Student Veterans of America Jobs

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. Responsibilities 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 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. Additional Information Benefits and Allowances. USAID offers generous federal benefits that include health and life insurance; annual, sick and home leave; contributory government pension system (Foreign Service Pension System); Thrift Savings Plan (with agency matching funds), a student loan repayment program; and while serving overseas, government-provided housing, shipment of household effects, education allowances, country specific incentive pay and allowances, and other support. Telework. USAID defines telework as a work flexibility arrangement in which an employee performs the duties of their position of record on-site as well as from an approved alternative worksite other than the location from which the employee would otherwise work, on an approved work schedule. During the initial training period in Washington which can last 12-24 months for most new employees, new foreign service officers will be allowed to telework a portion of each two week period if their training and supervised work arrangements allow and there is prior approval from their supervisor. There will be times when they must report in-person 100% of the time based on training and work requirements. This includes all language training at the Foreign Service Institute, and the initial Orientation in the first five weeks on the job. When assigned overseas, telework flexibility is determined by the policy for the U.S. Embassy in that country. Medical Clearance. A medical clearance or waiver for the applicant is required prior to being hired for this position verifying that the applicant is able to serve at any USAID overseas post. Many USAID assignment locations are remote, unhealthy, or have limited medical support. Therefore, prior to being appointed to the Foreign Service, applicants must have a thorough medical examination and must be able to receive a medical clearance for worldwide availability or obtain a waiver of this requirement. Foreign Language Proficiency is not required to apply and has no effect on whether or not you are selected for an interview. However, to reach required tenured status, you must be able to achieve minimum proficiency levels in a USAID tenuring language. Applicants who demonstrate proficiency in a USAID tenuring language will have an opportunity to test via phone for bonus points to be added to their interview score. Minimum and Maximum Age at Appointment, and Mandatory Retirement Age Career appointments in the Foreign Service are covered by the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended which requires an applicant to be 18 years old at time of application and which directs mandatory retirement at age 65 (chapter 8, section 812). Given this mandatory retirement age and the fact that five years must be allowed to achieve tenure in the agency, Individuals must be appointed on or before their 60th birthday, unless the applicant is a preference-eligible veteran who may be hired up to age 65. Direct Deposit Electronic Funds Transfer is required. Moving/relocation expenses are authorized for individuals who are not currently living in the Washington, DC area and are not current federal employees with a duty location in the Washington D.C. area. Applicants who previously applied for this position and were interviewed will not be invited for another interview within one year from the prior interview for the same position.