Summary

You will serve as an International Program Specialist with the Office of the Secretary of Interior.

This position is located within the Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of the Secretary (OS), Assistant Secretary-Insular and International Affairs, International Support Branch, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Duties

Help

DOI PROGRAM Wide - This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional Department of Interior employees within the Office of International Affairs (INT), Career Transition eligibles (CTAP), and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

International Travel Arranging:

• Processes complex international travel authorizations, reservations, and vouchers in official systems, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Federal Travel Regulation and Department policy.
• Coordinates complete itineraries, validates traveler documentation, tracks approvals, monitors trip status, and prompts timely completion of pre- and post-travel requirements.

Travel Policy & Process:

• Develops, updates, and maintains travel policy guidance for international operations in alignment with Federal Travel Regulations, Department policies, and interagency requirements.
• Manages and administers travel systems, troubleshoots issues, validates transactions, and provides technical support and training to users.

Budget and Administration:

• Conducts analytical studies of organizational elements to improve administrative operations, resource utilization, and management effectiveness.
• Executes budgetary and financial management actions necessary for office, program, and project functions. Performs fact-finding, summarizes program data, identifies trends, and drafts basic forecasts, reports, and justifications. Supports in-person meetings with foreign delegations by coordinating logistics and assisting visitors.

J-1 Visas:

• Reviews and evaluates J-1 visa and waiver applications for compliance with federal regulations and Department program standards, resolving routine issues independently.
• Coordinates with internal and external stakeholders to provide technical assistance on J-1 program processes. Prepares analytical reports summarizing program activity, trends, and compliance findings for management review.

Salary Range Information (Per Annum): $85,447 to $111,087. *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/27/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications A, B, or C below:

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:

A. Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience (Must meet all):

1. Managing complex international travel arrangements in an official government travel system (such as ConcurGov/ETS2), including authorizations, reservations, vouchers, and compliance reviews for foreign travel.
2. Assisting with budgetary or financial management functions for projects, offices, or programs using Federal funding.
3. Reviewing, interpreting, and applying Federal Travel Regulation, agency travel policies, or international program requirements to ensure adherence, resolve compliance issues, and update internal procedures.
4. Administering or supporting paperwork process for a federally-regulated program (such as J-1 visas or Passport processing), including reviewing applications, monitoring applicant status, and preparing compliance documentation and reports.
5. Coordinating logistics for official international engagements, such as foreign delegation visits or interagency meetings, including organizing meeting support, preparing materials, and ensuring alignment with Departmental requirements.

-OR-

B. Education: You may substitute education for experience if you have achieved:

• Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree, OR
• 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR
• LL.M., if related.

You must include transcripts.

-OR-

C. Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first take equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education as a percentage. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

Physical Demands/Work Environment: Work is performed in an office environment, though occasional domestic and international travel may be required.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.