Summary
USAID is seeking Foreign Service Engineering Officers who can support the design, implementation, and monitoring of its more than $3 billion of ongoing infrastructure activities through assignments around the world and in USAID's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens, NO prior Federal experience is required.
Duties
USAID offers the opportunity to address some of the greatest infrastructure challenges of our time to help reduce poverty and inequality, advance democracy around the world, and further USG foreign assistance goals. USAID supports various infrastructure projects, including the design, rehabilitation, and construction of energy, water, sanitation, and transportation infrastructure, as well as schools and health facilities in more than 60 countries. Through investments abroad, USAID builds local capacity to operate and maintain infrastructure, making countries more resilient to shocks and reducing the need for emergency humanitarian assistance.
These infrastructure projects, often overseen by the Agency's Foreign Service Engineers, are guided by a mix of US based and local knowledge, regulations, best practices, and context to create systems that are easily utilized, operated, and maintained by the host country government and local experts.
This is a Foreign Service announcement. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. Successful candidates must be available to work in any country in the world where USAID has a presence. Here is the link to the current list of countries.
Duties:
- Assist in the planning, analysis, implementation and evaluation of USAID engineering and infrastructure projects in support of the full range of foreign assistance objectives (governing justly and democratically, investing in people, economic growth, peace and stability, and humanitarian assistance).
- Manage U.S. Government resources, implementation teams, contractors and grantees to achieve specific program objectives and results consistent with overall U.S. domestic and international rules, regulations, policies and laws.
- Serve as a technical resource to foreign assistance activities involving the project design and implementation of infrastructure and other construction projects. Support engineering and infrastructure activities by researching, reviewing and analyzing data, providing assistance and advice on engineering and infrastructure issues.
- Assist in coordinating and managing strategies, policies, concepts, procedures, and guidelines for establishing infrastructure projects. Analyze technical constraints to engineering and infrastructure projects and recommend professional, sound courses of action.
- Coordinate program development, implementation and performance monitoring plans. Support contracting activities for architecture and engineering, construction management and construction services and monitor progress to ensure compliance with design and contract specifications, safety, and environmental standards.
- Coordinate assigned activities with other USAID Bureaus and Offices, the Department of State, other USG agencies, other Donors and governments, and the private sector.
- Perform a variety of duties related to special projects involving program issues that contain complex elements. Assist in managing special cross-cutting initiatives and task force groups to accomplish programmatic goals. These groups may review specific programs at the organization or develop new initiatives in various program areas.
- Provide technical guidance to several areas of emphasis within the overall portfolio, e.g. water and sanitation infrastructure, roads and transportation, energy, hospitals, clinics, schools, and other public facilities, housing, etc.
- Provide cost estimates and determine project feasibility. Supports project management activities, direction of construction, operations and maintenance activities at project sites.
- Assist in the preparation and presentation of engineering reports, such as bid requests, cost-benefit analyses, environmental impact statements, and feasibility studies.
- Serve as a technical resource in developing programs and operational plans for national, regional, and/or local service delivery objectives.
- Support policy reform efforts that include but are not limited to: operation and maintenance, utility management and administration, cost recovery and sector commercialization.
- Throughout a Foreign Service career, assumes positions that entail supervision of one or more staff and management of a team or office. Supports professional development of staff, conducts annual evaluation reviews , and addresses any conduct or performance issues.
- Act in a diplomatic, professional, persuasive, and respectable manner as a U.S. Government representative in formal and informal settings.
Foreign Service Officers generally spend the majority of their career assigned to the Agency's overseas Missions and work in assigned developing countries with a variety of challenges (conflict, political transition, lack of reliable infrastructure, etc).
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
- United States Citizenship is required.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security clearance.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
- Must be between 18 and 59 years old at the time of application and not yet age 60 on the day of appointment as a Foreign Service Officer.
- Applicants who are Veterans must be between 18 and 64 years old at time of application and not yet age 65 on the day of appointment.
