International Trade Specialist

These vacancies are for International Trade Specialists in rurally accessible locations in U.S. Operations whose objective is to increase the number of rural small to medium sized exporters through export counseling and the development of customized strategies and client-facing programs for rural businesses. U.S. Operations empowers staff to work across ITA and Global Market's U.S. and international network to assist rural companies who face unique challenges to international growth.Qualifications:

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations e.g., professional; philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To qualify at the GS-9 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-9: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Managing client or customer relations;
• Performing research in one or more of the following areas: International Trade issues, U.S. business exports, country standards and regulations, industry sector markets, business practices;
• Researching and preparing written communication or oral presentations.

-OR-
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., in international policy, international commerce, international management, intercultural relations, international development, global economy, government and foreign affairs, international business, International Trade, international economics, international affairs, international relations, or other related fields of study.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:I possess a combination of education and experience that meet the total qualification requirements. (i.e. One year and 6 months of graduate level education or 50% education plus 6 months of specialized experience or 50% experience. When added up they must total 100% and transcripts must be provided and experience must be demonstrated in resume.)

To qualify at the GS-11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-11: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Performing research in one or more of the following areas: U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion, trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and/or negotiations;
• Making recommendations on trade issues, policy positions, or negotiating strategies;
• Operating in an international business or trade policy and promotion environment.

-OR-
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in international policy, international commerce, international management, intercultural relations, international development, global economy, government and foreign affairs, international business, International Trade, international economics, international affairs, international relations, or other related fields of study.-
OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:A combination of education and experience that meet the total qualification requirements. (i.e. One year and 6 months of graduate level education or 50% education plus 6 months of specialized experience or 50% experience. When added up they must total 100% and transcripts must be provided and experience must be demonstrated in resume.)

To qualify at the GS-12 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-12: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Negotiating strategies, and developing and disseminating trade information to U.S. businesses or associations;
• Performing U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, and trade promotion through trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and negotiations.

To qualify at the GS-13 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-13: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience:

• Performing U.S. export facilitation, foreign direct investment promotion, trade promotion through trade-policy analysis, the resolution of trade barriers, and negotiations;
• Recommending empirical trade information with interpretation and prediction of influences of economic, market, political, and other events;
• Developing strategies for U.S. business facilitation, trade and investment promotion initiatives, regulatory, and global trade-policy positions.

Education: There is no positive education requirement for this position.
Employment Type: FULL_TIME