Foreign Affairs Specialist

Full Job Description

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is seeking Foreign Affairs Specialists to be stationed within International Operations (NA-MB-70) at the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

These positions require placement at designated U.S.

diplomatic missions, where the incumbent will serve as a representative of the Secretary of Energy and the Department of Energy, offering a comprehensive DOE perspective.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band or GS grade level in the Federal service, i.e., NQ-03 or GS-14.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience applying foreign affairs practices, policies, and procedures; building relationships with foreign governments and counterparts (e.g., governments, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], or commercial entities) and/or with U.S.

entities with foreign interests (e.g., U.S. Federal organizations that work on foreign policy, U.S.

corporations working with foreign governments, etc.); implementing and developing foreign policy; and leading in negotiations with foreign counterparts.

This experience must have included a focus on energy-, energy technology-, science-, or nuclear security-related issues.

Examples of Specialized Experience might include (but certainly not be limited to): 1.

Negotiating bilateral or multilateral agreements related to energy security, nuclear security, or scientific and technical cooperation in energy-related fields; communicating U.S.

Government expectations with regards to a new or existing 123 Agreement for Peaceful Cooperation. 2.

Developing bilateral civil nuclear projects with a focus on fuel cycles; analyzing host government legislation on feed-in tariffs to determine the sustainability of U.S. clean energy export programs.

3.

Developing background and analytical reports on international issues for senior government or industry officials; implementing international energy-, science-, and/or nuclear nonproliferation-related programs.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience.

Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations.

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.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Major Duties:

As a Foreign Affairs Specialist, you will: Serve as a Foreign Affairs Specialist and represents the Secretary of Energy and the Department of Energy (DOE) at U.S. diplomatic missions to advance U.S.

security and economic interests through a mastery of the U.S.

Government's (USG's) and DOE's energy, science, and nonproliferation goals, objectives, agreements, and policies, as well as other DOE initiatives.

Conduct analyses of vital foreign affairs policies, programs, and projects that are of national and international interest, scope, and impact to both U.S. and foreign policy makers/officials.

These analyses are a basis for decisions regarding a broad range of energy, science, and nonproliferation-related issues.

Support DOE energy, science, and nonproliferation programs by: a) maintaining contact with foreign governments, industry, academia, research institutions, and NGOs; b) staying informed on global energy, science, nuclear security, and nonproliferation trends; c) coordinating with DOE headquarters and keeping the Chief of Mission and interagency informed; and d) collaborating with diplomatic mission sections (Economic, Political, Commercial) to align on DOE priorities.

Brief senior government policymakers, Congressional delegations, and senior business and/or non-governmental organization decision makers on energy-, science-, and nonproliferation-related issues.

Advocate DOE positions within the diplomatic community; negotiate USG and DOE stances on energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges with foreign officials through transformative science and technology solutions; and develop negotiating strategies.

Strengthen U.S. national and energy security through cooperation with foreign counterparts and support for DOE programmatic issues. Focuses include U.S.

and host country multilateral security; energy policies and associated implications; energy security, fuel diversification, and global energy supplies; exports of U.S.

energy and energy technology; nuclear security, energy, and nonproliferation; and commercial investment in and innovation opportunities of energy technologies and resources.

Supervise DOE's locally engaged staff (LES) by planning, setting short-term priorities, scheduling work, and assigning tasks based on priorities, assignment requirements, and staff capabilities.

THIS POSITION IS ALSO BEING ANNOUNCED UNDER: 26-NA-MB-XA-00311-DOE "Please note that the desired locations are subject to change based on availability and operational requirements."