At Foreign Service posts, Diplomatic Security Officers are responsible for the administration of a broad range of security services to protect Foreign Service personnel, facilities, operations, and information against hostile intelligence, criminal, and terrorist activities. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security also conducts overseas investigations for the Department of State and for other federal agencies. Diplomatic Security officers are assigned responsibilities on a regional basis and serve Foreign Service posts in several countries, which may require frequent travel. Exceptions may be made to increase the number of steps based upon such factors as the level of graduate education and directly related specialized experience. However, salary is limited to the maximum salary for the specific grade for which the candidate is qualified at the time of appointment.
Salaries are determined at the time final offers of employment are made.
Entry level salary for Federal civilian employees, appointed without a break in service, will be set at the step, within the Foreign Service grade to which they are appointed, that is nearest to the base salary rate of their previous salary. The actual differences in pay will be determined by the location of assignments. Applicants must be willing to use and carry firearms and must qualify with firearms during initial training and periodically thereafter. Applicants must be fit for strenuous physical exertion and be able to pass physical fitness tests. Applicants must possess a valid US driver's license and be able to pass a defensive driving course during initial training.