- Prior to being hired, a medical clearance is required for this position that would allow the applicant to serve at any USAID overseas post. - If a medical clearance is not granted by the State Department Bureau of Medical Clearances,
- Medical Cont www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-management/bureau-of-medical-services/medical-clearances/ the applicant may seek a reasonable accommodation from USAID. If a reasonable accommodation cannot be reached,
- Medical Cont - then a waiver may be requested. Additional details can be found in ADS 414mab, Waiver Process for Medical Clearance Requirements for Initial Appointments, Tenure Review and
- Medical Cont - Overseas Assignments in the Foreign Service. ( www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/414mab_021324.pdf )
- Worldwide Availability. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. While USAID uses a bidding system for assignments, Foreign Service Officers must be willing and available to accept assignments to any country where USAID operates.
- Relevant education and experience (see Qualifications below).
Qualifications
This is a Foreign Service announcement. USAID's Foreign Services has a Reverse grading structure where the lower grades are the more senior grades, e.g., the grade 04 is the more senior grade than the grade 05.
Relevant overseas experience includes working and living outside the United States while supporting international development. Relevant diverse experience includes working and living in an economically disadvantaged community in the United States working with members of historically disadvantaged groups.
Relevant work experience includes specialized experience through paid or unpaid position(s) in the public and/or private sector in the field of engineering and infrastructure on public and/or private sector projects. Relevant work experience is defined experience in one or more of the following areas: assisting in the planning, analysis, implementation and evaluation of engineering and infrastructure projects; managing implementation teams and contractors to achieve specific infrastructure outcomes; researching, reviewing and analyzing technical constraints to engineering and infrastructure projects and recommending professional, sound courses of action; supporting contracting activities for architecture and engineering, construction management and construction services, and monitoring progress to ensure compliance with design and contract specifications, safety, and environmental standards; providing cost estimates and determining project feasibility for infrastructure/engineering activities; supporting engineering project management activities and, directing construction, operations and maintenance activities at project sites; assisting in the preparation and presentation of engineering reports, such as bid requests, cost-benefit analyses, environmental impact statements, and feasibility studies; and supporting policy reform and development efforts that include but are not limited to: operation and maintenance, utility management and administration, cost recovery and sector commercialization and/or reform.
The applicant will need to demonstrate that the overseas and diverse experience is relevant to the technical skills in the backstop, and is relevant to the technical skills in the engineering competency. The experience in (1) and/or (2) above must have been achieved after the Bachelor's degree and by the close of the announcement date.
Volunteer experience. Experience includes RELEVANT paid as well as unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience, that meets the criteria as defined under "relevant work experience".
A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. In the absence of selective and quality ranking factors, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations.
The skills and abilities described in USAID's Foreign Service/Senior Foreign Service Skills Framework are required of all foreign service officers and form the basis for the foreign service performance management and promotion systems. During the recruitment process, candidates are evaluated on the following skills which can be found in the Skills Framework:
Engineering Officers must demonstrate the following competencies:
Oral Communication: Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively and in a clear and concise manner, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; attends to nonverbal clues; and responds appropriately.
Written Communication:
Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
Project Management: Applies principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating and managing projects and resources, including technical performance.
Technical Skills in Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain built infrastructure such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, energy, and other types of projects.
Planning and Evaluating: Organizes work, sets priorities and determines resource requirements, and establishes short/long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals, monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
CTAP/ICTAP candidates will be referred to the selecting official if they are found well qualified. Well-qualified means an eligible employee who possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities which clearly exceed the minimum requirements of the position. A well-qualified employee must meet the qualification and eligibility requirements of the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum education and experience requirements, meet all selective factors (where applicable); meet quality ranking factors and are assigned to the Silver Category or higher Category; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying U.S. OPM-approved conditions; AND be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry without additional training.
