Overview
Federal service is the cornerstone of the Boren Awards program. Recipients of a Boren Scholarship or Fellowship accept a Service Requirement to work for the federal government in the national security arena. Award recipients are not guaranteed a federal job after graduation - they must secure a position themselves. This individual-driven approach means that Boren Scholarship and Fellowship application essays must include a compelling case as to why the candidate is, or will be, qualified for federal employment with national security responsibilities. Successful applicants make this case by relating their professional, academic, extracurricular, and volunteer experience to duties required of federal employees in national security positions. The onus is on the applicant to make this connection.
The NSEP Service Requirement stipulates that an award recipient work in the Federal Government in a position with national security responsibilities. The priority agencies are:
If an award recipient demonstrates to NSEP that no appropriate position is available in one of these agencies, the award recipient must seek to fulfill the requirement in a position with national security responsibilities in any Federal department or agency.
Additional information about the Service Requirement, including a timeline for completion, is located on the Service Requirement FAQ page.
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Examples of Service
Since the beginning of the Boren Awards, recipients have fulfilled their Service Requirement in a wide variety of federal offices. Sometimes these positions include traditional national security responsibilities, but oftentimes these jobs are unique in their connection to national security.
Here are some examples of traditional national security jobs in the federal government:
- Intelligence Analyst, Central Intelligence Agency
- Foreign Service Officer, Department of State
- Policy Analyst, Department of Defense
Here are some examples of more unique national security jobs:
- Asylum Officer, Department of Homeland Security
- Private Sector Analyst, Department of Homeland Security
- Foreign Affairs Intern, Congress
- Family and Military Community Coordinator, Department of Defense
- International Affairs Specialist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Fisheries Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The list of positions above certainly isn’t exhaustive. Federal offices are offering new opportunities all the time. For examples of federal jobs that are open for applications right now, you can check USAJOBS.gov, which is the federal government’s largest job board. USAJOBS.gov offers powerful tools to help you narrow your search. For instance, you can enter a search for only international-oriented positions.
If you cannot find a position on USAJOBS, then you might want to check agency-specific websites for vacancies. The State Department’s Foreign Service, the CIA, and the FBI all manage their own job announcement websites.