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International Opportunities with the U.S. Government

Jobs with the US Government are available worldwide. Opportunities ebb and flow based on political and economic factors, so the employment picture is always changing. In general, there have been fewer international opportunities with the federal government due to the military downsizing.

  • Virtually every government agency has an international division or component.
  • Check out state and local government opportunities in addition to federal.
  • The best source of employment information is the Office of Personnel Management's website
  • Student Opportunities with Federal Government - This site lists job titles currently open for summer, part-time, and internship experiences with the federal government.
  • Other helpful resources include the Federal Yellow Book, Federal Staff Directory, U.S. Government Manual, and/or the Washington Information Directory available at most libraries.
  • International positions tend to be filled at the higher levels. Most entry-level positions such as clerk or secretary are filled locally. Typical international government positions include:
    • Administrative
    • Auditors
    • Technical and professional positions
    • Accountants
    • Foreign Service officers
    • Budget and program officers
    • Management analysts
    • Nurses
    • Procurement officers
    • Shorthand reporters
    • Equipment specialists
    • Engineers
    • Social workers
    • Housing officers
    • Teachers
    • Alcohol and drug abuse specialists

Specific government job titles which might involve using another language include:

  • Border Patrol Agent
  • Customs Officer
  • Foreign Affairs Specialist
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • Immigration Inspector
  • Import-export agent
  • Intelligence specialist
  • International Relations Specialist
  • Peace Corps Volunteer
  • Research Assistant
  • Scientific Linguist

Government agencies with particularly strong international ties include:

U.S. Department of State
Typical positions include: Foreign Service Officer; Narcotic Control Officer; Diplomatic Security Officer; Security Engineering Officer; Communications Electronics Officer; Building and Maintenance Specialist; Fire Protection Officer; Medical Officer; General Services Officer (Diplomatic); Personnel Officer; Financial Management; Information Management Specialist; Diplomatic Courier; Office of the Legal Adviser

  • The State Department also sponsors internships for college students which are an excellent means of acquiring experience.
  • To become a Foreign Service officer, you must take the Foreign Service exam.
    • Foreign Service Exam:
    • Approximately 12,000 people took the Foreign Service exam recently; 200 were selected for interviews.
    • The State Department schedules testing when enough openings warrant it.
    • The multiple choice test requires strong English expression skills, and job-related knowledge.
    • A biographic information questionnaire is administered which is like a personality test. The test is scored on a pass-fail basis.
    • The first exam stresses American history and culture. Study American history, literature, philosophy and read as much as you can about government, law, and current events.
    • Reading sources could include Time and Newsweek magazines, the Wall Street Journal, foreign affairs journals, literary classics, writings of ethnic groups, a grammar book/style manual, the US constitution, government laws, and international conventions and agreements.
    • Be familiar with whatever international topics are "hot" at the present time.
    • If you pass the written exam, you will be invited to an oral exam.
    • If you pass that, you will be placed on a list for up to three years.
    • You would enter the Foreign Service as a junior officer.

For international information programs including cultural and educational exchanges contact the State Department.
U.S. Department of Commerce
Mostly professional positions requiring experience.
International Trade Administration

  • Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
  • Trade Development Office
  • National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration: NOAA Officer's Training Class requires a science and/or engineering background. You must have taken physics and calculus courses. Your vision can be no worse than 20/70 each eye.
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service: Most positions for economists, statisticians and secretaries. Foreign Agricultural Service Officer: master's or experience required.

  • Agency for International Development

    International Development Intern Program: graduate degree; professional experience; foreign language (French, Spanish preferred). Positions include: Accountant; Administrative Management Officer; Agriculturalist; Agricultural Economist; Commodity Management Officer; Food for Peace Officer (BA possibility); Health/Population/ Nutrition Officer; Housing/Urban Development Officer; Program Economist; Project Development Officer.

  • Central Intelligence Agency
    Career Information    : http://www.cia.gov/employment/index.html

    Directorate of Intelligence: Political Analyst (prefer graduate degree); Economic Analyst

    Directorate of Operations: clandestine division (selected from Career Training Program). If interested, do not tell anyone but the CIA recruiter.

    Science and Technology division: Computers; Engineering. Also journalism/newsroom positions. Positions include: Language Officer; Analyst. Liberal arts degrees welcome.

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation

    The FBI is currently looking for candidates who are fluent in a Foreign Language (Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, Urdu, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese).

  • U.S. Department of Defense Education opportunities

    The Department of Defense has positions available to teach the children of America's military families worldwide. You can apply to be an overseas education with the Department of Defense Overseas School System (DoDDS).
  • National Security Agency
  • Peace Corps he Peace Corps sends more workers abroad than virtually any other American employer.
  • Army and Air Force Exchange Service The Army and Air Force Exchange Service has military installations in the United States, Europe and the Pacific. Their headquarters and regional offices are located in Dallas, Texas. Among the nation's largest retailers, AAFES employs over 50,000 associates, mostly civilians, and offers numerous management opportunities