Diplomatic Security: Foreign Service Security Engineering Officer (FS-2550)

About the role

The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Foreign Service Security Engineering Officer vacancies based on the needs of the Department. Learn more about a career in the Foreign Service and about the Bureau of Diplomatic Security by clicking provided links. There is more to joining the Foreign Service than just salary.

Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation. A recruitment incentive may be available.

What you will do

• Foreign Service Security Engineering Officers (SEOs) are members of the Diplomatic Security team who protect U.S. Department of State personnel, facilities, and sensitive information against acts of crime, terrorism, and technical espionage.
• SEOs carry out this mission at over 275 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, as well as offices in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area and Fort Lauderdale, FL.
• SEOs are deemed essential security personnel whose duties can vary according to the size of the U.S. presence, the requirements of the specific diplomatic facility, and known threats.
• The following are the duties and tasks of all the SEO jobs in the Department at all locations and levels to provide a complete understanding of work throughout a career based on the most recent job analysis.
• Managing Engineering Offices Oversees security networks.
• Plans the layout of facilities.
• Determines required work.
• Plans projects, oversees project planning on other areas, and documents completed activities.
• Coordinates the flow of activities.
• Identifies and monitors needed resources.
• Reports office activities.
• Evaluates assigned employees.
• Advocates employee concerns and recognizes employee contributions.
• Ensures and promotes equal employment opportunities.
• Manages office safety program.
• Creates and maintains web sites.
• Manages accountable property.
• Providing Technical Support Throughout Geographic Region Serves as the security engineering subject matter expert in a geographic region.
• Monitors the technical security status of constituent posts.
• Determines required support.
• Coordinates planned travel.
• Authorizes and directs regional travel.
• Identifies support and safety requirements.
• Installs and replaces security equipment.
• Oversees equipment testing and maintenance.
• Addresses emergencies on a timely basis.
• Supports crisis management.
• Completing Assessments and Evaluations of Security Provides technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM).
• Performs TSCM inspections at embassies and consulates.
• Conducts annual technical security assessments.
• Completes computer security assessments.
• Ensures material and equipment security.
• Considers improvements in the technology of adversaries.
• Completes inspection and assessment reporting.
• Serves as a non-professional diplomatic courier.
• Overseeing the U.S. Department of State's Regional Computer Security Officer Program Serves as a regional computer security officer.
• Inspects regional computer facilities.
• Formally evaluates information technology assessments.
• Designs, improves, or modifies information technology networks.
• Manages cyber security programs.
• Directing Engineering Disciplines Works as a design engineer.
• Works as a systems engineer.
• Works as a radio-frequency engineer.
• Works as a project engineer.
• Works as a network engineer.
• Works as an emanations engineer.
• Works as a biometrics countermeasures/verification engineer.
• Develops requests for proposals.
• Serves on technical evaluation panels.
• Serves as a contracting officer's representative.
• Serves on interagency committees.
• Develops special projects for physical security in high threat posts.
• Monitors the development of new equipment.
• Evaluates equipment proposed for controlled access areas.
• Designs installation guidance plans.
• Specifies equipment, supplies, and installation material.
• Applies systems engineering to the computerized maintenance management system.
• Addresses computerized maintenance management system support requirements.
• Representing the U.S. Department of State on Committees Represents the U.S. Department of State on technical and physical security issues with allied nations.
• Represents the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in committee work.
• Participates in international and interagency exercises.
• Evaluating Technical Security and Construction Projects for the Department or Other Government Agencies Reviews engineering drawings.
• Performs quality assurance inspections.
• Participates in the accreditation process of facilities.
• Develops technical security standards and policies.
• Oversees compliance with department security standards.
• Manages the security of construction sites.
• Leads in the commissioning of new embassies/consulates/missions.
• Prepares decommissioning plans.

Requirements

• At the time of application, candidates must demonstrate a strong command of the English language to include grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• A Foreign Service Specialist must consistently display a high standard of written and spoken English.

Education

Candidates must have a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, Master of Science (MS), or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Physics, from a school with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), or evidence of successfully passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by a state, District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico engineering licensure board.

A current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico may also be used to fulfill the education requirement. Submit evidence of licensure at time of application, if applicable.

Candidates entering their junior year in the fall of 2026, in an engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, or physics program or beginning a master's degree program in one of those disciplines beginning in the fall of 2026 may apply as long as the school has at least one program accredited by ABET. Degrees must be granted by December 31, 2028.

Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of program completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education Foreign education acquired outside of any state of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or any territory or possession of the U.S. must be evaluated by a member organization of one of the two national associations of credential evaluation services (NACES or AICE) in order to be given credit towards qualification.

