US Department of State is hiring (again)

It's a great career and a chance to not only serve and promote US diplomacy but to also travel the world.

JoJoCal19

Does the Dept of State ever hire for higher level InfoSec positions?

Not as a direct hire, you'd have to go the contractor route. There may be some IA CS (Civil Service) positions out there but non in the Foreign Service.

Edit: Depending on the Post you can end up doing quite a bit of InfoSec work. But you also have to work it in to all the other job responsibilities you have. Once you get higher up there are some overseas InfoSec positions that you can bid on. But if your goal is InfoSec only contractor or perhaps CS is the route you would take.

the_Grinch

Do you get a new grade each year? Thus if I came in as an FP-5 (step 14) in a year would I become an FP-4 (step 7)? Do you pay for your housing during the training period in DC (I believe you do but wanted to confirm)? Can you push for a hazardous region?

the_Grinch wrote: »

Do you get a new grade each year? Thus if I came in as an FP-5 (step 14) in a year would I become an FP-4 (step 7)? Do you pay for your housing during the training period in DC (I believe you do but wanted to confirm)? Can you push for a hazardous region?

Everyone comes in at an FP5 step whatever (the "whatever" depends on a lot of factors - are you current federal employee, education, etc. Most people in my class came in at a Step 14).

After 1 year of service you are automatically promoted to FP4 step whatever. After that you a promoted 1 step each year until Step 10, which is then every other year.

If you are outside the 50 mile DC radius, you are eligible for housing/per diem during training. If you stay as part of the DoS housing program (ie it is direct billed to the Dept. and you don't pay the bill) the housing is covered during your entire training. If you elect to not be a part of this program (which to me is silly not to) then you are on a sliding per diem scale. You can look up the rule on the OPM site. I would suggest be a part of the housing program so you don't have to worry about anything, and then you still get the M&IE (again on a sliding scale). For IMS, your training us usually about 90 - 100 days so your per diem runs out right before you leave for Post.

Your first two tours are directed, so it just depends on what is on bid list. More than likely you won't be going to a "danger" Post (think Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, etc) your first two tours. It is too high stress and HR just won't do it. After your directed tours you can bid for one of those Posts, but for IRM they are usually in high demand so competition is tough.

sharansingh

Thats great opportunity and have well maintained career in future and chance to serve country.

the_Grinch

rwmidl wrote: »

Everyone comes in at an FP5 step whatever (the "whatever" depends on a lot of factors - are you current federal employee, education, etc. Most people in my class came in at a Step 14).

After 1 year of service you are automatically promoted to FP4 step whatever. After that you a promoted 1 step each year until Step 10, which is then every other year.

If you are outside the 50 mile DC radius, you are eligible for housing/per diem during training. If you stay as part of the DoS housing program (ie it is direct billed to the Dept. and you don't pay the bill) the housing is covered during your entire training. If you elect to not be a part of this program (which to me is silly not to) then you are on a sliding per diem scale. You can look up the rule on the OPM site. I would suggest be a part of the housing program so you don't have to worry about anything, and then you still get the M&IE (again on a sliding scale). For IMS, your training us usually about 90 - 100 days so your per diem runs out right before you leave for Post.

Your first two tours are directed, so it just depends on what is on bid list. More than likely you won't be going to a "danger" Post (think Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, etc) your first two tours. It is too high stress and HR just won't do it. After your directed tours you can bid for one of those Posts, but for IRM they are usually in high demand so competition is tough.

Thank you so much for the info!!!

Happy to help.

JoJoCal19

Thanks for the info rwmidl. I've always wanted to pursue these types of positions but the salary would be too much of a cut for me.

Not that I can apply to this anytime soon, but I might be interested in 3 or 4 years.

Would needing to be on a medication be an issue? Is that something that can be shipped? I'm almost 100% sure it could be shipped but I wonder if they'd just pass me over as too much of a risk health wise.

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Thanks for the info rwmidl. I've always wanted to pursue these types of positions but the salary would be too much of a cut for me.

I can understand that, but you have to look beyond the salary (or at least that is how I look at it). Depending on where you are, you are eligible for COLA, Hardship and or Danger Pay. Plus for IMS, once you are in you can get Skills Incentive Pay (SIP) for certain IT certifications, which is either 9% or 14%. Its good for 3 years (so you have to get a new applicable cert every few years - I just passed the CISM so I will have 14% for another 3 years). I have the 14% and it's basically funding my retirement account. If you have kids, school is paid for as well. Add on if you are at a certain percentage hardship you can apply to have your student loan paid for (up to a certain amount). Add in the retirement and great health insurance, and frankly it's not a bad gig.

