Security Engineering Officers

Security engineering officers are highly skilled professional engineers who serve worldwide. Security engineers are responsible for the technical and informational security programs at our diplomatic and consular posts overseas. In the United States, engineers provide support for our overseas operations.

• Qualifications
• Training
• Salary and Benefits

View the Security Engineering Officer brochure.

For more information, contact us at DSRecruitment@state.gov.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship
• BS degree in engineering (electrical, electronics, computer, mechanical), engineering technology (electrical, electronics, security), engineering physics, or physics at the time of appointment
• 21 years of age
• If required, registration under the Military Selective Service Act
• Undergo written and oral assessment
• Undergo a thorough background investigation and qualify for a Top Secret security clearance
• Pass a stringent medical exam and be available for worldwide assignment
• Be willing to travel and accept assignments throughout the world.Officers are required to live and work a substantial portion of their career overseas.
• Foreign language ability is desirable, but not mandatory
• Understand and be able to apply the physical and mathematical principles of electronics engineering techniques, standards, and practices related to the security engineering field.

Diplomatic Security has a corps of top-flight men and women who serve as security engineering officers (SEOs). SEOs are assigned throughout the world to develop, implement, and manage technical security programs.

The State Department's work in security technology began more than 40 years ago by detecting and removing clandestine listening devices from State Department facilities. Since those early days, our job has grown to keep up with rapidly evolving technology in detection equipment, computer systems, intrusion detection systems, and access control equipment.

Technical security systems development, installation, and project management are a major part of a SEO's job. SEOs are increasingly called upon for their expertise as the State Department's dependence on computer systems grows. As a technical security expert, an SEO advises State Department managers on a wide variety of issues. An engineer's knowledge must extend to the leading edges of electronic technology, physics, and computer science yet officers must be willing to use a hands-on approach to investigate indications of a technical threat.

The Department of State has greatly expanded its security programs to combat espionage attacks and terrorism on our diplomatic facilities and personnel. For the security technology program, this expansion has increased our need to design, develop, and install sophisticated electronic detection systems. SEOs analyze complex engineering problems and design effective systems to solve them.

^Top of page^

Training

Security engineering officers are initially assigned to a training/orientation position in the Washington, DC, area. Each employee must successfully complete a specialized training program. After training, an officer is assigned to a domestic or overseas position, usually with a senior security engineering officer who provides on-the-job guidance and training.

Security engineers are members of the Foreign Service and spend a substantial portion of their careers abroad. They are based in 38 engineering service offices around the world. Travel to nearby countries to conduct engineering surveys and security inspections, install equipment, and to provide electronic maintenance can occupy up to 50 percent of an overseas officer's time.

^Top of page^

Salary and Benefits

Starting salaries range from $46,736 to $64,519, depending on qualifications, location of assignment, and related specialized experience. Satisfactory performance earns employees automatic grade and pay increases during the first 3 years. Thereafter, promotions are competitive based on the recommendations of annual selection panels.

An excellent benefits package includes:

• Group life and health insurance
• Annual and sick leave accrual; retirement plan
• Government-provided quarters or housing allowance overseas
• Home leave to the United States between overseas assignments
• Rest and recuperation leave, with transportation partially paid, when employees and their dependents are assigned to designated hardship posts
• Cost of living allowance
• Educational allowance for dependents under certain circumstances
• Danger pay at designated posts
• Moving expenses for assignments

A high level of responsibility, good opportunities for promotion, and an excellent benefits package await you. Make the most of your unique skills and abilities as a security engineering officer.

^Top of page^