International Relations Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. DE-25-PHL-ILAB-12598520-AOS Department Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Salary $68,405.00 to $128,956.00 Grade 9 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/14/2024 Close Date 11/28/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

As an International Relations Specialist within the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, you maintain a current understanding of international issues which includes studying and monitoring relevant legislation, communicating with pertinent international organizations, among other exciting duties.

Duties


Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Represents ILAB on international, interagency, and intra-agency working groups, committees, international meetings and conferences in the capacity of DOL or ILAB spokesperson to present and clarify DOL/U.S. policy.
  • Negotiates U.S. government policy positions related to child labor and forced labor issues in assigned countries.
  • Monitors labor developments in countries of importance to the U.S. and assists with advising the Director, Deputy Director, Deputy Undersecretary, other DOL professional staff, ambassadors, labor attaches or others with related responsibility, either orally or in writing, on policy, key developments, and results regarding Office issues and programs.
  • Assists in preparing senior level officials to present policy positions and program results to external groups.
  • Formulates policy or program recommendations by collaborating with colleagues, other agencies, foreign counterparts, and others to ensure policies or programs respond to DOL and US priorities and interests.
  • Applies knowledge of international standards related to exploitive child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking to specific country contexts.
  • Researches and summarizes laws.
  • Prepares relevant reports, papers, talking points, briefing books, memos, letters, proposals and background papers including Congressionally-mandated reports for senior officials and others as directed.
  • Conduct desk research and write reports on international policy issues for public consumption.
  • Write talking points for presentations.
  • Conduct substantive research on international child labor and forced labor issues.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must be at least 16 years old.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
  • Subject to a drug test prior to appointment and random tests throughout employment.

Qualifications

This position has a language proficiency requirement, applicants MUST be able to speak, read, and write in Spanish, Arabic, Russian or French in order to be considered.

You must meet the language requirement above, AND the Basic Requirements listed below, AND the Specialized Experience to qualify for International Relations Specialist, as described below.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. This position has a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify Specialized Experience/Education Substitution Statement(s):

  • 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
  • Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in one or more of the social sciences, or in the humanities, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
or
  • 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.

In addition to the basic requirements of this position, applicants must also possess 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service or private sector.

For GS-09: Applicant must have 52 weeks of experience equivalent to at least a GS-7 in the Federal Service or private sector.

  • Conducting research and writing reports for public consumption on international policy issues; OR
  • Preparing talking points, memos, letters, and background materials for senior officials on international policy issues.
OR
  • 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree (related to the position to be filled.);
OR
  • Combination of education and experience.

For GS-11: Applicant must have 52 weeks of experience equivalent to at least a GS-9 in the Federal Service or private sector.

  • Conducting research and writing reports for public consumption on international policy issues; AND
  • Preparing talking points, memos, letters, and background materials for senior officials on international policy issues.
OR
  • 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (related to the position to be filled);
OR
  • Combination of education and experience.

For GS-12: Applicant must have 52 weeks of experience equivalent to at least a GS-11 in the Federal Service or private sector.

  • Conducting research and writing reports for public consumption on international policy issues; AND
  • Preparing talking points, memos, letters, and background materials for senior officials on international policy issues; AND
  • Negotiating international policy issues with senior officials.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the Required Documents section for additional requirements.

This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. If the duty location is outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the NCFLL bargaining unit.
GS-13

Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflects the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and models a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Click here for Telework Position Information This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click here for Additional Information.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act.

Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to the appointment.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

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.

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be evaluated against the evaluation factors below and will be placed into a category based on your vacancy question responses.

Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.

Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.

Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualification requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

  • Oral Communication
  • Research
  • Strategic Thinking


Click here for Evaluation details.

You may preview questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12598520

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, volunteer, and other lived experience, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.

INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) who are placed into Category A or higher will be considered well-qualified. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date.

  • Resumes: Required and applicants must provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
  • Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point (TP) preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Your DD 214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference". To claim 10-point (CP/CPS, XP) preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214 and the proof of entitlement of this preference, which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active-duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive the veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
  • Displaced Employee Placement Documents: Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
  • Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - If you are using education as a basis for qualifying for this position, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, PhD, etc.). If specific coursework is required to qualify, you must supply an unofficial transcript from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your unofficial transcript(s) as one document with a maximum size limit of 5 MB.

NOTE: The OFFICIAL Transcript(s) MUST BE RECEIVED if you are selected, and prior to receiving the firm offer with a start date.

Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.

Do not upload password-protected documents.

Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.

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

Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.

To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration.

Application Limits: Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the date the application limit was reached or the vacancy closing date, whichever occurs first, to receive consideration.

Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.

Important - Save your information before the 30-minute system timeout! For help, go to the USAJOBS Help Center.

STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents. Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week) otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.

STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS). Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button.

STEP 3 - Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL). On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy. Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.

STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button.

STEP 5 - Edit Application by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy then Update Application. If the vacancy closes on the date the application limit is reached, applicants will no longer be able to edit their applications.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website.

Agency contact information

Ashley Oneal-Shue
Address
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days of the issuance date of the certificate.

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

USAJOBS will no longer send status alert email notifications. You can check your application status in the TAS by logging into USAJOBS and in the Applicant Dashboard, click the hiring agency Talent Acquisition System (TAS). If the TAS does not provide application tracking information, contact the agency's point of contact on the job announcement.

To verify that your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.


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