Foreign Service Construction Engineer

Summary

The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Foreign Service Construction Engineering positions. Learn more about Foreign Service careers at https://careers.state.gov. There is more to joining the Foreign Service than just salary. Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation.

Duties

• The following are typical duties, performed at various grade levels, during a career as a Construction Engineer (CE). Overseas Assignments Although specific assignments vary, most overseas assignments include the following major responsibility areas and example tasks: Project Direction and Coordination Establishes and manages the field office. Administers contracts and oversees contractor performance. Negotiates and liaises with host country officials. Coordinates official project visitors and manages relationships with local stakeholders. Serves as liaison between OBO field team and embassy leadership and personnel. Project Management Monitors project activities and project schedules. Ensures effective records management for project documents. Coordinates with Contracting Officer to resolve and process claims. Utilizes information technology to support project management. Reviews and accepts contractor submittals and other required submissions. Identifies and manages project risks and balances competing priorities. Quality Assurance Implements the government's quality assurance program for compliance with contract requirements. Monitors and reports on the contractor's quality control program, including inspections, procurement, and trade qualifications. Hires and supervises quality assurance staff. Financial Management Manages project budgets and financial controls. Reviews contractor schedule of values and progress payment requests. Prepares cost estimates and evaluates the impact of proposed changes. Implements and monitors financial controls to control costs. Safety Monitors and reports on contractor's compliance with contract and federal safety requirements. Security Promotes security awareness and implements protection measures. Coordinates management of security staff and ensures document security. Preconstruction Conducts design and constructability reviews. Evaluates host-country conditions affecting project delivery. Commissioning and Close-Out Coordinates commissioning of systems and project close-out activities. Oversees final inspections. Liaises with commissioning agents and ensures hand-over of spare parts and materials. Coordinates installation schedules and commissioning training. Supports transition from construction to operations. Provides contractor performance ratings to Contracting Officials. Domestic Assignments Although specific assignments vary, most domestic assignments include the following major responsibility areas and example tasks: Project Development Participates in the development of new construction projects as the construction subject matter expert. Develops general construction requirements and participates in project planning. Recommends procurement and execution strategies. Informs project schedule and supports requirements. Advocates for operability and security management concerns. Serves on technical evaluation panels and assists in prequalifying bidders. Project Support Liaises with security personnel. Travels to project sites as needed. Advises contracting officer and prepares progress reports. Provides temporary project supervision when required. Administrative Support May serve as liaison between OBO and senior Department leadership. Performs administrative tasks to support overseas project teams. Manages project data. Participates in recruiting and hiring. Completes required training.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience Specialized experience demonstrates that the candidate has acquired, and is able to apply, a combination of specific knowledge, skills, and abilities appropriate to a Foreign Service Construction Engineer position. Specialized experience must show that candidates have an in-depth knowledge of their field and can perform engineering or architectural duties related to construction at Department of State projects in varying locations and conditions. Candidates must demonstrate that their job-related experience has been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility through such indicators as promotions, raises, increases in duties and responsibilities, and organizational and employee impact. At the time of application, candidates must possess at least three years of specialized experience in the last 10 years, working in the field on major vertical construction projects, to be considered for this position. