Employment

Post on: 16 Март, 2015 No Comment

Foreign Service Officer

The United States & Foreign Commercial Service (U.S. Commercial Service) is one of four official Foreign Affairs Agencies under the Foreign Service Act of 1980. The U.S. Commercial Service is responsible for commercial affairs. The U.S. Commercial Service, through its customized business solutions, creates economic prosperity and more and better jobs for all Americans.

Foreign Service Officers in the Commercial Service are typically assigned to foreign posts, such as U.S. embassies and consulates, to promote the export of U.S. goods and services, attract foreign investment into the United States and defend U.S. commercial interests abroad. Commercial Officers also serve a mandatory tour of duty at an Export Assistance Center within the United States early in their careers and are encouraged to serve tours at Department of Commerce Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Requirements

Foreign Service Officers in the Commercial Service should meet the following requirements:

Possess a BA or BS degree and have three years of specialized trade promotion experience.
Be a U.S. citizen.
Be between the ages of 21 and 59
Be available for a worldwide assignment and be willing to relocate approximately every 3-4 years.
Be able to obtain Medical and Top Secret Clearances and pass a drug test.

Assessment Application Process

The U.S. Commercial Service Assessment is a competitive, oral and written examination used to recruit and select new, tenure-track Foreign Service Officers into the U.S. Commercial Service. Candidates who pass the initial online application screening process receive an invitation for the one-day oral assessment.

Top candidates who pass an oral assessment exam are placed on a list called the Rank Order Register, which is valid for two years. The agency uses this Register to extend conditional offers of employment to candidates, as vacancies become available, pending the successful completion of a Top Secret security clearance, a medical clearance and drug testing.

Individuals with an interest in a Foreign Commercial Service Officer career can send an email to CSCareers@trade.gov to be added to our assessment information listserv.

Please Note: The initial online application is not currently active, and there is no link to it that is accessible at this time. Those on the CS Careers listserv will receive notice and a link to the application when it goes live on USA Jobs at a yet-to-be-determined date.

Limited Appointments

Limited Non-career Foreign Service Officers (Limiteds) are members of the general public, hired as Foreign Commercial Service Officers for specific duty stations and tours of duty based on specialized skill or experience that they possess. Limited Non-career Foreign Service Officers’ first tours of duty are limited to two years. There is no promise, implicit or explicit, of onward assignment or other further employment with the U.S. Commercial Service at the termination of the initial two-year tour of duty, any extension(s), or subsequent Limited Non-career appointment(s). Limiteds cannot serve with the U.S. Commercial Service more than five consecutive years. These positions are advertised on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website when available. You can access this website from the following link: www.usajobs.gov. Just click on the search jobs link, and conduct an agency search for Department of Commerce listings.

Civil Service

For a complete listing of all Civil Service positions with the U.S. Department of Commerce, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website, click on the search jobs link, and conduct an agency search for U.S. Department of Commerce listings. You can access this website from the following link: www.usajobs.gov .

Student Volunteer Internships

The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) is an organization dedicated to helping U.S. companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, compete and win in the global economy. We are a field-based network of approximately 1,400 trade professionals located in more than 100 U.S. cities and over 125 overseas offices in over 70 countries who provide commercial diplomacy and trade promotion support to U.S. companies. We guide companies through every step of the export process, from shipping and logistics to learning about foreign regulations. We offer trade counseling and advocacy and customized solutions to enter new markets and overcome exporting hurdles.

The purpose of the Student Volunteer Internship Program is to provide college or university juniors, seniors, and graduate students with hands-on experience working for US&FCS. The program is uncompensated and designed to encourage students to consider careers in the international business field. Internships are considered to be adjunct to an applicants education, and students may earn academic credit for this experience depending on their schools policy. Students must be currently enrolled and taking at least one-half of a full-time academic workload. They must also plan to continue their education immediately upon termination of their internship.

Interns typically serve for one semester or quarter during their academic year, or for a minimum of 10 weeks during the summer. U.S. citizenship and good academic standing are required. In addition, internships are contingent upon the successful completion of a Security Assurance Check.

While US&FCS Student Volunteer Internships are unpaid, students at our Headquarters location in Washington, DC may be eligible to receive transit benefits for the duration of volunteer service. Additionally, interns can participate in the International Trade Administrations Intern Network, which provides opportunities for career development, including networking events and speaker series.

U.S. Field Office Opportunities

How to Apply

Students seeking internships at one of our U.S. Field Offices are requested to correspond directly with the Senior Trade Specialist (STS) in the particular city in which they are interested in serving. Correspondence should include a resume and cover letter to the STS detailing why the student is interested in working for the US&FCS.

If accepted we will need.

If the initial application is accepted, a prospective intern will be required to complete the additional application materials listed below:

Volunteer Service Agreement Form
OF-306 (Declaration for Federal Employment)
Consumer Credit Report Release
2 Fingerprint Cards
Form I-9

Where are the opportunities?

Please check our complete listing of our U.S. field offices and contact information for staff.

Headquarters Opportunities

Internships with the US&FCS operations in Washington, DC provide students with hands-on experience in a wide range of offices throughout the organization. Whether assisting with trade missions, helping to manage the organizations strategic resources or crafting speeches and press releases, Headquarters interns play key roles in supporting the US&FCS mission.

How to Apply

Students seeking interships with the US&FCS at Headquarters should submit the following materials to the address listed in the ITA Student Volunteer Internship Program.

If any additional materials (writing samples, references) are required, students will be contacted directly by their prospective supervisor.

If accepted we will need.

If you are selected for an internship at the US&FCS Headquarters, you will be required to complete the following additional documents listed below prior to the commencement of your internship: