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Foreign Affairs Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of International Affairs, ICAO and Global Initiatives Staff, API-20
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent serves as the FAA desk officer and a focal point on U.S. civil aviation policies, practices, and procedures related to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and FAA's international strategy.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/19/2019 to 09/30/2019
Salary
$84,368 to - $130,758 per year

The salary listed above includes a 29.32% locality payment for the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Pay scale & grade
FV I
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time- to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
AWA-API-19-0028MP-63775
Control number
546186000

Duties

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Plans, develops, evaluates and recommends programs and policies for meeting agency strategic goals and operational responsibilities, primarily those associated with ICAO Headquarters and regional offices. Works with subject matter experts and the assigned FAA Senior Representative to develop analysis to support proposed agency policies, positions and specific programs directed toward accomplishing FAA international objectives to achieve a safer, more efficient and sustainable global air transportation system, and to harmonize standards and regulations to the extent possible.

Serves as a subject matter expert on civil aviation; collects, analyzes, and distributes critical information and intelligence as appropriate; analyzes their impact on civil aviation interests and agency/U.S. Government (USG) priorities; develops and communicates recommended courses of action to API management and appropriate offices within the FAA and USG.

Collaborates and builds relationships with FAA lines of business and staff offices, FAA Senior Representatives, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other USG agencies, such as the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, as well as with aviation industry associations.

Consults with representatives of ICAO Headquarters and regional offices and other civil aviation officials including those in foreign embassies or governments.

Develops recommendations on potential FAA involvement in cooperative and technical assistance programs and projects in the region.

Develops international agreements necessary for the implementation of agreed cooperative or technical assistance projects. Coordinates international agreements with other FAA offices, the

Department of State, and ICAO. Administers signed agreements in accordance with established procedures. Serves as point of contact for changes to international agreements with ICAO.

Plans and coordinates visits by foreign officials to FAA offices and facilities. Ensures compliance with all necessary procedures, advises agency offices on strategic value of visitor requests, ensures all preparations for foreign visitors have been carried out, prepares briefing materials, and participates in meetings with foreign visitors as appropriate.

Plans, coordinates, and develops briefing, background and issue papers on technical, policy and political aspects of international aviation issues, in preparation for and in support of anticipated meetings, travel, or decision-making by senior FAA officials. Plans and coordinates special studies/speeches and arranges the necessary logistical support for such events.

Coordinates correspondence and inquiries from Congress, the public, and foreign governments and their representatives on a wide variety of FAA international program activities.

As assigned, serves as back-up to colleagues and assists colleagues within the staff during periods of high workload to carry out above duties.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.

Qualifications

Candidates must have one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (FV-H or FG/GS-10/12)) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as:

1. Experience planning, developing, evaluating or recommending policies for civil aviation related programs;

2. Coordinating with representatives from other Federal government agencies, civil aviation representatives, foreign government and embassy officials, or international aviation groups to develop aviation safety, air traffic control or air navigation agreements; AND

3. Developing presentations, briefings, issue papers, reports, speeches and other correspondence on a variety of international program activities for management's review and delivery at major international meetings.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; (3) alphabetical; or (4) priority grouping and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Foreign Education: For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Degree: Successful completion of a major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in international law, international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR

Combination of education and experience: Successful completion of courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in (A) above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

Experience: Four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above associated with internal organizations, resolving issues, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

If you are a current or former Federal employee, and you currently hold or previously held a position classified in the 0130 occupational series, you are not required to submit a college transcript provided you upload a copy of the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, verifying your classification in the 0130 occupational series.

Applicants who are not currently in the 130 occupational series (Foreign Affairs Specialist) in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 130 occupational series, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

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Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

NOTES:

1. This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website: http://jobs.faa.gov/FAACoreCompensation.htm

2. As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

3. Some, all, or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

4. This announcement is also being advertised under VA #AWA-API-19-0028MP-63772. Please review both vacancy announcements before making application to determine your eligibility to apply.

5. This Level 2 (Non-Critical Sensitive; Secret) position requires favorable adjudication of an Access National Agency Check and Inquiries (ANACI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained.



This is a bargaining unit position.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

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