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Foreign Affairs Specialist

Department of Defense
Missile Defense Agency
International Security Cooperation and Assistance
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The position(s) covered by this vacancy announcement is in the Department of Defense (DoD) Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project (AcqDemo). For more information please see: AcqDemo

This position is being filled under AcqDemo Direct Hiring Authority (DHA) for non-acquisition positions involving 51% or more of time in direct support of acquisition positions within Business and Technical Management Professional Career path.


Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/07/2025 to 10/15/2025
Salary
$142,488 to - $195,200 per year

Position (includes 33.94% locality), unless statutory/regulatory rates prevail

Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fort Belvoir, VA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
MDA-26-12808477-DH
Control number
847677800

Duties

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As a Foreign Affairs Specialist at the NH-0130-4 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Develops and promotes international engagement with allied partners through the use of Department of Defense tools such as cooperative research and development, loans security assistance, and participation in international/bilateral activities/events.
  • Negotiates international agreements (government-to-government Memoranda of Understanding and Project Arrangements) and leads U.S. negotiating teams on AGENCY agreements.
    Coordinates the acquisition process with OSD.
  • Develops, establishes, and promotes agency's position on political-military matters, international acquisition and security assistance and related negotiating strategies.
  • Recommends new policy and implementing procedures for Allied government and industry participation in the strategic Ballistic Missile Defense BMD program.
  • Identifies issues to define and develop pragmatic and technical material for the use in position papers, reports, briefings, testimony, and Congressional inquiries.
  • Uses expertise to develop material for meetings with executive and senior DoD policy and acquisition officials.
  • Plans, directs, leads, and travels with agency technical teams to Allied countries to interpret and enforce policy and procedural aspects of cooperative agreements pertaining to the BMDS.
  • Develops, coordinates, and leads fact-finding visits by Allied government and industrial delegations to agency and the national laboratories, contractors, and other research establishments.
  • Educates potential regional international partners on BMDS concepts and goals by leading, planning, and executing International Workshops.
  • Serves as regional liaison between agency and allied and friendly governments, foreign embassies, and industry as well as U.S. Embassies and Combatant Commands overseas and agencies external to the Department of Defense.
  • Plans, coordinates, and executes international visits to agency and agency senior leader visits abroad.
  • Manages agency participation at regional bilateral/multilateral/ international committees and represents agency as assigned.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Occasional Travel
  • Work Schedule: Full-time
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Required
  • Telework Eligibility: This position is not telework eligible
  • Employee must obtain/maintain Special Sensitive (SCI) security clearance
  • Pre-employment urinalysis testing and random testing required.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the NH 04, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-03/GS-13 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:

  • Experience with assigned countries, complex weapon systems, weapon technology programs and master plan, and foreign capabilities in order to develop, establish and promote agency's position on political military matters, international acquisition and security assistance and agency policy with international implications in the Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS) arena.
  • Proficient in the DoD Acquisition System and various Security Cooperation tools: cooperative research and development, loans, and security assistance in order to identify and inform senior management and Allied participants of potential areas of benefit for cooperative research.
  • Involvement with international politics and attitudes, intra and inter-agency operating procedures and working knowledge of pertinent aspects of technology transfer, foreign disclosure, export control policy, and treaty obligations in order to lead agency technical teams to Allied countries to interpret and enforce policy and procedural aspects of cooperative agreements pertaining to the BMDS.
  • Experience in interpersonal relations in developing and maintaining close working relations with the corresponding ability to apply such knowledge in working cooperatively as part of a team and with Allied partners and industry.
  • Competence with oral and written communication skills and corresponding ability to apply them in order to develop, prepare and present complex material to various groups (from senior level DoD and external agencies to audiences that include foreign participation).
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.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

Other Notes:

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.



Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov))

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements.

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency.

For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx


Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are claiming military spouse preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed below preference eligible veteran candidates and above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist, save the document and attach it to your application package.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program(ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria AND 2) be rated well-qualified for the position AND 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified means you possess the type and quality of experience that exceeds the position's minimum qualifications. See the Required Documents section of this announcement for more information.

Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the " Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp)" eligibility. If you are claiming Military Spouse eligibility and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager. Information and required documentation for claiming Military Spouse eligibility may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below.

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