Job Description
The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad.
If you’re passionate about public service and want to represent the U.S. around the world, a challenging and rewarding career is waiting for you. The opportunity to work and experience cultures, customs and people of different nations is truly a career unlike any other.
The work you’ll do will have an impact on the world. You will be asked to serve at one of any of the more than 270 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions in The Americas, Africa, Europe and Eurasia, East Asia and Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia. Some of these posts are in difficult and even dangerous environments, but working in them affords great challenges and rewards.
Explore a career in the Foreign Service and start your journey with the Department today. Start by looking at where we work, or taking the quiz to find out if the Foreign Service is right for you, or what career track is the best fit.
As the lead federal agency responsible for U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. Department of State represents U.S. interests around the world at over 270 diplomatic missions. The Department’s employees, with their skills, character, and commitment to public service, are the backbone of America’s diplomacy. Thousands of committed and dedicated men and women pursue a career in public service through careers with the U.S. Department of State. With more than 25 different career paths available, Foreign Service Officers and Specialists make up a corps of some 13,000 employees dedicated to representing America abroad and responding to the needs of American citizens living and traveling around the world. The Department’s Civil Service, totaling more than 11,000 employees, provides continuity and expertise in accomplishing all aspects of the Department’s mission at the Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C. or other domestic locations.
The U.S. Department of State recruits from IT, engineering, healthcare, federal law enforcement, international affairs, legal, business, management, and public relations careers. The U.S. Department of State also offers of wealth of student programs, including paid and unpaid internships, study abroad, and paid fellowships. Visit careers.state.gov to learn more. U.S. citizenship is required. An equal opportunity employer.