Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as Political-Military Affairs Strategist (Country Director) in the Indo-Pacific Division, which provides analysis and advice to SAF/IA and other senior DAF/USAF/USSF leaders on the political, military, economic, and security assistance aspects...

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET clearance with Special Compartmented Information (SCI).
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
• Position may be subject to random drug testing
• Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Superior Qualification may be authorized upon request
• Disclosure of Political Appointments.
• Leave accrual may be authorized upon request.
• Must maintain a current passport.
• Mobility is a condition of appointment; employee must sign an AF-Wide Mobility Agreement.
• Employee must be willing to travel and when traveling must be willing to travel by military or commercial air, both within CONUS and overseas, often on short notice and for extended (1-2 week) periods of time.
• Incumbent must be comfortable in dealing with high-ranking foreign representatives and able to utilize tact and diplomacy on all occasions.
• This is a Security Cooperation (SC) position due to the nature of the position’s duties and responsibilities.
• A Master’s Degree in International Affairs or Strategic Studies is highly desired. Indo-Pacific language skills/regional experience highly desired.
• Employee should be able to sustain periods of high stress without danger to the individual’s health.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions, Series 0130. BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and 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: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. NOTE: You must submit a copy of transcripts. OR Experience: Four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs. Evaluation of Experience: Qualifying experience may have been through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries. AND In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-12, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes: I meet the basic education requirements for the GS-0130-13 and I have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 (or higher) grade level or equivalent pay systems (may have been obtained in the federal service, military, or public sector). My experience includes Knowledge of national security, strategic policy, international relations, foreign affairs, foreign assistance programs, and related fields. Specific experience is required in performing these functions with the INDOPACOM area of responsibilities countries. Expert knowledge to conduct comprehensive research and analysis concerning current political-military factors and Security Cooperation (SC) and/or relevant information on international aspects of the USAF and USSF relations with and interest in the countries in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. Ability to develop and analyze political-military alternatives as they relate to the DAF and INDOPACOM. Must be able to acquire and comprehend a working knowledge of security assistance laws, regulations, principles, policy, national and international politics, and economic and military operations sufficiently to assist agency technical experts in one or more very broad aspects of foreign military sales and other security assistance programs. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript. FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of foreign affairs and national security policies and objectivities; US defense programs and policies doctrine, strategy, and political-military structures as they pertain to the INDOPACOM region. Knowledge of US foreign policy, legislation/directives, the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), and other DoD and Dept of the Air Force directives/regulations governing the sale of military articles and services to foreign governments. Ability to research and analyze information/situations to provide sound advice and recommendations in support of senior Dept of the Air Force officials' decision-making. Skill and diplomacy in dealing with senior officials in the Federal Government, industry and the international community. Ability to communicate effective, both orally and in writing, to justify, defend, present, advocate, and/or advise on Security Cooperation processes, actions, and decisions and the ability to perform work requiring a professional knowledge of the formulation and implementation of foreign policy of the United States in the conduct of the relations, primarily of a political or politico-military nature, of the United States with other governments. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. This is a drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to random testing for drug testing. This position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Testing Program. Illegal drug use by employees in sensitive positions present a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force, national security, and public safety. It is required that you (a) refrain from the use of illegal drugs and (b) if requested, submit to urinalysis testing. This is a Security Cooperation (SC) position due to the nature of the position's duties and responsibilities. Position requires incumbent to attain DoD Security Cooperation Certification in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2017, Title 10 U.S. C., Sect. 384. Incumbent must maintain "good-standing" in an appropriate Area of Concentration (AoC) and certification level as determined by supervisor. Employee must meet DoD Security Cooperation Workforce Certification requirements applicable to the duties of the position. Selectee must meet the education and experience requirements for the designated Certification AoC and Certification Level within one year (Basic-level) or two years (Intermediate-level, Advanced-level and Executive-level) from Security Cooperation Workforce Development-Database entry date to become certified in accordance DoD SC Workforce Certification requirements as outlined in the Implementation Guidelines for the DoD SC Workforce Certification Program signed by the Director, DSCA. Incumbent of this position is required to comply with all Department of Defense and Defense Security Cooperation Agency requirements of this certification program. This certification requirement is a condition of employment for this position. Failure to obtain DoD SC certification within the required time may subject the incumbent to adverse action. Incumbent is required to maintain 20 hours of Security Cooperation professional development continuous learning every two-year period to maintain good standing in the DoD Security Cooperation Workforce Certification Program.

Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcriptswith the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Contacts

• Address HQ USAF and Support Elements - Pentagon 1720 Air Force Pentagon Washington, DC 20330 US
• Name: Total Force Service Center
• Phone: 1-800-525-0102
• Email: [email protected]