Foreign Service Specialist

The U.S. Department of State offers career opportunities to professionals in specialized functions needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world. As a Foreign Service Specialist, you will provide important technical, management, healthcare or administrative services at any of our more than 270 posts overseas, in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere in the United States.

You'll receive paid housing or a housing allowance when serving overseas, health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, paid education for dependent children in K-12 overseas, generous paid leave, and an unprecedented chance to see the world and experience different cultures.

The opportunities that exist for Foreign Service Specialists are as diverse as the countries in which they serve. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into eight major categories: Administration, Construction Engineering, Facility Management, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Law Enforcement and Security.

Explore a career in the Foreign Service and start your journey with the Department today. You can download the Guide to the Foreign Service Selection Process to learn about the Specialist career tracks and the selection and hiring process. Or, you can look at where we work, or take the quiz to find out if the Foreign Service is right for you, or which Specialization is right for you.