:
Substituting Education for Specialized Experience
Candidates who have a Master of Architecture or Master of Engineering degree in one of the disciplines listed under Education Requirements, from a program meeting the accreditation requirements, in addition to possessing a qualifying Bachelor of Science degree in the majors listed under Education Requirements, qualify to substitute the Master's degree for one year of Specialized Experience toward satisfying the minimum requirement. Transcripts for both the Bachelor's and Master's degrees must be submitted with the application.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The Department conducted extensive job analysis research to determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other attributes conducive to successful performance in this position. The Department will consider a candidate's education level, work experience, and other qualifications as part of the hiring decision-making process based on these KSA criteria.
Essential Physical Requirements
Some of the essential functions of the job have a physically demanding component. In the execution of the duties and tasks listed above, Construction Engineers must have the ability to:
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Work in confined areas such as crawl spaces, attics, utility pits, tunnels, utility access holes, and other confined spaces.
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Work from heights such as rooftops, ledges, and scaffolding, including climbing extension ladders and scaffolding.
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See objects that are near, far, in color, or at night, possibly including depth perception.
Education
At the time of application, candidates must possess one of the following:
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.
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 in one of the acceptable engineering disciplines listed above and must be evaluated by a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services (NACES or AICE) to be given credit towards qualification.
The accredited interpretation must include the summary and the foreign education transcripts.
The Department of State will not accept foreign education transcripts that have not been evaluated by a credential evaluation service and will terminate the candidacy.
Candidates with a degree in engineering from a foreign institution must also hold a current engineering license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Candidates must submit a copy of their current license to demonstrate this requirement for their candidacy to be considered. The Department of State does not accept expired licenses.
A foreign architectural degree must have been evaluated by the National Architectural Accrediting Board's Education Evaluation Services for Architects and found to be legitimate and comparable to that expected of a candidate with U.S. credentials. Candidates must provide a copy of the letter issued by NAAB that indicates the education standards have been met. This documentation must be included in the application for the Department to consider the candidacy.
Candidates with a degree in architecture from a foreign institution must also hold a current professional architecture or engineering license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Candidates must submit a copy of their current license to demonstrate this requirement for their candidacy to be considered. The Department of State does not accept expired licenses.
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.
Please refer to the Required Documents section on how to submit the required educational documentation for this position.
Additional information
*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.
U.S. law requires companies to employ only individuals who may legally work in the U.S. – either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.
**The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information, please visit: https://fam.state.gov/
No candidate will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under §607, §608, §610, or §612 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no candidate will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.
A Foreign Service Specialist separated pursuant to §§306, 607, 608, 610, or 612 may not reapply to be in the same skill code but may apply for another skill code or to be a Foreign Service Generalist. A Foreign Service Generalist separated pursuant to §§306, 607, 608, 610, or 612 may not reapply as a Generalist but may apply to a Foreign Service Specialist vacancy.
Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 U.S. Code §3303, as amended, from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 U.S. Code §3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.
It is the policy of the federal government to treat all employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination and retaliation, in accordance with the standards set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to qualified candidates with disabilities. Procedures vary by test type, and all candidates must request reasonable accommodations in advance. For information on requesting reasonable accommodations, please visit: https://careers.state.gov/requesting-reasonable-accommodations/ Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.
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.
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.
Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, and paid leave. Overseas benefits include tax-free housing and a tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K–12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures.
Foreign Service Construction Engineers are hired at the FP-04 or FP-03 grade based on education and experience. The salary range listed is extracted from the Foreign Service Overseas and Washington pay scales. The Department determines the starting step in part by the 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 view our Foreign Service Entry Salaries.
Review our benefits
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The Department of State evaluates candidates on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. The Department of State will select only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications for this position. Part-time work experience will be prorated.
The Department of State prohibits candidates from plagiarizing any portion of their employment application materials, including 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, including 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.
The Department of State reserves the right to cancel and/or disqualify any application or to withhold test results when, in its judgment, a testing irregularity occurs. Testing irregularities include, but are not limited to, candidate misconduct, plagiarism as mentioned above, and/or misrepresentation of material fact, including in narrative descriptions of accomplishments. The Department may verify content provided by candidates by contacting references. It also conducts extensive background checks of work and education history of candidates offered employment.
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