Duties

Summary

The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Information Management Technical Specialist - Radio (IMTS-R) positions based on the needs of the Department. Learn more about the Department of State and a career in the Foreign Service at https://careers.state.gov.

There is more to joining the Foreign Service than just salary . Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The following are examples of the types of duties and responsibilities assigned to Information Management Technical Specialists - Radio (IMTS-R). The duties vary according to location, the size of the Post, and the requirements of the specific Diplomatic Mission. IMTS-Rs regularly travel to different locations and they must have the abilities to perform all the essential duties listed below. This list is neither exhaustive nor in priority order:

• Design, install, and maintain various related radio and converged telecommunications systems.
• Provide end-user training, regional technical assistance to overseas missions via telephone, e-mail, and on-site visits.
• Provide oversight for assorted hardware procurement, logistics, and maintenance programs.
• Perform technical site surveys to determine structural and technical requirements.
• Conduct fault isolation and technical control of radio network components.
• Provide radio support for U.S. Government VIP visits (e.g. President of the U.S., Secretary of State, etc.) and other special events both domestically and abroad.
• Perform other technical related duties as determined by the senior direct-report officer.
• Complete written trip reports. Draft and send formal communiqué to constituent posts.
• Provide a briefing to the Chief of Mission or other appropriate official on the findings and resolutions after the work for each visit is completed.

Physical Requirements: In the execution of any of these duties and tasks, IMTS-R personnel may frequently be required to:

• Work in confined areas such as crawlspaces, attics, utility pits, tunnels, manholes, and other confined spaces.
• Work and climb from heights to include rooftops, ledges, bucket trucks, scaffolding, communication towers, and extension ladders.
• Perform manual installation operations to include hammer drilling, core drilling, pulling wire and cable, running and installing conduit, and terminating various cables.
• Move and handle heavy objects such as crates, equipment racks, and other building materials as required.
• Break open shipping crates; perform proper inventories of the contents while noting and reporting deficiencies.
• Follow established safety regulations; work in and around electrical service panels and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). These duties include changing batteries, taking electrical measurements, and making appropriate electrical connections as required.

Radio specialists work from one of the regional locations, overseas, or domestically. They travel extensively to provide support with the design, installation, and maintenance of radio telecommunications systems such as Land Mobile Radio (LMR), High Frequency (HF), Very High-Frequency (VHF), and Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) radio networks at U.S. missions around the world. Travel might be required on short notice to locations where hazardous conditions exist.

Radio specialists provide remote and on-site support on Commercial-Off-the-Shelf applications, U.S. Department of State specific applications, and IT infrastructure projects. They serve as technical advisors, and support building, moving, and renovating diplomatic posts. They perform site surveys, generate cost estimates, develop Bill of Materials, and support installing communications infrastructure backbone. They must have in-depth technical knowledge of Radio Frequency (RF) systems, a solid understanding of wave propagation theory, and be able to perform major building surveys for upgrades or new HF/VHF/UHF radio communication systems.

Some of the essential functions of the job have a physically demanding component. For instance, in conducting radio system repairs, they periodically are required to perform work that requires regular and recurring periods of prolonged standing, bending, and stretching. Radio specialists are required periodically to climb ladders, scaffolding, towers, and work from heights, and other essential duties of the job may involve recurring lifting of moderately heavy equipment and tools. Related activities may include crawling, maneuvering, and working in cramped spaces as well as the occasional moving and crating/uncrating of diplomatic pouches. At times, Radio specialists perform these tasks at construction sites with ambient noise and other environmental factors that are typical for such sites. Radio specialists must be willing to work independently without supervision.

Travel Required

75% or less - Foreign Service Specialists generally spend the majority of their career assigned to our overseas missions and at times, live away from family and/or in difficult or isolated conditions. Selected applicants will be notified of an Oral Assessment (OA) requirement in Washington D.C. All travel and other expenses incurred in connection with the OA are the sole responsibility of the applicant.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
MC

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Be a U.S. citizen and available for worldwide service.*
• Be able to obtain a Top Secret - SCI Security Clearance.
• Be able to obtain an appropriate Foreign Service Medical Clearance.
• Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
• Be at least 20 years old to apply; at least 21 years old to be appointed.
• Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***

After a two-month orientation and broad training in Washington, D.C., an IMTS-R can be assigned to one of the core or satellite overseas locations, as well as domestically in places such as Washington, D.C. or Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, from which they travel extensively and often on short notice.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience

Specialized Experience demonstrates that the applicant has acquired, and is able to apply, a combination of specific knowledge, skills, and abilities appropriate to a Foreign Service IMTS-R position.