The accredited interpretation must include the summary and the foreign education transcripts. Foreign education transcripts that have not been evaluated by a credential evaluation service will not be accepted and the candidacy will be terminated.

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

OPM: *** U.S. Department of Education: *** Please refer to the Required Documents Section on how to submit the required educational documentation for this position.

How you will be evaluated

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.

The Department of State reserves the right to cancel and/or disqualify any application or to withhold test results when, in its judgment, a testing irregularity occurs. Testing irregularities include, but are not limited to, candidate misconduct, plagiarism, and/or misrepresentation of material fact, including in narrative descriptions of accomplishments.

The Department may verify content provided by candidates by contacting references. It also conducts extensive background checks of work and education history of candidates offered employment. REQUIRED TRAINING Selected candidates will complete approximately twelve months of specialized training in addition to orientation.

The selected candidate must complete the Technical Security Training Path (TSTP) in Springfield, VA. This specialized initial training provides the candidate with the knowledge and skills to operate, install, maintain, and repair technical security systems at post. The second phase of this training is at the Interagency Training Center in Fort Washington, Maryland.

Failure to successfully complete any portion of the TSTP is grounds for separation.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Documents you must provide

• It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure the application is complete before the closing deadline of this announcement.
• Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• In the online application, candidates must answer all self-assessment questions, including 10 years of work history.
• Applications missing any responses will be terminated.
• Education Documents When requested, candidates with qualifying DSSEOT scores must submit the following documentation to demonstrate they possess the educational level required for this position.
• Candidates should add *@state.gov as a trusted sender.
• Neither the Department of State nor Pearson Vue are responsible for the failure of candidates' internet service provider to deliver e-mail messages.
• Official or unofficial college or university transcripts.
• Progress reports and grade reports will not be accepted.
• Candidates should not submit university diplomas in lieu of higher education transcripts.
• All documents must comply with the following requirements to be accepted: Must be in PDF format.
• Any other format will be rejected.
• Documents sent via link or secured message, in any other non-attachment format, or sent directly from credential evaluation services will be rejected.
• Must have no missing pages.
• Transcripts must include candidate's full name, school's name, course credits, degree and date awarded/conferred.
• Candidates with a name change should submit an official document reflecting the change.
• All foreign education transcripts must adhere to additional requirements.
• See the Foreign Education Information in the Education Requirements section.
• Submit Veteran's Preference documentation in PDF format for candidates aged 60 to 64 when requested.
• If claiming Veteran's Preference, a copy of the candidate's DD-214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty" that must include the candidate's Character of Service must be submitted when requested.
• If claiming a 10-point Veteran's Preference, the candidate's VA letter and SF-15 must be submitted in addition to the DD-214.
• A certification from the armed forces is required only if a veteran has not yet received the DD-214.
• It must confirm that the service member is expected to be discharged under honorable conditions within 120 days and include service dates, expected discharge date, character of service, and any applicable disability rating.

Benefits

Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, and paid leave. Overseas benefits include tax-free housing and tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K-12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures.

The salary range listed is extracted from the Foreign Service Overseas and Washington pay scales. SEOs are hired at FP-04, FP-05, or FP-06 grade based on education and experience. The starting step is determined in part by the highest education level achieved and specialized experience beyond minimum qualifications.

Individuals already working in government positions may be appointed based on their highest previous rate as a federal employee. For information on salary, please visit Foreign Service Salaries - Careers

What to expect next

Pearson forwards candidates' test results as well as their applications to the Department of State on a quarterly basis. After the Department of State receives the information, the Department will notify all applicants via the e-mail they provided during the application process of the next steps in the process.

We recommend adding the Department of State domain (@state.gov) as an approved sender to your inbox. Due to the high volume of applications, we ask all candidates to remain patient and await communication. It is not uncommon for several months to pass before candidates are informed of the application results.

For more information on the selection process, visit Security Engineering Officer - Careers

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 U.S. – 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 U.S. Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: *** ***For more information about Veteran's Preference and how it is applied in the selection process, please visit the link.

No candidate will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, or §610 or §612 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions.

In addition, no candidate 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 pursuant to Sections 306, 607, 608, 610, 612, may not re-apply to be in the same skill code but may apply for another skill code or to be a Foreign Service Generalist. A Foreign Service Generalist separated pursuant to Sections 306, 607, 608, 610, 612 may not re-apply as a generalist but may apply to a Foreign Service Specialist vacancy.

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 and retaliation, in accordance with the standards set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The U.S. Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to candidates with disabilities.

Procedures vary by test type, and all candidates must request reasonable accommodations in advance. For more information visit Requesting Reasonable Accommodations. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.