Program Specialist (Education)

Summary The Program Specialist (Education) serves to support those responsible for education projects in host countries, particularly in the areas of primary or secondary education; safe and supportive classrooms; childhood literacy; Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM); Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL); teacher capacity building; and community engagement in student learning and school improvement. Learn more about this agency Duties The Program Specialist (Education) performs the following major duties: Serves as a resource to the agency and the field in the identification of prevailing trends, critical issues, promising practices and problems related to the design, implementation and evaluation of education projects related to Peace Corps service. Participates in the determination of regional and country development objectives and strategies, based on cooperating country requests, perceived needs, Peace Corps policy, and priorities. Identifies resources needed to effectively run a project and provides short-term consultancies to the field. Collaborates with other program specialists to promote global awareness of trends and promising practices in education. Serves as an expert consultant in the design, delivery and evaluation of staff development related to education program areas. Designs and delivers courses, workshops, and other staff development activities to strengthen staff competencies in the education areas in which Volunteers work. Researches, develops and applies new program methods, approaches, and technology to support Volunteer activities in education and learning promotion. Works with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialists to support posts to develop and use M&E systems related to education. Plans and conducts analyses that result in new design guidelines for education projects related to TEFL, literacy, and math and science that have a profound effect on program or training capabilities and/or operating procedures. Collaborates with partners when appropriate, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), United States Government (USG) agencies and host country partners to create opportunities and leverage resources for the field. Requirements Conditions of employment Applicants selected for this position are subject to the following Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old. Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service (see www.sss.gov). Prior to employment, Peace Corps will review records for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former employees, as required by statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b. You must submit a signed statement acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps Conditions of Employment before your first day. You must successfully complete a Public Trust background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required. The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years. Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualification requirements prior to the closing date of this announcement, 06/02/2026. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience demonstrated in your resume, including volunteer work. Qualification claims are subject to verification. This vacancy is being announced at one grade level. Specialized Experience at the FP-03 (GS-13) Level: To qualify for this position at the FP-03 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-04 or GS-11/12. This experience must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the role. Specialized experience includes: Experience guiding interdisciplinary teams through the design, implementation, and reporting education sector projects and training to achieve project outcomes. Experience providing training, consultations, and tools to strengthen the monitoring, learning, adapting, and reporting cycles of education sector projects. Experience adapting evidence-based education and community development standards to low-resource settings by translating promising practices into culturally appropriate, locally feasible interventions. Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level. ~AND~ Time-in-Grade Requirements: Current or former Federal employees, including Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable Time-in-Grade requirements to be eligible for this position. For positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) level, you must have completed at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying. All current or former Federal employees, including internal employees, must provide a copy of their SF-50(s), "Notification of Personnel Action," to demonstrate that you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. For more information, refer to the "Required Documents" section below. Please note: Experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience requirements must be clearly documented in your resume. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Please review the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for further information on resume requirements. Specialized experience may be gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer service (e.g., National Service programs such as Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, or other organizations such as professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, or social groups). One year of experience refers to full-time work. Part-time work will be credited on a prorated basis. For more details on qualification requirements, refer to the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions, available on the OPM web site. Education This job does not have an education qualification requirement. Additional information Position Information: This is bargaining unit position. The minimum and maximum salaries listed on this announcement includes locality pay. Peace Corps Information: This is a federal civilian position in the Excepted Service, and the incumbent will serve as a member of the Foreign Service. Peace Corps employees are paid under the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay system, which differs from the General Schedule (GS) pay system. In the FP pay system, lower grade level numbers indicate higher levels of responsibility and pay. The FP-09 is the lowest, entry-level, grade and the FP-01 is the highest, senior-level, grade. If you are a current federal employee, your agency may grant you reemployment rights in accordance with Section 310 of the Foreign Service Act, 22 USC 3950. You must request and be granted reemployment rights prior to separation from your current federal agency. If this is your first federal appointment, you may request credit for prior applicable non-federal service toward your leave Service Computation Date. Approval of credit must be granted prior to your first federal appointment and is subject to agency review and documentation requirements. This position is eligible for situational telework only. The Peace Corps uses E-Verify to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. The Peace Corps is a drug-free workplace. Additional hiring needs may be filled through this vacancy. Intelligence Background Information: Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position: This prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years. If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment at the Peace Corps. Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period after Peace Corps employment ceases. Applicants who indicate on the announcement questionnaire that they, or a family member, have an intelligence connection will be required to submit a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire. The Peace Corps Office of Human Resources will provide instructions for submitting this form after the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide the completed questionnaire will result in disqualification from further consideration. If you have any type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be processed until this form is submitted. Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who is employed or has been employed in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form. If you have an immediate family member who is employed or has been employed with the CIA, please contact your family member in person (not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person) and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA. If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at (443) 634-4095. Expand Hide  additional information 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 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.