Company: US Department of State
Title: Academic Exchange Specialist
Salary: $103,690 to $134,798 annually
Location: Washington, D.C.

***Position closes April 5, 2021.***

Summary
This position is located in the South-Central Asia Programs Branch (ECA/A/E/SCA), Office of Academic Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E), Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State (DOS). As an Academic Exchange Specialist, you will initiate, develop, administer, and evaluate international academic exchange programs and other activities supporting ECA’s strategic goal to promote international understanding. Portfolio will include programs in South and Central Asia.

Responsibilities
Manages the two-way flow of students and scholars between the United States and overseas as well as other academic exchange activities.
Manages communications and relationships with a wide range of program stakeholders.
Designs or modifies international exchange programs to meet changing political situations and shifting educational needs in the United States and a specific country.
Develops and maintains links with U.S. educational and professional associations and institutions, as well as individual academics, to obtain support for ECA’s exchange programs.
Drafts memoranda, talking points, speeches, and other documents advancing ECA objectives and analyzing the impact of DOS exchanges. Establishes base program budgets and supports the transfer of funds to overseas posts for academic programming.

Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
U.S. Citizenship is required.
One year probationary period, unless excepted by regulation.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants must have the required experience or education as described below and meet any selective factors, when specified.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Have a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in international law, international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities;

OR

Have a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited college or university that included a combination of courses, with 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

Have 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics / quantitative methods.

OR

Have a combination of education and experience where your coursework was equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, (as shown above), PLUS appropriate relevant experience OR additional education.

OR

Have completed at least 4 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. (NOTE: 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.)

Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

Experience initiating, developing, administering, and evaluating international academic exchange programs.
Experience monitoring academic exchange program budgets and financial management processes.
Experience preparing and presenting reports and briefings on program status and recommended actions.
Experience engaging with public, private and non-governmental (NGOs) agencies and organizations in the development and management of exchange programs.
Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.