Foreign Service Specialist
The U.S. Department of State offers career opportunities to professionals in specialized functions needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world. As a Foreign Service Specialist, you will provide important technical, management, healthcare or administrative services at any of our more than 270 posts overseas, in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere in the United States.
You’ll receive paid housing or a housing allowance when serving overseas, health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, paid education for dependent children in K-12 overseas, generous paid leave, and an unprecedented chance to see the world and experience different cultures.
The opportunities that exist for Foreign Service Specialists are as diverse as the countries in which they serve. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into 6 major categories: Administration, Building Construction, Operations and Maintenance, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Law Enforcement and Security, and Medical and Health.
Information Technology
The Diplomatic Technology (DT) Bureau empowers the Department’s foreign policy mission by providing secure information technology infrastructure and services in a complex international IT environment. DT plays a pivotal role in enhancing the productivity, efficiency, and global communication capabilities of the Department by offering modern IT tools, approaches, systems, and information services to best support secure, data-informed diplomacy.
Dimensions of a Foreign Service Specialist
What qualities do we seek in a Foreign Service Specialist candidate? The successtul candidate will demonstrate the following dimensions that reflect the skills, abilities, and personal qualities deemed essential to the work or the Foreign Service at the United States Department or State. |
Foreign Service Specialist Career Tracks
The U.S. Department of State offers career opportunities to professionals in specialized functions needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world. As members of the Foreign Service, Specialists provide important technical, management, healthcare, and administrative services at one of more than 270 posts overseas, in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the United States. |
Foreign Service Specialist Selection Process
The Foreign Service Specialist selection process begins with an application, proceeds through the selection process, and for those who succeed, culminates in hiring from the register for assignment to an orientation course that marks the beginning of every Foreign Service career. |