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Reviewing, interpreting, and verifying construction drawings, architectural plans, engineering documents, and specifications to ensure compliance; identifying errors, ambiguities, or omissions; and providing corrective recommendations. Inspecting construction techniques, procedures, standards, and materials to confirm construction is performed in accordance with approved plans and specifications. Implementing quality control and quality assurance practices and procedures for construction projects, including applying test procedures and using relevant equipment. Applying safety practices and procedures to construction projects. Developing and applying construction scheduling techniques; monitoring project progress; identifying causes for delays; and implementing corrective actions. Managing financial elements of construction projects, such as monitoring project costs, reviewing and certifying contractor progress payment requests, forecasting total construction expenses, and managing project budgets. Analyzing and negotiating contract change orders, addressing potential or actual claims, and reaching acceptable cost and time settlements. Utilizing computer software for construction project management and fiscal control. Anticipating potential problems, developing actionable options, and recommending effective solutions. Preparing and delivering presentations and reports on project status, findings, and recommendations. Communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing, with technical and non-technical personnel. Demonstrating leadership, team building, and consensus-building skills with colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates. Specialized experience must have been obtained through assignments to field sites on vertical construction projects. Vertical construction projects include, but are not limited to: Multi-story buildings. Large-scale residential and commercial developments. Warehouses. Substituting Education for Specialized Experience Candidates who have a Master of Architecture or Master of Engineering degree in one of the disciplines listed under Education Requirements, from a program meeting the accreditation requirements, in addition to possessing a qualifying Bachelor of Science degree in the majors listed under Education Requirements, qualify to substitute the Master's degree for one year of Specialized Experience toward satisfying the minimum requirement. Transcripts for both the Bachelor's and Master's degrees must be submitted with the application. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities The Department conducted extensive job analysis research to determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other attributes conducive to successful performance in this position. The Department will consider a candidate's education level, work experience, and other qualifications as part of the hiring decision-making process based on these KSA criteria. Knowledge Knowledge of engineering principles and practices. Knowledge of building and construction. Knowledge of vertical construction. Knowledge of design. Knowledge of architectural and engineering drawings. Knowledge of emerging technologies and industry trends. Knowledge of construction tools and equipment. Knowledge of construction costs. Knowledge of construction safety practices and procedures. Knowledge of project management principles. Knowledge of scheduling. Knowledge of risk management. Knowledge of statements of work. Knowledge of commissioning. Knowledge of administration and management. Knowledge of budget management. Knowledge of computers. Knowledge of mathematics. Skills Skill in writing statements of work. Skill in producing and reading architectural and engineering drawings. Skill in administering contracts. Skill in establishing procedures. Skill in project management. Skill in time management. Skill in resource management. Skill in risk analysis. Skill in leadership and staff supervision. Skill in motivating employees and others. Skill in managing laterally and upward. Skill in personnel evaluating and interviewing. Skill in interpersonal relationships. Skill in building relationships. Skill in providing customer service. Skill in working with others with different backgrounds. Skill in leading a multinational workgroup. Skill in running meetings. Skill in teamwork. Skill in coordination with external stakeholders. Skill in critical thinking. Skill in creative problem solving. Skill in decision making. Skill in written communication. Skill in reporting. Skill in oral communication. Skill in active listening. Skill in negotiation. Skill in computer technology. Skill in knowledge management. Skill in data analysis. Skill in research. Skill in adaptability and resilience. Skill in self-development. Other Requirements Cross-cultural interest. Tolerance for working overseas. Tolerance of varying work environments. Acceptance of assignments based on the needs of the Foreign Service. Tolerance of living away from family. Continuous learning. Attention to detail. Dependability. Integrity. Willingness to perform other duties. Essential Physical Requirements Some of the essential functions of the job have a physically demanding component. In the execution of the duties and tasks listed above, Construction Engineers must have the ability to: Work in confined areas such as crawl spaces, attics, utility pits, tunnels, utility access holes, and other confined spaces. Work from heights such as rooftops, ledges, and scaffolding, including climbing extension ladders and scaffolding. Move and handle heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) such as equipment, tools, and other building materials. See objects that are near, far, in color, or at night, possibly including depth perception. Hear speech or other sounds, possibly including sufficient sensitivity to hear sounds of low volume or in noisy environments. Manage periodic work that requires regular and recurring periods of prolonged standing, bending, and stretching.