- If the applicant is invited to interview, they will also be provided an opportunity to be tested in a USAID tenuring language (as identified in ADS 438maa, USAID Tenuring Languages). If they have demonstrated in a pre-test that they may have tenure level proficiency in reading and speaking at the level required for that language. Descriptions of these levels can be found in 13 FAH-1 H-242 Rating Scales. Passing the language test at the tenure level will qualify the candidate for bonus points in the selection process. It will also meet the requirement for tenure if the applicant is selected and later onboards as a Foreign Service Officer.
Proficiency in a USAID tenuring language is not required to apply for or be selected for the foreign service with USAID. It is required to achieve tenure. All career candidates have five years to achieve the requirements for tenure, which includes language proficiency. USAID will fund language training and testing for career candidates if they do not already have language proficiency. This training takes place after other required training and prior to departure to the first overseas post. Additional information may be found in ADS 438 Foreign Language Program
Education
FS-05: Applicant must have one of the following:
- A. Master's or Doctorate Degree, AND three (3) years of relevant work experience, to include one (1) or more years overseas, or in a diverse U.S. working environment. The Master's or Bachelor's degree must be in architecture or engineering.
B. Bachelor's Degree in architecture or engineering, AND six (6) years of relevant work experience, including at least three (3) years overseas or in a diverse U.S. working environment.
C. Professional Engineer license (P.E.) AND a Bachelor's degree in architecture or engineering, and have three (3) years of relevant work experience, to include one (1) or more years overseas, or in a diverse U.S. working environment.
FS-04: Applicant must have one of the following:
- Master's or Doctorate Degree, AND four (4) years of relevant work experience, to include three (3) or more years overseas, or in a diverse U.S. working environment. The Master's or Bachelor's degree must be in architecture or engineering.
- Bachelor's Degree in architecture or engineering, AND seven (7) years of relevant work experience, including at least four (4) years overseas or in a diverse U.S. working environment.
- Professional Engineer license (P.E.) AND a Bachelor's degree in architecture or engineering, AND four (4) years of relevant work experience, to include three (3) or more years overseas, or in a diverse U.S. working environment.
Applicants must hold a Bachelors or Masters Degree in Civil, Structural, Mechanical, or Environmental engineering, or architecture or architectural engineering degree from an accredited program through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements. Transcripts from any and all foreign educational institutions must be accompanied by an official Evaluation of Educational Credentials in order to be considered for the position. It is your responsibility to provide evidence that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States when applying. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of accreditation of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. There are two nationally recognized associations whose members can provide this accreditation: the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (https://www.naces.org/members) and the Association of International Credential Evaluators (https://aice-eval.org/). More information about this process may be found at https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded as part of the application. Failure to do so will result in the application being eliminated from consideration. A transcript is only required for the degree you are using to meet the education requirement. The unofficial transcript must include the name of the applicant, the name of the college/university, the degree awarded, and the completion date. The degree must be completed at the time of application. If we are unable to determine that you meet the required education, you will be found ineligible for further consideration. If you proceed past the initial application phase, official transcripts must be received by USAID from your university/institution during the final selection process.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the education and experience qualifications. Qualified applicants receive a score of 70 to 100 before veterans preference points are applied, if applicable.
Veteran's preference. Qualified veterans will be considered consistent with the requirements of the Foreign Service Act. If you are claiming a disability, you must provide proof of disability rating with a letter from the Veteran's Administration showing disability percentage rating.
To claim veteran's preference, you must provide acceptable documentation of your preference eligibility. Acceptable documentation include:
-
a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions;
-
a "certification" that is a written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed; OR
-
a Standard Form 15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. If you are claiming 10 point preference, you must submit a SF 15. You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center or online.
For more information on veteran's preference and eligibility, visit https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans-preference/#content
We will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements including the education and experience required for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, you will be rated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the relevant education and experience you report and the degree to which you possess the required competencies listed on this vacancy announcement. A technical review panel of subject matter experts will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire to verify qualifications. USAID will invite candidates for an interview based on the competitiveness of the overall application package.
