Requirements
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
- Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. [If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.
NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.
Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.
Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
- Developing, examining, investigating, or adjudicating, claims arising under the immigration and/or nationality laws of the United States.
- Providing operational oversight, leadership, and direction of visa screening and vetting programs.
- Implementing national security-related visa policy.
There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.
In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:
- Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
- Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
- Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
- Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
- Capacity to "see the job through."
Education
Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.
Additional information
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To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application.
For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at OAA@state.gov.
OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests:
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Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review.
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Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters.
- If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
- Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in this Bureau for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
- Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.
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.
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.
The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments and a crediting plan for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of the top qualified candidates based on combined total score. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Responses to questions that are not fully supported by your resume may result in a rating adjustment.
You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Supervisory: Oral Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Customer Service, Leadership, Planning & Evaluating, Influencing/Negotiating, Strategic Thinking, Human Capital Management.]
Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe.
Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Supervisory]) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments.
Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:
- Knowledge of immigration laws and regulations.
- Knowledge of the roles that visa and immigration play in foreign affairs and international relations.
- Ability to perform management and program analysis.
- Knowledge of, and experience in, the realm of foreign policy/international affairs.
- Ability to interpret laws, regulations and procedures.
Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.
In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".
3. Transcripts - if you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. Current eligible Department of State employees (eligibility outlined in 3 FAM 2315) must submit a copy of their SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" that reflects career or career-conditional tenure or non-competitive eligibility, proof of competitive status, tenure, grade level and step AND a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.
5. All non-competitive eligible applicants must submit proof of eligibility (i.e., SF-50 documenting the full performance level of a position held on a permanent basis).
6. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.
7. CTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See link below:
CTAP Considerations
All documentation, applicable to you, must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. If the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility or you fail to submit any of the required documents, it will disqualify you from being considered for this job opportunity.
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.