Senior Foreign Affairs Specialist - Office of the Secretary of Defense

Summary The incumbent serves as a Senior Foreign Affairs Specialist (SFAS) for the Office of Net Assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The SFAS will be responsible for the Department's comprehensive look at the military competition with adversaries of the U.S. along a 20 to 30 year time horizon with responsibilities to brief their findings to senior officials in the Department, at the National Security Council, the Intelligence Community, Congress, and other government agencies. Responsibilities The Senior Foreign Affairs Specialist (SFAS) for Net Assessment plays a critical role advising the Research Director and Director on the most important aspects of the strategic and military competition between the United States and its adversaries. Major duties include, but are not limited to: The SFAS conceives of and carries out studies; supervises and conducts analyses of the standing trends and future prospects of U.S. military capabilities and national potential in comparison with those of other countries or groups of countries; and develops and delivers in-depth contextual understanding of critical and potential developments impacting the security environment. Conceive of, design, and carry out analytic efforts (and potentially wargaming efforts) that support office-wide assessment areas while mentoring the Office's other civilian and military analysts on research and analytic methodologies and conduct. Orients on the Director's priority assessment area and develops products that communicate trend identification and analysis and projection of alternative futures with implications on the Director's priority analytic areas. Provides expert advice to senior officials in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the military services, and other DoD agencies on key strategy, research, and policy matters; develops insights to support senior decision makers in the determination of strategic options, operational requirements and resource considerations. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Mandatory Technical Qualifications, and other qualifications, if applicable, listed below. Experience refers to paid and 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. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants must submit written statements (narrative format) of accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. You must address each technical qualification separately. You are required to respond to all of the technical qualifications. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as ineligible. Please limit your written statements to no more than two pages per technical qualification, and must include your name. 1. Extensive education and knowledge in a field pertinent to the conduct of net assessments, including but not limited to, History, International Relations, Regional Studies, and various science and technology disciplines. 2. Extensive experience in operational research topics with emphasis on knowledge of the current trends in military operational concepts and military technology of the United States and its leading adversaries and in cutting-edge science and technology research and development to include the ability to assess foreign operational concepts and military technology developments and their impacts upon national and departmental programs, capabilities, and initiatives. 3. Demonstrated ability to inform and influence senior officials within DoD, the Intelligence Community, Services, Combatant Commands to the long-term implication (20-30 years) of current strategy, operational concepts, and budgetary decisions. Time in grade is not required for Senior Level (SL) position. All qualifications and education (if applicable) must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Education THIS POSITION HAS INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET Basic Requirements 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 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 in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs. Evaluation of Experience Qualifying work experience may have been gained 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. For positions at grades GS-12 and above, this experience must have included either (a) responsibility for the direction and coordination of research, analysis, or other professional work in one or more of the fields listed in A above, or (b) specialized professional work of a high level of difficulty and responsibility in one or more of these fields. This high level experience must have been in such specialized activities as (1) formulation of instructions and policy guidance for United States representatives in international organizations; (2) transport and communication involving knowledge of economic, political, and technical aspects of international aviation, shipping, inland transport, or radio, telephone, and telegraph, etc.; (3) cultural affairs involving formulation and operation of policy on large-scale international cultural exchange programs; (4) occupied area affairs involving problems of occupation of conquered or liberated countries, regions, or zones; or (5) other specialized international affairs such as analyzing public opinion and attitudes, evaluating specific conditions, trends, or forces in a foreign country, formulating policy on problems of petroleum resources or fisheries, etc., representing foreign interests, protecting American property or interests, arranging for conferences, or similar activities. Additional information on the Individual Occupation Requirements can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/foreign-affairs-series-0130/ DOES THIS VACANCY HAVE POSITIVE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT? You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html Additional Information Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 11/25/2024 If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application. Please view the following link for information on how to obtain an alternative application https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?%20title=Alternate_Application_Information ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave. Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and, Beginning and ending dates of appointment. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/ Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.