 FAQs
Civil Service FAQs
Q. What types of civil service jobs are available at the Department of State?
A. There are hundreds of career possibilities within the U.S. Department of State. No matter which one you choose, you'll be able to make a difference in the world while contributing to the mission of supporting the foreign policy of the United States of America. To help you decide, we have divided our many Civil Service positions into six broad areas: Operations; IT, Engineering, and Security; Professional and Analytical Careers; Office Support Professionals; Finance and Accounting; and Executives. Please visit our website to further explore these positions at www.careers.state.gov/civil/c_search.html
Q. Where can I go to find current Civil Service Job Openings?
A. For Department of State job opportunities visit our website at www.careers.state.gov and click on the "Job Search" link and you will be automatically taken to the listing of all currently available Civil Service positions.
Q. Will I have to undergo a background check?
A. Almost all Civil Service positions in the U.S. Department of State require at least a secret security clearance. The clearance process considers such factors as registration for the Selective Service; failure to repay a U.S. government-guaranteed student loan; past problems with credit or bankruptcy; failure to meet tax obligations; unsatisfactory employment records; violations of the law, drug or alcohol abuse; or less-than-honorable discharge from the armed forces. Investigations, which usually take two to four months, include current and previous neighbors, supervisors and coworkers. Depending on the nature of the job, you may begin work on a provisional basis, pending completion of the clearance process.
Q. What Bureaus and Offices have opportunities for civil employees?
A. There are 55 Bureaus and Offices that make up the domestic organizational components of the Department of State. For a complete list, click here.
Q. Will I have to take a test to be eligible for Federal civil service employment?
A. No. A written test is not required for civil service employment with the Department of State.
Q. What is the Federal payment scale (GS)?
A. GS stands for General Schedule. This is the pay system under which most Federal employees fall. There are also Wage Grade (WG) and Senior Executive Service (SES) pay schedules. For the current pay schedule, click here.
Q. Will the Federal government repay my college loans?
A. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has implemented a program for the repayment of student loans. Under this program, agencies may pay up to $6,000 per employee per year, to a maximum of $40,000 total per employee. In return, an employee must agree to remain with the paying agency for at least three years. Recent articles in The Washington Post and Government Executive have reported on Federal agencies' use of incentives to repay student loans. The U.S. Department of State, with 407 employees receiving up to $4,700 each for a total of $2 million in FY-02 funds, was the number one agency in both reports. Check them out at the links above. The FY-03 incentive amount is also $4,700.
Q. What benefits are offered for civil service employees?
A. There is an extensive list of benefits available for civil service employees including child care, health and life insurance and a matched retirement plan. For the complete list click here.
Q. Are there overseas employment opportunities for civil service employees?
A. There may be opportunities available for new hires overseas. These positions are usually filled by transferring career Federal employees from the United States. Only when Federal employees are not available for transfer overseas, and qualified United States citizens cannot be recruited locally, are these vacancies filled through the open examination process.
Q. Are veterans given hiring preference?
A. Veterans who qualify as preference eligibles are entitled to an additional 5 to 10 points added onto their earned rating in a competitive civil service examination. In all other situations, veterans' preference is not a factor.
Q. Are non-citizens eligible for Federal employment?
A. Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals may compete for competitive jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only when there are no qualified citizens available. A non-citizen may only be given an excepted appointment and may not be promoted or reassigned to another position in the competitive service, except in situations where a qualified citizen is not available. The non-citizen may be hired only if permitted by the appropriations act and immigration law.
Q. What does it mean when a position is posted as "temporary" or "term"?
A. Temporary and term appointments are used to fill positions when a continuing need for the job to be filled (e.g., special projects). Neither type of appointment is permanent, so they do not give the employee civil service status. An employee on a temporary appointment may earn leave, but is generally not eligible for other benefits. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases, retirement and Thrift Savings Plan coverage.
Q. How can I obtain proof of my prior Federal employment?
A. You can obtain proof of your prior Federal employment by writing the Federal Records Center, National Archives and Records Administration, 111 Winnebago Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63118. Inquiries should include your full name under which you were formerly employed, social security number, date of birth and, to the extent known, names and addresses of former Federal agencies and dates of employment.
Equal Opportunity Employer. Privacy Statement
| 
Print Friendly Version