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Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist

Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Summary

This position is located at the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Headquarters in Washington, DC, within the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN), Office of Reactor Conversion and Uranium Supply (NA-231). The incumbent will serve as the Deputy Director for the Program Office.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/16/2026 to 03/30/2026
This job will close when we have received 30 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$169,279 to - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
NQ 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Q Access Authorization
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-NA-20-XA-00355-NNSAL
Control number
861320000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current NNSA Federal employees with competitive status only. NNSA employees with CTAP or RPL eligibility.

Duties

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As a Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist you will:
  • Serve as the Deputy Director of the Office of Reactor Conversion & Uranium Supply (NA-231), supporting the Office Director in providing strategic direction and oversight of M3's efforts to secure nuclear materials worldwide.
  • Co-Oversee the Reactor Conversion and Mo-99 efforts around the world.
  • Support the Office Director in leading the internal management and execution of the NA-231 program, including development and oversight of the execution of annual budgets, development and oversight of execution of program and project plans, development and oversight of program progress and metrics, and building and maintaining strong relationships with the laboratories and contractors supporting the NA-231 program.
  • Represent NA-231 to internal, interagency, and foreign counterparts and conduct briefings for senior DOE/NNSA leadership and other interagency stakeholders on a wide-range of NA-231 topics.
  • Proactively build relationships and collaborate with other M3 programs and with offices across DOE/NNSA on cross-cutting topics.
  • Supervise NA-231 personnel, providing performance feedback and advising and mentoring staff on career development.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Subject to Random Drug Testing
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
  • Favorable suitability determination required.
  • Financial Disclosure is required.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.
  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
  • May be required to successfully complete a one (1) year probationary or two (2) year trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
  • Please limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, you will be disqualified.
Probationary periods are required for new employees appointed to competitive service positions for the first time; or reinstated employees who return to Federal service after a break in service of 30-days or more and who have not completed a probationary period will need to complete the requirement. Trial periods are required for all excepted service employees. Trial periods served in the same position and agency with no break in service will satisfy the requirement.

Qualifications

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. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Mastery knowledge of international relations and foreign affairs of the Government, including relevant U.S. foreign policies and Government-to-Government agreements and other arrangements between the U.S. and international partners sufficient to provide authoritative advice and guidance. Mastery knowledge of nonproliferation programs and efforts carried out by other USG and international agencies and entities and the ability to apply this knowledge to the special circumstances presented by the NA-23 programs and to resolve novel issues.

Examples of Specialized Experience:

  1. Ability to deal with international, national, and local organizations, institutions, and agencies that have concerns about or interest in the nonproliferation of nuclear material.
  2. Ability to lead/manage integrated process teams, develop and implement process improvements. Mastery knowledge of nonproliferation programs and efforts carried out by other USG and international agencies and entities and the ability to apply this knowledge to the special circumstances Ability to lead/manage an integrated process team, develop and implement process improvements.
  3. Ability to lead a team interacting cooperatively with other teams. Ability to prepare decision memoranda, briefing materials, Congressional testimony, speeches, and correspondence for senior management officials, relating to the non-proliferation projects and program issues.


"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.

Education

In addition to meeting the specialized experience listed above, applicants must meet the Basic Requirements for the Foreign Affairs (0130) series which include:

1) 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
2) Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
OR
3) 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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

EDUCATION: Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website, and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

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.**If you are selected, official transcripts will be required.**FOREIGN EDUCATION: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website, and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Please Note: If your foreign education has already been accepted by an accredited U.S. educational institution as part of a degree program with that institution, you do not need to provide an evaluation of foreign education but must submit a copy of the transcripts listing the degree from the U.S. accredited institution that accepted your foreign 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.

Additional information

  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
  • All positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • All males born after December 31,1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
  • A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified applicant in accordance with the Agency policy and applicable regulations.
  • In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
EEO Policy: Click HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE.
Veterans Information: Click HERE.
Telework: Click HERE.
Selective Service Registration: Click HERE.

Information about the NNSA Demonstration project can be found by clicking HERE.

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.

THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS WILL BE IN TWO STAGES:

Minimum Qualifications:
Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

Structured Resume Review: The Human Resources Office/Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume to determine your technical qualifications.

Additional documentation (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) may not be considered.

A quality review will then be conducted by the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME). Your application is rated based on the extent and quality of your experience, education (if applicable to the job), and training described in your online resume/questionnaire as related to the duties of this position. The quality categories are usually defined as "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified" and "Qualified". Veterans Preference eligible candidates will be listed at the top of whichever category your score places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below.
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12901142

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