USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID works to help lift lives, build communities, and advance democracy. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity; demonstrates American generosity; and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. We operate in five regions of the world: Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia.
You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.
This is a Foreign Service announcement. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position.
Foreign Service Environment Officers provide technical leadership and assistance to partner countries to achieve national and global environmental conservation, climate change and sustainable development goals. Environment Officers represent the US Government and engage in country and sector-level strategic planning and coordination with host country governmental and non-governmental organizations, other development donors, international organizations and a range of US government agencies to support the design, management, monitoring, evaluation, oversight and reporting for environment programs that are funded by USAID and implemented by NGOs, the private sector, international organizations, or host government partners. Throughout a Foreign Service career, officers will likely assume positions that entail supervision of one or more staff and/or management of a team or office within USAID. Foreign Service Environment Officers may have expertise in a particular environment sector and/or region but during the course of their careers, they can expect to have to work across a range of environmental issues in different regions of the world.
Specific duties include but are not limited to:
Strategic planning and coordination Design and procure assessments and studies to inform country level strategic plans for USAID and for partner country governments; work towards the integration of environmental objectives across other development sectors; serves as a liaison with partner country government and non-government counterparts, other USAID offices, bilateral and multilateral donors, other USG agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to coordinate and communicate environmental program or project activities in furtherance of USG foreign assistance goals and within budget parameters.
Program design Help USAID prepare, evaluate, and award new projects through a competitive procurement process by translating strategies, analyses, and program concepts into functional statements of work (including budget estimates) for award of contracts, cooperative agreements, grants and inter-agency agreements that deliver results across a range of environment sectors.
Program management Adaptively manage assistance instruments, and contracts to achieve environment and development objectives while providing effective financial oversight and environmental soundness.
Monitoring, evaluation, oversight, and reporting Develop and implement performance monitoring systems and indicators at the strategic, sector, and activity levels for environmental programs.
Plan and oversee assessments and evaluations of programs to determine development impact and return on investment. Provide reports and communication to Washington to assist the Agency in reporting on annual performance and telling the story of the impacts of USAID’s environmental programs.
Supervision and Management Throughout a Foreign Service career, likely assume positions that entail supervision of one or more staff and/or management of a team or office within USAID. Support professional development of other staff, conduct an annual evaluation process, and address any conduct or performance issues that may arise.
Representation:
Act as U.S. Government representative in formal and informal settings related to the position and as a member of the diplomatic community.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- United States Citizenship is required.
- Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security clearance.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
- Worldwide Availability. Worldwide availability is a requirement of the position. While USAID uses a bidding system for assignments, Foreign Service Officers must be willing and available to accept assignments to any country where USAID operates.
- Must be between 18 and 59 years old at time of application, unless the applicant is a Veteran. Veteran, must be between 18 and 64 years old at time of application.
- Class 1 Medical Clearance (no identifiable medical condition that would limit assignment). A medical clearance or waiver is required prior to being hired for this position verifying that the applicant is able to serve at any USAID overseas post.
- Foreign Language Proficiency is not required to apply; however, applicants who demonstrate proficiency in a USAID tenuring language will have an opportunity to test via phone for bonus points to be added to their interview score.
- Drug Testing. These are Testing Designated Positions under the Agency’s approved Drug Free Work-Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.
- Languages: Bilingual preferred; at a minimum, the ability to communicate proficiently in a second spoken or signed language.
Qualifications
Relevant majors for graduate degrees are environment-focused graduate degrees. Illustrative degrees include: environmental sciences; environmental management; climate change; natural resources management (such as forestry, wildlife, wild lands or parks management, marine fisheries, coastal resources management); clean energy; water security; biology or ecology; environmental law and regulation; environmental engineering; environmental medicine or health; wildlife veterinary medicine; environmental economics; or sustainable urban or regional planning.A degree in a social/behavioral science with a demonstrable specialization related to the illustrative degrees above is also acceptable.
Relevant Professional experience includes jobs that entail applying at least one or more of the technical competencies described below through a paid or unpaid position.
Relevant diverse experience includes working and living: (1) in a foreign country, nation, territory, or tribe or (2) in an economically disadvantaged community in the United States. The applicant will need to demonstrate the diverse experience is relevant to the technical competencies for an environment Foreign Service Officer listed below. The experience in (1) and (2) above must have been achieved after the Bachelor’s degree and by the close of the announcement date.
General Competencies: In addition, an Environment Foreign Service Officer is expected to have the following general competencies upon joining USAID:
Interpersonal Skills Customer Service Written Communication Oral Communication Adaptability and Flexibility Information Gathering, Analysis, and Problem Solving Consensus Building Budgeting and Financial Management Decision Making Influencing/Negotiating Collaboration Cross Cultural integration Inclusion
Technical Competencies: An Environment Foreign Service Officer is expected to have one or more of these technical areas upon joining USAID. They will be expected to obtain the rest through on-the-job experience and training with USAID once they become an Environment Officer.
1. Cross-Sectoral Programming, Implications and Relationships
Programming that links and integrates key environmental sectors (natural resources management, biodiversity, water security, climate change, energy, land tenure and urban) with other development sectors (i.e., economic growth, democracy and governance, health, agriculture, gender, etc.) to achieve optimum development and environment results.
2. Business, Markets, Trade, Economics and the Environment
Factors that encourage or constrain businesses, markets, trade and economic development related to key environmental sectors (natural resource management, biodiversity, water security, climate change, energy, land, and urban) including legal and regulatory environment, business incentives, social safeguards, capital flows, and promotion of market development and trade.
3. Environmental and Social Compliance:
Compliance of all USAID development sector programs with environment and social elements of relevant legislation, regulations and policies.