Education

At the time of application, candidates must possess one of the following: Bachelor of Science from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in one of the following disciplines: Civil/Structural Engineering Construction Engineering Technologies Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Architectural Engineering OR Bachelor of Architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB). OR Master of Architecture from a program accredited by NAAB. Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of program completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign Education Foreign education acquired outside of any state of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S. must be in one of the acceptable engineering disciplines listed above and must be evaluated by a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services (NACES or AICE) to be given credit towards qualification. The accredited interpretation must include the summary and the foreign education transcripts. The Department of State will not accept foreign education transcripts that have not been evaluated by a credential evaluation service and will terminate the candidacy. Candidates with a degree in engineering from a foreign institution must also hold a current engineering license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Candidates must submit a copy of their current license to demonstrate this requirement for their candidacy to be considered. The Department of State does not accept expired licenses. OR A foreign architectural degree must have been evaluated by the National Architectural Accrediting Board's Education Evaluation Services for Architects and found to be legitimate and comparable to that expected of a candidate with U.S. credentials. Candidates must provide a copy of the letter issued by NAAB that indicates the education standards have been met. This documentation must be included in the application for the Department to consider the candidacy. Candidates with a degree in architecture from a foreign institution must also hold a current professional architecture or engineering license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Candidates must submit a copy of their current license to demonstrate this requirement for their candidacy to be considered. The Department of State does not accept expired licenses. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Foreign Education section, and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service. OPM: www.opm.gov U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov Please refer to the Required Documents section on how to submit the required educational documentation for this position.

Requirements

The Department of State's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), Office of Construction Management, manages a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of overseas construction projects. Construction Engineers (CE) serve as key members of U.S. government teams, ensuring that construction is executed in accordance with all applicable plans, specifications, schedules, and standards. CEs must demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, dependability, attention to detail, teamwork, and cooperation. The position requires flexibility, including frequent travel, overseas assignments, and, when necessary, extended periods away from family. In addition to Education requirements, at the time of application, candidates must possess a minimum of: Three years of Specialized Experience for consideration at FP-04 level; Five years of Specialized Experience for consideration at FP-03 level

Key requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen and accept assignments based on the needs of the FS.*
• Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Be able to meet the minimum medical qualification standard.
• Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
• Be at least 20 years old to apply
• at least 21 years old to be appointed.
• Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***

Evaluations

The Department of State evaluates candidates on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. The Department of State will select only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications for this position. Part-time work experience will be prorated. The Department of State prohibits candidates from plagiarizing any portion of their employment application materials, including responses to questions in which candidates must provide a narrative response. Candidates must create their own responses originally and not copy or adapt them from other sources. The Department analyzes candidate submissions for plagiarism and will discontinue any individual's candidacy if found to have violated this plagiarism policy. While the Department of State encourages candidates to create their narratives with great care, including correct use of grammar and style, candidates are prohibited from using any artificial intelligence (AI) tool, including but not limited to ChatGPT, to aid in their written responses. The Department will discontinue any individual's candidacy if found to have violated this prohibition on use of AI tools in the application process. The Department of State reserves the right to cancel and/or disqualify any application or to withhold test results when, in its judgment, a testing irregularity occurs. Testing irregularities include, but are not limited to, candidate misconduct, plagiarism as mentioned above, and/or misrepresentation of material fact, including in narrative descriptions of accomplishments. The Department may verify content provided by candidates by contacting references. It also conducts extensive background checks of work and education history of candidates offered employment. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

How to apply

The application submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Complete the application process by registering to take the Construction Engineer Test (CET) as indicated in the steps below. Do not apply through USAJobs. Visit https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/dos/specialist.html and create a web account. Follow the instructions to complete application process. Answer any self-assessment questions. Your information is automatically saved as you proceed. You may interrupt the application process and return to it at any time until you submit. Complete, review, and submit the information. Once submitted, your information will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position. Candidates have until two weeks after the closing date of the vacancy announcement to register with Pearson VUE and complete the online skills test. Select an appointment date to take the CET at one of Pearson VUE's test centers. The test is an important part of the selection process, covering the Job Knowledge, English Expression, and Situational Judgment necessary to perform the functions of this position. If you are having technical difficulty with the application process, please contact the Pearson VUE Customer Service Desk by calling 1-888-671-2197 (toll free), 1-952-905-7483 (toll), or by utilizing the Chat function at www.pearsonvue.com. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time and is closed on local holidays.