I have no house payment (sold our house) no car (paid off years ago). My kids go to a great school. My wife doesn't work (her choice, and spouse employment is a challenge in the FS). We put money in to my wife's ROTH IRA every month (fully fund each year), put money in to both of my kids 529 and we still put a good chunk away most months. Plus we've been able to travel to places we wouldn't be able to afford in the US (we've gone to Germany, Austria, Italy, Istanbul, Switzerland and just got back from a trip to Singapore).

In the end its an individual/family decision. The life isn't for everybody.

Techytach wrote: »

Not that I can apply to this anytime soon, but I might be interested in 3 or 4 years.

Would needing to be on a medication be an issue? Is that something that can be shipped? I'm almost 100% sure it could be shipped but I wonder if they'd just pass me over as too much of a risk health wise.

That's a decision Med would make, but I will say both my wife and I are on medication and we have it shipped to us no problem.

rwmidl wrote: »

That's a decision Med would make, but I will say both my wife and I are on medication and we have it shipped to us no problem.

Thanks!

Techytach wrote: »

Would needing to be on a medication be an issue? Is that something that can be shipped? I'm almost 100% sure it could be shipped but I wonder if they'd just pass me over as too much of a risk health wise.

If it is a pill then it's probably not a problem because, as you said, you could ship it. If you were on some medicine that couldn't be shipped and wasn't readily available in some places then that might prevent you from getting the Class I Med clearance which is one of the stated requirements of getting an offer.

rwmidl wrote: »

After 1 year of service you are automatically promoted to FP4 step whatever. After that you a promoted 1 step each year until Step 10, which is then every other year.

I just wanted to add that in addition to these automatic step promotions there is also a promotions panel each year that ranks people High, Medium, Low and those that get High Ranked may get advanced a Grade or possibly get a Meritorious Step Increase (MSI) in addition to the normal annual Step Increase.

Anyone know about the rest of (Non IT) foreign services? Trying to get whole picture of what it is exactly. Like it seems odd you move every two to three years. Why not just stay at a pace if you fit in there?

Techytach wrote: »

Anyone know about the rest of (Non IT) foreign services? Trying to get whole picture of what it is exactly. Like it seems odd you move every two to three years. Why not just stay at a pace if you fit in there?

I think the theory is that staying too long in a country might lead to having greater ties and possibly allegiances to it rather than to your homeland. It is pretty much standard amongst all the diplomats I know from various countries that they do 2-4 year assignments and then move on.

yellowpad

I tried filling out my application twice and gave up after the site time out error and went offline for maintenance. I think that is a sign for me not to apply. Maybe

I shouldn't take too much time elaborating my motivation on the possibility of joining.

7lowe wrote: »

I think the theory is that staying too long in a country might lead to having greater ties and possibly allegiances to it rather than to your homeland. It is pretty much standard amongst all the diplomats I know from various countries that they do 2-4 year assignments and then move on.

Of course! Makes total sense now!

TranceSoulBrother

@rwmidl, do you get 1x 14% per applicable cert or just one 14%? Can you stack up?
How about other incentives like language pay or tuition assistance?

TranceSoulBrother wrote: »

@rwmidl, do you get 1x 14% per applicable cert or just one 14%? Can you stack up?
How about other incentives like language pay or tuition assistance?

You get either the 9% or 14% per 3 years. So for example, if you got your MCSA during your first tour you would get 9% for 3 years. If you then upgraded to your MCSE you could apply to upgrade your SIP to 14%. If after you got your MCSE and then you got your CISSP (which is another 14) you can't stack the two together for 28%. You wait until your 3 year clock runs our and then apply with the CISSP. Make sense?

Language you have to test at a certain level in order to qualify. I'm not doing any language incentive so I can't really comment on it.

By tuition assistance are you talking about the Dept. paying to help you get a degree or Student Loan Repayment? If it's the latter, you have to be at (I think) at 15% or higher hardship Post in order to qualify.

