Jobs at AFSA

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Employment at AFSA

The Foreign Service Act of 1980, the legal foundation for the Foreign Service, opens by declaring that “a career Foreign Service, characterized by excellence and professionalism, is essential in the national interest.” AFSA speaks for its members individually, ensuring that the law is upheld and due process followed, but also, crucially, for the long-term health and vigor of the Foreign Service as an institution, certain in the conviction that a career Foreign Service, characterized by excellence and professionalism, is in America’s national interest.

AFSA’s membership include active-duty and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists at the Department of State, as well as members of the Foreign Service from the U.S. Agency for International Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, Foreign Commercial Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media. AFSA exists to support the United States Foreign Service, which deploys worldwide to protect and serve America’s people, interests and values. The Foreign Service is the only U.S. government entity that is globally deployed with an enduring physical presence in almost every country in the world, creating an enormous competitive advantage for America and for Americans from all walks of life. AFSA’s members are career professionals who spend roughly two thirds of their careers abroad representing America to the people and leaders of other countries. Members of the Foreign Service are posted to more than 270 U.S. embassies, consulates and other missions around the globe—most in difficult and many in dangerous environments.

Our AFSA staff are hired from across the Foreign Service and international affairs communities. If you are interested in supporting the Foreign Service mission and working for AFSA, please keep an eye on our website below for available jobs. In the meantime, we have posted our Employee Handbook here for your information.

Spring 2026 AFSA Scholarships and Membership Intern (Part-time, 20 hrs/wk)

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) is recruiting a part-time intern for the spring to support the Membership team. The intern will be involved in a range of activities to support AFSA’s Scholarship program including review and audit of applications and preparation for judging panels. This position will also support the membership team on events and data management as needed.

The time frame for this position is January 2026 – May 2026; specific dates will be discussed at the beginning of the internship based on the intern’s school/personal schedule. The intern will not exceed 20 hours of work per week. The position is based in Washington, D.C. and while some telework is available, the candidate must be able to come into the office for work ideally on Monday and Wednesday and for large events.

Applications will be accepted until December 12, 2025.

Compensation

This is a paid internship at $17.95 per hour paid on a bi-weekly basis aligned with our payroll cycle. The maximum hours per week for this internship is 20 hours. The internship does not include any other benefits.

The Organization

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), created in 1924, is the professional association for the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA’s 12,250 members include active and former and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists primarily at the Department of State as well as at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Foreign Commercial Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

AFSA is also a labor union, serving as the exclusive representative of members of the Foreign Service. AFSA negotiates with the management of the principal U.S. Government foreign affairs agencies on personnel policies and practices affecting members’ working conditions, and represents members in formal grievance proceedings, office of security and inspector general investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and EEO cases.

For more information about AFSA, please visit: www.afsa.org.

The Position and Its Principal Responsibilities

This position is located in AFSA’s Membership department, which oversees membership administration and benefits; as well as plans and hosts member events (both in-person and virtual). Included under this department is AFSA’s college scholarship program and numerous professional performance awards offered to Foreign Service members. The intern will report to the Program Coordinator for Scholarship and Awards and will also work on events and membership tasks with the Memberships and Event Manager and the Director of Membership and Programs.

Responsibilities may include:

SCHOLARSHIPS: (~70%)
  • Audit scholarship applications for completion.
  • Compile applicant documents for review by judging panel.
  • Support Program Coordinator in the organization and execution of virtual and in-person judging panels and orientations, hosted at AFSA HQ.
  • Assist in management of the general email inbox, corresponding with applicants, recommenders, judges, and members in a professional manner.
AWARDS: (~15%)
  • Compile and track award nominations of Foreign Service Members for review by AFSA Governing Board’s Awards Committee and judging panels.
  • Draft and/or copy-edit promotional materials and other written event collateral
  • Support Program Coordinator in the organization and execution of virtual and in-person judging panels
FOREIGN SERVICE DAY: (~5%)
  • Foreign Service Day is recognized as the first Friday in May each year. AFSA hosts two big events in commemoration: the Memorial Plaque Ceremony to held at the Department of State and AFSA’s Foreign Service Day Open House at AFSA HQ.
  • Support Program Coordinator in the organization and execution of in-person event details for the Memorial Plaque Ceremony held on Friday, May 1, 2026
  • Support membership team in the planning of the annual Open House held on Thursday, April 30, 2026
  • Ideal candidates will be available to work on these dates to support day-of logistics.
MEMBERSHIP EVENTS & OPERATIONS: (~10%)
  • Aid in the facilitation of recruitment and member engagement events, helping with set-up, breakdown, and any day-of logistics as needed (virtual and in-person)
  • Support member data entry and analysis, through tasks such as inputting prospective members and updating member information
  • Assist in the creation and dissemination of event materials, such as marketing collateral, runs-of-show, and post-event analytics
  • Maintain records of event attendance and feedback

Requirements

  • High school diploma required.
  • Working toward a bachelor's degree.

Preferred Skills and Characteristics

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, to include email and phone.
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Works well in a team
  • Interest in international affairs and the Foreign Service.
  • Well versed with Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel. Comfortable with virtual platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
  • Comfortable with learning and managing software systems, including the application platform (CommunityForce) and membership database (NetForum).

To Apply

Please email Indigo Stegner, Scholarships & Awards Coordinator at stegner@afsa.org with your resume and detailed cover letter that explains why you are interested in and qualified for this position. Please note in your cover letter the number of hours you’d be able to commit to (up to 20 hours) based on your current Spring 2026 schedule.

Applications are due by December 12, 2025.

AFSA Employee Handbook