What to expect next

Pearson VUE forwards candidates' test results and information to the Department of State. After the Department of State receives the information, it will notify all candidates via the email provided during the application process of the next steps. Candidates should add the Department of State domain (@state.gov) as an approved sender to their inbox. Due to the high volume of applications, we ask all candidates to remain patient and await communication. Several months may pass before candidates are informed of the application results.

Required documents

When requested, candidates with qualifying scores must submit the following documentation to demonstrate they possess the educational level and specialized skills required for this position. Candidates should add @state.gov as a trusted sender. Neither the Department of State nor Pearson VUE is responsible for the failure of a candidate's internet service provider to deliver email messages. Education and Other Documents: Candidates must submit the documentation below to demonstrate they possess the educational level required, or the Department of State will terminate the candidacy. Official/unofficial college/university transcripts are accepted. The Department of State does not accept university diplomas in lieu of transcripts, nor does the Department accept progress reports or grade reports. All documents must comply with the following requirements to be accepted: Be in PDF format. The Department of State will reject other formats. Be an attachment. The Department of State will reject documents sent via link, secured message, or in any other non-attachment format, or sent directly from credential evaluation services. Be complete with no missing pages. Be legible. Transcripts must include the candidate's full name, the school's name, and the degree and date awarded/conferred. Candidates with a name change should submit an official document reflecting the change. All foreign education transcripts must adhere to additional requirements. See Foreign Education Information in the Education Requirements section. Professional Licenses: Certifications and/or Licenses must adhere to the same requirements as transcripts. Candidates with a degree in Engineering or Architecture from a foreign institution must submit a copy of their current Professional Engineer or Architect License/Registration showing the expiration date with the application package. Failure to include this document will disqualify the application. Veterans' Preference Documentation for candidates aged 60 to 64. If claiming Veterans' Preference, a copy of the candidate's DD-214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty" — which must include the candidate's Character of Service — must be submitted with the application. If claiming a 10-point Veterans' Preference, the candidate's VA letter and SF-15 must be submitted in addition to the DD-214. A certification from the armed forces is required only if a veteran has not yet received their DD-214. It must confirm that the service member is expected to be discharged under honorable conditions within 120 days and include service dates, expected discharge date, character of service, and any applicable disability rating.

Benefits

Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, and paid leave. Overseas benefits include tax-free housing and a tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K–12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures. Foreign Service Construction Engineers are hired at the FP-04 or FP-03 grade based on education and experience. The salary range listed is extracted from the Foreign Service Overseas and Washington pay scales. The Department determines the starting step in part by the highest education level achieved and specialized experience beyond minimum qualifications. Individuals already working in government positions may be appointed based on their highest previous rate as a federal employee. For information on salary, please view our Foreign Service Entry Salaries.

Other information

*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) – Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required. U.S. law requires companies to employ only individuals who may legally work in the U.S. – 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. **The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information, please visit: https://fam.state.gov/ ***For more information about Veterans' Preference and how it is applied in the selection process, please visit: https://careers.state.gov/faq-items/are-veterans-given-hiring-preference/ No candidate will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under §607, §608, §610, or §612 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no candidate will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof. A Foreign Service Specialist separated pursuant to §§306, 607, 608, 610, or 612 may not reapply to be in the same skill code but may apply for another skill code or to be a Foreign Service Generalist. A Foreign Service Generalist separated pursuant to §§306, 607, 608, 610, or 612 may not reapply as a Generalist but may apply to a Foreign Service Specialist vacancy. Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 and retaliation, in accordance with the standards set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to qualified candidates with disabilities. Procedures vary by test type, and all candidates must request reasonable accommodations in advance. For information on requesting reasonable accommodations, please visit: https://careers.state.gov/requesting-reasonable-accommodations/ Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. 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.