USAID must be able to conduct reference checks as part of its assessment process. Applicants who do not permit reference checks from previous employers may be disqualified.
IMPORTANT: If you are found to have rated your self assessment higher than the information in your on-line application, supporting documentation narratives, and/or any other relevant part of your application package, including attachments, this may eliminate you from the list of those referred for an interview.
USAID envisions a world where all individuals are valued, have equitable access to opportunities, and are included, respected, and safe in their societies. USAID embraces diversity as outlined in USAID's EEO Statement. We seek to elevate and include the voices of the USAID workforce, recognizing and valuing the unique contributions of all stakeholders. USAID also strives to improve equity for underrepresented communities that have historically been denied fair and just treatment and improve accessibility in all facets at USAID.
Required Documents
-
Resume showing relevant experience.
-
Veterans' documentation, if requesting consideration under any Veterans' hiring eligibilities (veterans' preference and Veterans Recruitment Appointment). To verify the type of veterans' preference you are eligible for, we recommend using the Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor.
-
Graduate Transcript
-
If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial transcript) that includes the following information: applicant's name, name of accredited institution, completion dates, and quarter/ and semester hours rated. You may use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. Please be advised that an official transcript will be required if you are selected for the position.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements. Transcripts from any and all foreign educational institutions must be accompanied by an official Evaluation of Educational Credentials in order to be considered for the position. It is your responsibility to provide evidence that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States when applying. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of accreditation of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency.
There are two nationally recognized associations whose members can provide this accreditation: the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (https://www.naces.org/members)and the Association of International Credential Evaluators (https://aice-eval.org/). More information about this process may be found at https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
USAID is committed to equal employment opportunity. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities and pregnancy-related conditions. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodation Division in the Office of Civil Rights at reasonableaccommodations@usaid.gov. Reasonable accommodation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about reasonable accommodations, please visit our website.
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
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this online application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you must contact the human resources office no later than two business days before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Our Office will provide an alternative application method upon approval of the hardship notification. After the advertisement has closed, we will not grant requests to apply via alternative plans.
Please note, we must receive all required documents by the closing date via online or alternative methods. We will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.
Step 1 - Review the Job Announcement (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12271474)
Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section, where you will see the areas upon which an HR Specialist or Subject Matter Expert will evaluate your application.
Step 2 - Create or Upload a resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated qualifications section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.
Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.
Step 3 - Apply Online Click the "Apply Online" button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the OPM's USA Staffing website to complete the application process.
Step 4 - Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application If this is your first time on OPM's USA Staffing website, the system will prompt you to register by answering questions about your eligibility for Federal employment. Select "Take me to the assessment" and click on the "Next" button to answer the job-specific questions. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the "Finish" button.
Step 5 - Review and Confirm Your Submission You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click "Done," you will see a summary of your application for your review, and you may also print a copy for your records. When you click "Finish" at the bottom of the page, our system will then direct you back to USAJOBS, where you can confirm that you correctly submitted your application, and you can track your application status.
Step 6 - Submit Documents You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your records. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit.
Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways:
- Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, the system will prompt you to upload your document(s) to your application. You will be given a choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or select a copy that you've already loaded on USAJOBS. Or
- You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on "My Applications" and search for the vacancy. Once you've located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select "Apply Online." Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select upload to add a document to your application. Be sure to review your complete application for confirmation that you uploaded the document.
Next steps
Steps to become a Foreign Service officer with USAID:
1. Candidates complete application
2. Highly qualified applications are referred to the Technical Review Panel (TRP)
3. TRP reviews applications and selects applicants to be invited for the interview.
4. Technical Selection Panel (TSP) interviews applicants.
5. Reference checks are conducted of TSP recommended applicants.
6. Successful completion of Top Security Clearance investigation, Class 1 Medical clearance, receipt of official transcripts and acceptance of salary offer.
7. Inclusion on the agency hiring roster pending offer of employment.
You must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above to apply for this position. You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement's closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you must create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. Our automated system will take you to the online application you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and apply. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
|