Visa Assistant, FSN-7*; FP-7**

NOTE:  ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMIT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION, AND SHOULD PROVIDE A COPY OF WORK PERMIT WITH APPLICATION.

OPEN TO:  Current employees of the Mission, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs), Eligible Family Members (EFMs) and Members of Household (MOH) – All Agencies
 
POSITION:  Visa Assistant, FSN-7*; FP-7**

OPENING DATE: January 14, 2009

CLOSING DATE:  January 28, 2009

WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week

SALARY: *Ordinarily Resident: W40,565,000 p.a. (Starting salary)
(Position Grade: FSN-7)
**Not-Ordinarily Resident: US$33,817 p.a. (Starting salary
(Position Grade: FP-7 to be confirmed by Washington)

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul is seeking an individual for the position of Visa Assistant in the Petition-base Visa Unit of the Consular Section. 

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

The incumbent is responsible for data entry and prescreening of H and L cases, prescreening and follow-up interviews with certain applicants, coordination with the Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) and the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), drafting memoranda to accompany returned petitions, and working with FPU on H and L fraud patterns and staffing training. Performs other duties as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
NOTE:  All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each criterion.

1. Education:  Two years of post-secondary education is required.
2. Prior Work Experience:  Two years of bilingual administrative, government or paraprofessional experience, including one year of consular work that applies a body of regulatory material to decision making.
3. Language Proficiency:  Level IV (Fluency) in English and Korean is required.
4. Job Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of 9FAM/22 CFR; Immigration and Nationality Act and related laws: Seoul-specific SOPs; application and refusal forms; DOS, DHS and Seoul consular websites.
5. Skills and Abilities:  Can multitask to carry out detailed, sometimes repetitive, work with accuracy and efficiency, both as a team member and independently, under pressure.  Within an assigned schedule uses initiative to prioritize tasks to meet an exceptionally heavy visa production target.  Exercises highly developed tact and sound judgment to function politely and efficiently in a high pressure, multicultural environment, on a team and alone.  Responds well to direction from superiors and can train junior LES or newly arrived FSOs and LES. Uses standard keyboard, data entry and software skills to operate a personal computer, laser printer, scanner and visa databases.

SELECTION PROCESS

When equally qualified, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) and U.S. Veterans will be given preference.  Therefore, it is essential that the candidate address the required qualifications above in the application.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy.
2. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
3. Currently employed AEFMs who hold a FMA appointment are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
4. Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment, unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.
5. Current Ordinary Resident employees with an overall summary rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants for this position must submit the following or the application will not be considered:
1. Job Application Form for Employment with the US Embassy Seoul (Highly recommended); or
2. Application for Federal Employment (OF-612); or
3. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information required in #1; plus
4. Candidates who claim U.S. Veteran’s preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 within their application. 
5. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, award, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
Note:  If you have any family members who are currently working at the U.S. Embassy, Seoul, you are required to specify on your application or resume his/her name, office and relationship with you.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO

Human Resources Office
American Embassy
Sejongno 32, Jongnogu, Seoul (110-710), or Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
E-mail: SeoulRecruiter@State.Gov
Fax: 02-397-4107

DEFINITIONS

1. U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) – For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:
• U.S. Citizen; and,
• Spouse or unmarried child at least 18 years old; and,
• Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:
1. Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
2. Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.

2. EFM:  An individual related to a US Government employee in one of the following ways:
• Spouse;
• Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support.  The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
• Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
• Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.

3. Member of Household (MOH) – An individual who accompanies a  direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan.  An MOH is:
• Not an EFM; and,
• Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
• Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.
A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member.  A MOH does not have to be a U.S. Citizen.

4. Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who:
• Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
• Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
• Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
• Has a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN).
NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

5. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or US citizen who:
• Is locally resident; and,
• Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
• Is subject to host country employment and tax laws. 
All OR employees, including US citizens, are compensated in accordance with the LCP.

CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION:  January 28, 2009
The US Mission in Seoul, Korea provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.  The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation.  Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.