Applicants must demonstrate that their job-related experience has been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility through such indicators as promotions, raises, increases in duties and responsibilities, and organizational and employee impact.

To qualify as Specialized Experience, 60% or more of the duties must be related to the following examples of Specialized Experience, which include, but are not limited to:

• Hands-on experience surveying, installing, maintaining, component-level repairing, and/or operating radio systems. These include HF/VHF/UHF land mobile/avionics/marine two-way radio systems used in intercity radio services, tactical satellite systems, and peripheral devices (antennas, remote control units). Must be knowledgeable in the use of associated test equipment for testing and trouble resolution. Experience must be directly related to these systems and repair of these systems.
• In-depth technical knowledge of RF systems and be able to perform major building surveys for upgrades or new HF/VHF/UHF radio communication systems.
• Experience or training on High Frequency (HF) SSB, Tactical Satellite (TACSAT), VHF/UHF land mobile radio and International Marine Satellite (INMARSAT) systems, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) used in Motorola and Kenwood digital equipment, Radio over IP, Cisco Access Points, Cisco Controllers, Fiber optic fusion splicer, Cisco servers / switches / routers, Avaya IP Office, Cisco Communications Manager Express, Ekahau Sidekick, NETSCOUT AirCheck, NETSCOUT nGenius Pulse, Fluke OptiView, Optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR), Federal Communications General class, Radio-telegraph first/second class licenses, or General Radio Operator License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to think logically and objectively, demonstrating resourcefulness and judgment.

Ability to express oneself both orally during briefing sessions and in writing through detailed reports on the findings.

Ability to work and deal effectively with others; tact and the ability to obtain cooperation and confidence from supervisors and subordinates in performing official duties.

Ability to work with minimum job supervision and a willingness to accept responsibility.

Ability to read and interpret schematic diagrams to detect circuit problems.

Ability to install and repair various equipment in the applicant's area of specialty.

Ability to lift and maneuver equipment weighing 20-40 pounds from the floor to a workbench height without assistance, and 40-70 pounds with assistance.

Ability to follow proper electrical wire color code for power outlets and circuit breaker panels to avoid potential life-safety issues during installations.

Ability to follow proper wiring color code to terminate Ethernet cabling and telephone station wiring to ensure proper connectivity/equipment operation.

Ability to properly interpret results from test equipment such as multimeters, RF wattmeters, and spectrum analyzers.

Ability to monitor audio output from radio systems to determine proper operation, conduct voice radio checks, detect interference from audio output of radios and determine likely causes such as another entity transmitting on Embassy frequencies, natural RF interference, man-made interference such as from improper grounding, etc.

Ability to audibly monitor electrical equipment for a faulty condition such as a loud hum from a power transformer and noisy bearings in equipment rack cooling fans.

Education

At the time of application, applicants must possess one of the following to be considered for the FP-05 grade:

• HS Diploma or GED Certificate and 5 years of Specialized Experience; or
• AA or AS in an IT field and 2 years of technical experience or IT work experience; or
• BA or BS or higher degree in an IT field and 1 year of technical communications experience or IT work experience; or
• BA or BS or higher degree in non-IT field and 3 years of technical communications experience or IT work experience; or
• Served in a US Military Technical School training, technical/product certificates(s) or 12 weeks of specialized training directly related to land mobile/avionics/marine and/or satellite communications and/or radio frequency management, or Civil Service IT specialty, or as an IT contractor to the USG, and 2 years Specialized Experience. At the time of application, you must provide your DD-214 clearly showing one of the U.S. military branches specialty codes or designators and specialty title, and your Military training report with the title of training. A list containing U.S. military occupational specialty codes or designators is provided for your reference only - please note that this list is not all-inclusive.

