Management Officers do oversee many of the specialist positions, but not all. Office Management Specialists, Diplomatic Security Service Specialists, Regional Public Engagement Specialists and Regional English Language Officers are some of the exceptions, and report directly to other officers.
Yes, there is an initial orientation lasting three weeks followed by additional specialized training lasting up to 17 weeks, depending on the job specialty.
Yes, candidates for all Foreign Service Specialist positions take the specialist assessment, and most are conducted virtually. All Foreign Service Specialist assessments share common elements and are judged according to the same dimensions, but there are some differences in the exam according to the specialty. Please review the Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Specialist for more information on the Specialist Assessment. . Please review the Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Specialist for more information on the Specialist Assessment.
No. The hiring process is different for Foreign Service Specialists. For more information, visit the Seven Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Specialist page on careers.state.gov
Yes. You must be at least 20 years old to apply and 21 years old to be appointed. For most positions you must be appointed prior to age 60 (preference-eligible veterans excepted). Diplomatic Security Foreign Service Special Agents must be appointed before they reach age 37 (preference-eligible veterans excepted).
The U.S. Department of State offers career opportunities to professionals in specialized functions needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into eight major categories : Administration, Construction Engineering, Facility Management, Information Technology, International
Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Law Enforcement and Security. Click on the link to learn about the different positions within each category: /career-paths/foreign-service/specialist/fss-career-tracks/