Attention students, two internships are OPEN NOW for application!
Are you searching for a remote internship opportunity with the chance to work on meaningful issues and gain real world experience? The Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) internship program is open February 1-29 for application. This is our most flexible internship program. It is unpaid but offers flexibilities not available with our other internship programs. There is no minimum GPA required, no security clearance required, no restriction on year in college (you can apply as a high school senior or PhD candidate and everything in between), you can do the internship from anywhere, and it’s part-time! This internship is project-based. You can review the projects and apply here for up to five of your favorites. If you are interested in helping me recruit diverse and talented candidates in the Southwest, apply for my project here. Also see in the Events section above an opportunity to join me for a February 6 webinar on this internship.
Are you looking for a paid, in-person internship? Our Student Internship Program is open February 1-9 for application for the Fall 2024 semester. This is a full-time, in-person internship that pays an hourly wage, provides housing, and covers your airfare! All majors are encouraged to apply. You must be a U.S. citizen student with a 3.2 minimum cumulative GPA to be eligible. You also must be a junior or above (including advanced degree students) at the time of the internship. Apply here before the February 9 deadline!
Are you a current student or recent grad interested in a career in law enforcement? Our Clarke Diplomatic Security Fellowship will open for application on February 12 and close on April 29. This is a revised timeline this year. Those who would apply now are current juniors or recent grads who will start a two-year master’s degree in Fall 2025. This fellowship offers tuition assistance for a two-year master’s degree, two paid summer internships, a living expenses stipend, AND a job as a Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent with us when you graduate! Check out the website for more info.
Interested in study abroad scholarships? The Gilman Scholarship and the Gilman-McCain Scholarship provide $5,000 for Pell Grant-receiving U.S. citizen undergraduate students to participate in credit-bearing internships overseas or study abroad programs. The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is for dependents of active duty service members. Applications are open now through March 7. Learn more about these scholarships and apply here.
CAREERS
For those who want to become a Foreign Service Officer (Generalist), the first step is registering to take the written exam called the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), which is offered three times a year in February, June, and October. The February 2024 FSOT sitting closed today for registration. The June 2024 FSOT sitting will open for registration on April 15 and close on May 30. The October 2024 FSOT sitting will open for registration on August 12 and close on September 26. Register for the FSOT and read more about the test and testing logistics here. Also familiarize yourself with this page on the FSO selection process. If you missed the February FSOT Prep Session we offered, you can watch the video here.
You may have heard about the Lateral Entry Pilot Program we launched looking for experienced professionals who want to join the Foreign Service. Read more about that program here and see if you qualify to apply for one of the seven critical skills areas. The deadline to apply is February 10. Links to all seven open vacancies can be found here.
We also have Foreign Service Specialist positions (all links listed further below). Three careers in engineering and operations are open now for application. The Security Technical Specialist role is open now and will close on April 16. The Security Engineering Officer role is open now and will close March 14, and the Facility Manager role is open now and will close March 14.
Attention STEM students - expanded eligibility for an engineering career! Our Diplomatic Security Service Security Engineering Officer that is open now for application has some important eligibility changes to highlight! We are now accepting applications from those who are juniors and seniors in college, as well as those who already have a bachelor’s degree. If you are a junior or senior majoring in any engineering field, physics, computer science, or cybersecurity, you are eligible to apply as long as your degree will be granted by December 31, 2025. This is a great opportunity to work through the application process and your security clearance while still in school with the hopes of having the job offer by graduation.
We also hire year-round for Special Agents, Office Management Specialists, Information Management Specialists (IT professionals), and Consular Fellows. If you have Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic language skills, consider the Consular Fellows positions!
See below for the list of current Foreign Service Specialist openings. Each link describes the education and professional experience required for the position. If you are interested in applying and want to talk more about the Foreign Service, please reach out to me.
We currently have the following Foreign Service Specialist positions open for application:
Medical Provider (MP) - open through 2/20/24
Regional Medical Officer Psychiatrist (RMOP) - open through 2/20/24
Facility Manager (FM) - open through 3/14/24
Security Engineering Officer (SEO) - open through 3/14/24
Security Technical Specialist (STS) - open through 4/16/24
Information Management Specialist (IMS) - open year-round
Office Management Specialist (OMS) - open year-round
Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent (SA) - open year-round
Foreign Service Consular Fellows (for Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese speakers) - open year-round
For the current list of all Foreign Service Specialist job postings, visit https://careers.state.gov/
For the current list of all Civil Service (domestic) career opportunities, visit https://www.usajobs.gov/.