4. Environment and Governance
Capacity to create, reform, implement, and maintain systems of governance, including institutional arrangements that positively affect development, environment and natural resource management outcomes.
5. Enhancing Impact through Science, Technology, and Evidence-based Learning:
Uses science, technology and learning to enhance Agency environmental programs.
6. Natural Resources Management
Sound and relevant sustainable natural resources management approaches and their implications for USAID, the host country and cross-sectoral development.
7. Biodiversity Conservation
Biodiversity programming that is compliant with USAID’s Biodiversity Code and uses a theory of change to strengthen design and adaptive management.
8. Water Security:
Best practices that support water security, including sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and water resources management in alignment with the U.S. Global Water Strategy.
9. Climate Change and Development:
Sound and relevant approaches to addressing and mainstreaming climate change considerations (including adaptation and mitigation) and their implications for USAID, the host country and cross-sectoral development.
10. Energy Development
Sound energy sector development approaches, including clean energy deployment, energy service provider development, and broader energy sector reforms.
11. Land and Resource Governance:
Relevant interventions appropriate to the local environment, addressing land tenure and property rights as a way to increase program sustainability, particularly as it relates to women and other vulnerable populations.
12. Urban Environment
Good practice in urban management, governance and service delivery, particularly as it relates to natural resources, land and the environment.
Education
FS-04: Applicant must have:
- a graduate degree (Master’s, Juris Doctor, Doctorate (Ph.D. or S.J.D.) or Doctor (M.D. or D.V.M.)) in a relevant major; PLUS four (4) years of relevant experience WITH three (3) years of overseas professional or relevant diverse experience.
FS-05: Applicant must have:
- a graduate degree (Master’s or Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctorate (Ph.D. or S.J.D.), or Doctor (M.D. or D.V.M.) level in a relevant major PLUS at least three (3) years of relevant professional experience WITH a minimum of two (2) years overseas professional or relevant diverse working environment experience.
Relevant majors for graduate degrees are environment-focused graduate degrees. Illustrative degrees include: environmental sciences; environmental management; climate change; natural resources management (such as forestry, wildlife, wild lands or parks management, marine fisheries, coastal resources management); clean energy; water security; biology or ecology; environmental law and regulation; environmental engineering; environmental medicine or health; wildlife veterinary medicine; environmental economics; or sustainable urban or regional planning. A degree in a social/behavioral science with a demonstrable specialization related to the illustrative degrees above is also acceptable.
Unofficial transcripts must be uploaded as part of the application. Failure to do so will result in the application being eliminated from consideration. A transcript is only required for the degree you are using to meet the education requirement. The unofficial transcript must include the name of the applicant, the name of the college/university, the degree awarded, and the completion date. The degree must be completed at the time of application. If we are unable to determine that you meet the required education, you will be found ineligible for further consideration. If you proceed past the initial application phase, official transcripts must be received by USAID from your university/institution during the final selection process.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements. Transcripts from any and all foreign educational institutions must be accompanied by an official Evaluation of Educational Credentials in order to be considered for the position. It is your responsibility to provide evidence that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States when applying. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of accreditation of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. There are two nationally recognized associations whose members can provide this accreditation: the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (https://www.naces.org/members)) and the Association of International Credential Evaluators (https://aice-eval.org/). More information about this process may be found athttps://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
How to apply
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this online application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you must contact the human resources office no later than two business days before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. Our Office will provide an alternative application method upon approval of the hardship notification. After the advertisement has closed, we will not grant requests to apply via alternative plans.
Please note, we must receive all required documents by the closing date via online or alternative methods. We will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date.
Step 1 – Review the Job Announcement (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11606634) Before you apply, we suggest you review the entire job announcement. Pay close attention to the Major Duties section and the How You Will Be Evaluated section, where you will see the areas upon which an HR Specialist or Subject Matter Expert will evaluate your application and a link for previewing online questions.
Step 2 – Create or Upload a resume with USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) Create or upload a resume in USAJOBS. You may wish to customize your resume to ensure it supports your responses to the online questions and addresses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement. For resume tips, click here.-Although you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) for USAJOBS, we will only see the last four digits for identification purposes.
Step 3 – Apply Online Click the “Apply Online” button on this announcement and then select the resume you wish to submit with your application. You will be redirected to the OPM’s USA Staffing website to complete the application process.
Step 4 – Answer the Online Questions and Submit Your Online Application If this is your first time on OPM’s USA Staffing website, the system will prompt you to register by answering questions about your eligibility for Federal employment. Select “Take me to the assessment” and click on the “Next” button to answer the job-specific questions. The system will save these responses and take you back to the main screen so that you can answer the job-specific questions. You must answer all the questions and click the “Finish” button.
Step 5 – Review and Confirm Your Submission You will now have the option to upload a document or print fax cover sheets for documents (see Step 6 for details). Once you click “Done,” you will see a summary of your application for your review, and you may also print a copy for your records. When you click “Finish” at the bottom of the page, our system will then direct you back to USAJOBS, where you can confirm that you correctly submitted your application, and you can track your application status.
Step 6 – Submit Documents You can submit any applicable required or optional documents (see below) by document upload, fax, or e-mail. Whichever method you choose, please include the job announcement number with your records. To protect your privacy, we encourage you to remove your SSN from any documents that you submit.
Document Upload: You may upload documents in one of two ways:
- Once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement, the system will prompt you to upload your document(s) to your application. You will be given a choice to either upload the document as part of the application process or select a copy that you’ve already loaded on USAJOBS. Or
- You can upload a document to an existing application by logging into your USAJOBS account profile. Click on “My Applications” and search for the vacancy. Once you’ve located the vacancy, click on the vacancy and select “Apply Online.” Move through your existing application to the Documents page and select upload to add a document to your application. Be sure to review your complete application for confirmation that you uploaded the document.