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The U.S. Department of State, our country’s lead foreign policy agency, provides a rich international experience. A Limited Non-Career Appointment (LNA) in the Foreign Service is a distinctive opportunity to serve your country for up to 5 years and offers candidates considering a career in the Foreign Service first-hand insights and exploration of potential Foreign Service career paths.
Learn more about this agency10/03/2022 to 10/02/2023
$55,100 - $111,705 per year
The hiring grade for this position ranges from FS-04 to FS-06.
FP 06
No
No
Occasional travel - Successful Consular Fellow LNAs serve overseas and may be required to perform temporary duty travel away from family and/or in difficult or isolated conditions.
Yes—.
Temporary - The appointment is a limited non-career appointment for up to 60 months.
Full-Time
Excepted
04
No
Yes
CFP-2023-0001
681075600
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen and available for work outside the United States. U.S. citizen candidates with dual nationality are ineligible for assignment within their country of dual nationality. Applicants may not reapply for one year after their previous application for the same position. Applicants may not reapply for two years if a State Department Suitability Review Panel denied them suitability within the last two years.
Please visit the Department’s Career Site for more details on the duties and responsibilities of a Consular Fellow.
Special Circumstances
This Consular Fellow LNA appointment is 60 months but may be terminated at any time based on the needs of the Service. A Consular Fellow is assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate with the expectation that the appointment and potential extensions will permit completion of a standard two-year tour of duty. Upon completion of the first tour of duty, the Consular Fellow may be assigned to a different post. Consular Fellows are full professional members of embassy and consulate teams. Consular Fellows, however, do not provide expedited, alternate, preferential, or otherwise special access into the Department of State Foreign Service. These appointments do not lead to onward employment with the Department of State or with the U.S. government. Consular Fellows may apply to become Foreign Service Specialists or Officers, as well as Civil Service employees, but they must meet all applicable qualifications and complete the standard application and assessment processes. Consular Fellows who subsequently enter the Foreign Service as Entry Level Officers are still required to fulfill the consular service requirement. Consular Fellows must also complete 24 months of service as a Consular Fellow before joining the career Foreign Service, if offered such a position.
Candidates applying for the Portuguese and Chinese language programs are hired for service in Brazil and China. Per the Foreign Affairs Manual (3 FAM 2424.5), the Department does not permit U.S. employees to be assigned to posts in countries of which they are nationals. [Additionally, candidates and their family members should be aware that, in general, countries do not extend privileges and immunities to family members who are dual nationals.]
The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for Limited Non-Career Appointment (LNA) Consular Fellow positions. To learn more about the Department of State and the Consular Fellows Program visit the Careers website.
Qualifications for Employment:
For more details on language proficiency review information at Language Tests - Careers (state.gov).
The Consular Fellow LNA appointment is for 60 months but may be terminated at any time, with 30 days’ notice by either the Consular Fellow or the Department. A Consular Fellow is assigned overseas to a U.S. embassy or consulate with the expectation that the appointment and potential extensions will permit completion of a standard two-year tour of duty. Upon completion of the first tour of duty, the Consular Fellow may be assigned to a different post for an additional two-year tour.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
General knowledge of the United States, including customs and culture, society, trends, history, economy, government, political system, and constitution.
Skill in written and oral communication, including English grammar and usage, techniques for effective interpersonal communication, techniques for handling interviews, complaints, sources of information, and public speaking ability.
General skills in computers, including computer operations, common office software programs (e.g., Microsoft), e-mail systems, internet. Successful applicants will receive training in specialized Consular software applications.
General subject matter, including psychology and human behavior, interacting with individuals undergoing stress. Basic mathematics.
Required language fluency as outlined above.
There is no minimum Education requirement for this position.
Other Information:* The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/regs/fam **Please visit the Department’s Career site for more information about Veteran’s Preference and how it is applied in the FS Selection Process.
E-Verify: EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States – either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.
No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, §610 or §611 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.
Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.
It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy), national origin, disability, genetic information, age, political affiliation, marital status, or other non-merit factors.
The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should so advise the Department at the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at OAA@state.gov within one week of receiving an invitation to an oral assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Evaluations:
Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the 12 dimensions of a successful Foreign Service employee Qualifications:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
General knowledge of the United States, including customs and culture, society, trends, history, economy, government, political system, and constitution.
Skill in written and oral communication, including English grammar and usage, techniques for effective interpersonal communication, techniques for handling interviews, complaints, sources of information, and public speaking ability.
General skills in computers, including computer operations, common office software programs (e.g., Microsoft), e-mail systems, internet. Successful applicants will receive training in specialized Consular software applications.
General subject matter, including psychology and human behavior, interacting with individuals undergoing stress.
Required language fluency in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, or Spanish as outlined at Language Tests - Careers (state.gov)
See: Pearson VUE for information on how to submit your application and register to take the Consular Fellow Professional Test. Please do not apply through USAJobs. The How to Apply information below provides detailed instructions. U.S. Department of State Consular Fellows Program Test (CFPT) :: Pearson VUE
Personal Narratives and Statement of Interest:
These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a Consular Fellow. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. The information you give may be used in your oral assessment, should you be invited, and is an important factor in the competitive evaluation of applicants. Responses are limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters) for each item. You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Consular Fellow is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Answers to all items in the Personal Narrative and Statement of Interest are required and the following areas are evaluated as part of the online application: substantive knowledge, intellectual skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, management skills, leadership skills, and motivation for applying.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Steps to Apply:
If you are having technical difficulty with the application process, please contact the Customer Service Desk by calling 1-866-389-8339 (toll free), 1-952-905-7483 (toll) or by utilizing the Chat function on www.pearsonvue.com. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time; closed on local holidays.
For more information on the Consular Fellows hiring process, please visit www.pearsonvue.com/cfpt/ or http://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/consular-fellows/selection-process. If you have any questions regarding the program, email CFPInfo@state.gov.
Candidate Consular Fellow Program Test results and applications are forwarded to the Department of State on a quarterly basis. After the information is received by the Department, all applicants will be notified via e-mail from the U.S. Department of State regarding next steps in the process. We recommend adding the Department of State domain (@state.gov) as an approved sender to your inbox.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/681075600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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