Foreign Service Engineer

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