At the time of application, applicants must possess one of the following to be considered for the FP-04 grade:

• HS Diploma or GED Certificate and 5 years of Specialized Experience; and 1 current certification in an IT-related field (for example: first class radio-telephone license, HAM license); or
• AA or AS in an IT field and 4 years of technical experience or IT work experience; or
• BA or BS in an IT-related field and at least 3 years of Specialized Experience; or
• BA or BS or higher in a non-IT field and 5 years of specialized experience, and 1 current certification in an IT-related field (for example: first class radio-telephone license, HAM license); or
• MA or MS or higher in an IT-related field and at least 1 year of Specialized Experience; or
• Served in a US Military Technical School training, technical/product certificates(s) or 12 weeks of specialized training directly related to land mobile/avionics/marine and/or satellite communications and/or radio frequency management, or Civil Service IT specialty, or as an IT contractor to the USG, and three years of Specialized Experience. At the time of application, you must provide your DD-214 clearly showing one of the U.S. military branches specialty codes or designators and specialty title, and your Military training report with the title of training. A list containing U.S. military occupational specialty codes or designators is provided for your reference only - please note that this list is not all-inclusive.

IT-related degree must be in the following: Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electronics Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technology, Computer Science, IT Management, Telecommunications Management, Information Systems, Information Security, or other related fields.

You must submit a copy of your university transcript(s), your U.S. military training certification/training report and DD-214, and/or your technical/product certificates . If you do not submit this documentation to demonstrate your educational achievements, you will not be given credit and your candidacy will not continue.

Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted with your application. Your transcript must include your name, the school's name, and, if applicable, the degree and date awarded and have no missing pages. A transcript missing any of these elements or missing any pages will not pass the minimum qualifications and the candidacy will not continue. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level.

Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation , in order to be credited towards qualifications or your candidacy will not continue.

Education completed in foreign high schools, colleges, or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted. If documentation from an accredited organization is not provided, your candidacy will not continue.

For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Education . The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.

Additional information

*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

U.S. law requires companies to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

**The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: https://fam.state.gov/ .

***For more information about Veteran's Preference and how it is applied in the selection process, please visit: http://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/are-veterans-given-hiring-preference-

No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, §610 or §611 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.

A Foreign Service Specialist separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be a Foreign Service Specialist in the same skill code but may apply for another skill code or to be a Foreign Service Generalist.

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination whether discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.

The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should so advise the Department at ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov, within one week of receiving their invitation to the oral assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documents are uploaded and the application is complete before the closing deadline of this announcement. Any missing required documents or incomplete applications will result in the application not being considered further.

1. Résumé from USAJobs Résumé Builder, the only résumé format accepted for this Vacancy Announcement.

2. Complete online application, including the required Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest narratives.

3. All required supporting documentation, including proof of educational achievements, certifications, professional licenses, or completed forms as required in this Vacancy Announcement.

4. Veteran's Preference documentation for applicants aged 60 to 65. If claiming a 5 pt. Veteran's Preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or Certification of service at the time of your application. If claiming a 10 pt. Veteran's Preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214 or Certification of service at the time of your application. A Certification must be from the armed forces certifying the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the Certification is submitted by the applicant and should include military service dates, date of expected discharge or release, and character of service and disability rating, if applicable.

Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest

These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a Foreign Service Specialist. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. Each response is limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters) for each item. You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Foreign Service Specialist is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Answers to all of the items in the Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest are required and must be completed in the online application.

Practical Problem Solving: Using your technical knowledge of networks and voice communications, describe what you consider to be the best example of a situation where you found an innovative solution to a practical problem. Indicate who was affected by the problem and in what way, and the nature of the difficulties faced.

Organizing Your Own Work: Give an example of a situation that shows your ability to think logically, analyze problems, communicate with others, and apply sound judgment, particularly where you had to meet tight deadlines or work long hours. Indicate the complexity of the task you were organizing and the consequences if you had failed to meet your deadline.

Handling Conflicting Priorities: Give one example which best illustrates a situation where you had to handle several different tasks at once and where it was important to ensure the quality of your work performance was maintained at a high standard. Indicate any resources you had to organize, and the pressure you were under to change the order of priority.

Statement of Interest

Required narrative Statement of Interest which discusses your:

• Motivation for joining the Foreign Service.
• Relevant work experience, including any unique strengths not previously mentioned, such as special skills (e.g., computer skills), current licenses, certifications, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position.
• Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, overseas or in the United States.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.