International Relations Specialist

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of the Under Secretary (UNSEC), Office of International Affairs (OIA), with one vacancy in Washington, DC. This position is also announced under vacancy number UNSEC OIA-27-13098190-DE, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

As an International Relations Specialist, you will perform the following duties: Participate, advise, and coordinate in the implementation of foreign policy and international and bilateral programs undertaken by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Use knowledge of U.S. foreign policy, science and technology policy, including environmental policy. Provide recommendations, guidance and support to the office of the Director and Deputy, agency policy makers and NOAA senior leadership. Evaluate matters affecting international policy issues, foreign policies, and international and bilateral programs that may impact government-to-government and agency-to-agency relations. Apply knowledge to form positions and recommendations which have a significant effect on international policy development, negotiations, and agreements. Develop sources of information. Identify and perform analyses of issues. Coordinate findings with other specialists and prepare written reports and/or oral briefings to present appropriate information in a concise and coherent manner to agency, inter-agency, and international partners. Exercise responsibility as an independent specialist for planning and coordinating activities with foreign governments and organizations and analyze and advise on changes in policies and/or resources that affect agency objectives. Negotiate, implement, and analyze agreements with foreign governments and organizations. Maintain full performance level knowledge of NOAA cooperation with various foreign government partners and organizations.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. Key Requirements: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Additional Considerations: One year probationary period may be required.* Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized. This position requires a Non-Critical Sensitive (Secret) Security Clearance. Background investigation will be required. Continued employment is subject to applicant's successful completion of security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: Your performance and conduct; Needs and interests of the agency; Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), name of accredited institution, course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty. Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.