Edit: To add regarding SIP. It can be extremely hard to study/take a certification at Post. Long hours, resources and lack of testing centers factor in. What a few of my classmates did (along with myself) is during new hire training, they studied for and got a cert worth 9%. Then when they got to Post and met the eligibility requirement (I believe it's you have to be in a year before you can apply or 6 months if you are a previous Fed employee) they applied for SIP. That is what I did. I got my 9% during new hire, and since I was prior Fed I was able to apply early for SIP. Then I upgraded it to 14%. My 14% doesn't expire for another year, but I just passed the CISM which is worth 14%. So when my current 14% expires, I will apply with my CISM. Some of my classmates got their CISM during their first tour and then CISA (both 14%) so they have some certs in their back pocket.

SaSkiller

Ugh. I got an email from them, they are hiring managers or whatnot. Want to know how to get an infosec position with them. Don't think i've ever seen one posted, but I know they have infosec staff.

rwmidl, I see you mentioned infosec contracting, can you PM me the companies that do contracting with them?

A few more perks to add. Some Posts you are eligible to get "R and R". The Dept. will pay for you to fly back to the US or an R and R location for vacation (you still have to use annual leave for this). You can get 1, 2 or 3 r and r's depending on the Post. However, don't expect to serve a tour in Paris or Germany and get an r and r (pretty much it's hardship Posts that get you R and R, though there can be exceptions). If you choose not to go to the US, you can go to the r and r location which depends on your Post. My first Post was a 2 r and r Post, I could go to either Rome or back to the US. My current Post is a 1 r and r Post, and I can go to Sydney (I think) or back to the US.

Also, after completion of your tour, you are required by Congress to take Home Leave. This is a separate line item, where you earn about 1 day home leave per 2 pay periods. You end up earning roughly 20 or so days of home leave per tour and you are required by law to take a minimum of 15-20 business days home leave between tours in the US. During this time you are still earning vacation and sick leave. This is a nice little perk that allows you to go back to the US and reconnect with family and friends, as well as allowing you to start preparing for your next tour.

SaSkiller wrote: »

Ugh. I got an email from them, they are hiring managers or whatnot. Want to know how to get an infosec position with them. Don't think i've ever seen one posted, but I know they have infosec staff.

rwmidl, I see you mentioned infosec contracting, can you PM me the companies that do contracting with them?

I won't mention any names. Best bet is to look at contracting companies in the DC area that are hiring for InfoSec positions. The position may or may not be with State but there are a lot of good opportunities in the area.

Here are the promotion stats for 2015 so you can see the percentages promoted and avg length of service and time in class. http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/256133.pdf

matt18e

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Thanks for the info rwmidl. I've always wanted to pursue these types of positions but the salary would be too much of a cut for me.

I agree, that salary range is a non-starter. I wouldn't mind working for DoS, but I'm not going to take a 50%+ salary cut to do it...

Pmorgan2

7lowe wrote: »

Here are the promotion stats for 2015 so you can see the percentages promoted and avg length of service and time in class. http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/256133.pdf

Accounting for COLA, Danger Pay, Incentives, housing, SIP, and grossing up non-taxable benefits, the following is how compensation might progress:

Yr Grade Compensation
1 FS5 81627
2 FS4 96865
3 FS4 98994.4
4 FS4 101188.8
5 FS4 103448.2
6 FS3 113485.5
7 FS3 116114.1
8 FS3 118820.7
9 FS3 121609.2
10 FS3 124482.2
11 FS3 127439.7
12 FS3 130486.9
13 FS3 133625.1
14 FS3 136858.2
15 FS2 144022.5
16 FS2 147567.6
17 FS2 151218
18 FS2 154978.9
19 FS1 163314.5
20 FS1 167438.1
21 FS1 171685.2
22 FS1 176059.7
23 FEOC 184414.8
24 FEOC 190972
25 FEOC 197472
26 FEOC 203972
27 FEOC 210472
28 FEOC 216972
29 FEOC 223472
30 FEOC 229972
31 FEOC 236472
32 FEOC 242972
33 FEOC 249568.2
34 FEMC 260533.7

Assumes you get a new certification every 3 years.
Assumes the national average for rent for a 3 bedroom apartment of $2,010/mo
Assumes you are always being compensated for housing.
Assumes you are promoted at the average rate.

ougijoe

Thank you all for posting all of this information. I made it through the OA, medical, and the background investigation (As far as I can tell... they stopped asking questions about a month ago). How were you all notified about your suitability board results? Was there any correspondence prior to that?