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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICER

Department of the Army
Joint Activities
Headquarters United States Forces Korea (USFK)

Summary

About the Position: The incumbent will utilize expert knowledge of the U.S. interagency process to develop engagements that foster relationships for effective collaboration; will create and maintain a working-level network across agencies in multiple nations to support these efforts; and will lead and oversee analysis for the Commander, both on and off the peninsula, concerning the political-military environment as it pertains to key leader engagements.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/27/2026 to 05/11/2026
Salary
$126,384 - $164,301 per year

Salary range listed does not include locality pay. Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.

Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
PYONG TAEK, South Korea
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Expected travel for this position is up to twenty percent (20%).
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
FEFK-26-12942398-MP
Control number
866713300

Duties

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  • Directs and leads the conduct of analysis for the Commander, on and off-peninsula, regarding the political-military situation as it relates to key leader engagements
  • Provides quantitative and qualitative analysis of a variety of political-military engagement initiatives and projects.
  • Advises and staffs the Commander in all international relations and political-military engagement efforts.
  • Directs and leads in the design, coordination, and some elements of execution of political-military engagement strategies, initiatives, platforms, events, and engagements.
  • Designs, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes, implements, and assesses internal and external political-military engagement campaigns that powerfully communicates political-military and strategic messages and themes at the senior leadership level.
  • Leads the integration of international relations and political-military considerations into all aspects of military affairs on the Korean peninsula, including strategy, policy, plans, strategic communication, operations, and sustainment.
  • Reviews legislation and policies from Congress, the administration, OSD, the Joint Staff and Department of Army (DA) to perform its mission, particularly in the area of political-military engagement.
  • Provides direct input used in core engagement aspects of the development of command, and bi-lateral ROK-US Operations Plans (OPLANs) and Concept Plans (CONPLANs) for crisis, exercise and war.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement.
  • Obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Position requires that employee pass screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment and subsequent periodic drug screening thereafter.
  • Incumbent must be able to travel on temporary duty (TDY) 20% or more of the time.
  • This position is considered considered emergency essential to support the Command’s mobilization and wartime mission during periods of increasing tension and mobilization.
  • Emergency essential employees may be required to undergo nuclear-biological and chemical training and to participate in readiness tests, mobilization, alerts, and field training exercises.
  • Employee must pass a medical examination and receive required immunizations for the overseas/deployed location.
  • Selectee must obtain a Special Issuance Passport ("Official Passport") prior to travel. Command-sponsored dependents (if applicable) are required to obtain official passports.
  • Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives and student loan repayment, may be offered in accordance with established policies and procedures.
  • Eligible for situational telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "Unscheduled Telework".

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions
  • Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Reinstatement
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirements:

A. 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

B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in one or more of the social sciences, or in the humanities, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

C. 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.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Evaluation of Qualifying Experience: Qualifying experience that provided knowledge of a foreign country or geographic area may have been gained through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or inter-national relief work, or other experience in foreign countries. It may also have been gained through teaching college-level courses in international relations or problems associated with a specific foreign geographic area. Based on your experience, your resume must include 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 involving a high level of difficulty and responsibility in one or more of these fields.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience
which includes: Extensive experience leading and managing high-level political-military engagement initiatives; Leveraging interagency and governmental processes to design, synchronize, and evaluate comprehensive strategic engagement campaigns that effectively communicate and implement national and alliance policies; AND delivering actionable political-military analysis and counsel to senior military commanders, by integrating complex international relations considerations into operational planning and policy development.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks, must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).

***Special Note for Military Members***

MILITARY RETIREES:
A retired member of the Armed Forces may not be appointed to a civilian position in DoD (including a non-appropriated fund position) within 180 days after retirement, unless the following conditions have been met: the Secretary concerned authorizes the appointment; or the position is authorized special pay under 5 U.S.C. 5305; or a state of national emergency exists.

MILITARY SEPARATED (NON-RETIREE): Military members may be appointed while on terminal leave, before the effective date of their military separation. Applications will only be accepted from members of the Armed Forces that indicate they are immediately appointable within 120 days.

Education

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://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • This position may require a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.
  • Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information and direct questions concerning a specific country (Foreign Duty Location) to the appropriate Army Human Resources point of contact prior to the acceptance of employment and your entrance on duty.
  • This is a(n) 60 Career Field position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
  • Defense National Relocation Program will not be authorized.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.

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.

As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structured evaluation measures your qualifications, experience, and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration.

Once the announcement has closed a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and response to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualifications requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, error or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Planning and Evaluating


The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Joint Activities

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Camp Humphreys: USAG Humphreys is in the Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in the Republic of Korea. USAG Humphreys is an hour and a half drive south of Seoul, 40 minutes south of Osan Air Base, and 15 minutes from the city of Pyeongtaek. USAG Humphreys is not far from nightlife, restaurants, and shopping. The Humphreys Exchange and Commissary, Food Court and Restaurants offer typical American amenities.

Please review South Korea's prescription medication & Drug regulations here: https://kr.usembassy.gov/services-controlled-substance/.

Note: Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives and student loan repayment, may be offered in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FK-APF-W095AA USAE US FORCES KOREA
DO NOT MAIL
APO, AP 96271
US

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