Position Summary

The Physical Infrastructure Program Specialist serves as the Bogotá Foreign Assistance Unit’s (FAU) technical adviser for physical-infrastructure programming across South America. The position identifies, assesses, and supports U.S. Government-funded infrastructure programs that advance U.S. foreign-policy and national-security objectives, and respond to partner-country priorities. The portfolio may include logistics of corridors, ports, roads and bridges, railways, airports, navigable waterways, water and sanitation systems, public and social infrastructure, health and education facilities, and agricultural infrastructure.

The incumbent translates infrastructure needs into technically credible and implementable program designs. Responsibilities include preparing technical scopes of work; contributing to program-design and acquisition or assistance documents; reviewing proposals, feasibility studies, engineering designs, specifications, cost estimates, schedules, and other technical products; and advising the FAU on technical alternatives, implementation risks, project readiness, sustainability, and operations and maintenance considerations. The Specialist collaborates with other FAU technical and program personnel to ensure that physical works are appropriately incorporated into sector-specific programs.

Drawing from practices used across the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. Government agencies, the incumbent provides technical analysis and recommendations to support programming aligned with the America First foreign policy framework, including economic security, strategic competition, trusted infrastructure, supply chain resilience, energy security, and partnerships that reinforce U.S. interests. The salary will be commensurate with the local compensation for an equivalent FSN-11 position within Colombia.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Infrastructure Program Development (35%)

Supports the identification, assessment, and design of USG-funded physical-infrastructure programs that advance U.S. foreign-policy and national-security objectives. Responsibilities include:

Identifies potential infrastructure programming opportunities based on USG priorities, partner-country needs, infrastructure gaps, existing investments, and regional developments.
Supports programs involving logistics corridors, ports, roads and bridges, railways, airports, navigable waterways, logistics facilities, water and sanitation systems, public and social infrastructure, health and education facilities, and agricultural infrastructure.
Translates infrastructure needs and policy objectives into technically credible, feasible, and sustainable program concepts.
Supports the development of technical scopes and statements of work, program descriptions, acquisition and assistance planning documents, budgets, implementation approaches, and other program-design products.
Develops recommendations regarding the technical scope and requirements for feasibility studies, engineering assessments, preliminary designs, technical assistance, specialized inspections, and other project-preparation activities.
Provides technical recommendations regarding requirements, performance standards, implementation assumptions, schedules, cost parameters, and risk-mitigation approaches in collaboration with relevant FAU personnel.
Assesses project readiness, constructability, implementation risks, operational requirements, and the capacity needed to operate and maintain proposed investments.
Incorporates sustainability and operations and maintenance considerations throughout program design.
Coordinates technical, programmatic, procurement, financial, monitoring, and stakeholder inputs into coherent infrastructure programs.
Supports the adaptation, expansion, rehabilitation, or modernization of existing infrastructure programs when performance findings, policy changes, or operating conditions warrant revised approaches.
Identifies when additional short-term engineering or specialized sector expertise is required.
2. Technical Review and Quality Assurance (30%)

Provides technical review and quality-assurance support for proposed and ongoing infrastructure activities. Responsibilities include:

Reviews proposals, feasibility studies, engineering assessments, designs, drawings, technical specifications, bills of quantities, cost estimates, schedules, work plans, and other technical submissions.
Assesses whether proposed technical approaches are credible, implementable, appropriately scaled, and responsive to program requirements.
Evaluates design assumptions, construction methodologies, material and equipment specifications, sequencing, constructability, and operations and maintenance requirements.
Reviews technical products for consistency with applicable host-country, U.S., and international standards.
Provides technical analysis of proposed costs, schedules, and resource requirements in collaboration with financial, procurement, program, and sector specialists.
Compares technical alternatives and advises the FAU on their relative feasibility, risks, lifecycle implications, and expected performance.
Identifies technical gaps and potential implementation risks and recommends corrective actions or additional analysis.
Reviews quality-assurance and quality-control approaches, testing requirements, commissioning arrangements, maintenance plans, and other measures necessary to support reliable infrastructure performance.
Provides technical input during proposal reviews and other procurement or assistance processes, as requested and consistent with applicable procedures and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
Advises GORs, CORs, and FAU leadership on whether technical products appear responsive to applicable requirements while preserving formal acceptance authority for designated USG officials.
Confirms that designs, certifications, and other regulated engineering products are prepared or approved by appropriately qualified and licensed professionals when required.
3. Infrastructure Portfolio Planning and Strategic Analysis (15%)

Provides analysis and planning support to guide the FAU’s physical-infrastructure portfolio across South America. Responsibilities include:

Maintains visibility over proposed, active, and emerging infrastructure initiatives supported by the FAU.
Develops and maintains an infrastructure opportunity pipeline that captures project status, technical-preparation needs, strategic relevance, principal risks, and required next steps.
Analyzes infrastructure gaps, public-investment priorities, sector developments, and implementation constraints relevant to USG programming.
Provides analysis and recommendations to inform prioritization of large strategic investments, logistics corridors, and small-scale public or community infrastructure based on policy relevance, feasibility, readiness, and potential results.
Assesses how individual infrastructure activities contribute to broader transportation, logistics, public-service, economic-security, or territorial-development objectives.
Identifies opportunities to connect infrastructure investments with complementary programming managed by other FAU specialists.
Advises on the sequencing of feasibility, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operations and maintenance activities.
Identifies recurring technical and management risks across the infrastructure portfolio and recommends improvements to future program design.
Captures and shares lessons from completed and ongoing activities to strengthen technical quality, implementation, and sustainability.
Prepares technical briefing materials, analytical memoranda, talking points, and recommendations for FAU and Embassy leadership.
4. Program Quality, Monitoring, and Reporting (10%)

Supports GORs and CORs in monitoring assigned programs and awards, and assessing their continued strategic relevance and performance. Responsibilities include:

Reviews program reports, work plans, technical deliverables, construction updates, schedules, cost information, and performance data as requested by the responsible GOR or COR.
Collaborates with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist to gather, validate, analyze, and synthesize information from assigned programs.
Participates alongside the responsible GOR or COR in site visits, monitoring activities, portfolio reviews, and meetings with implementers, contractors, government counterparts, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders.
Assesses implementation progress and identifies technical, quality, cost, schedule, management, sustainability, and operations and maintenance concerns.
Reviews information on construction quality, testing, contractor quality-control processes, safety, commissioning, and readiness for intended use, as applicable.
Advises GORs and CORs when independent engineering, inspection, testing, or other specialized technical support may be required.
Prepares monitoring observations, technical analyses, and evidence-based recommendations for consideration by the GOR, COR, and FAU leadership.
Supports follow-up on monitoring findings and tracks actions requested by authorized USG officials.
Contributes to performance-management processes and internal reporting on program results, implementation risks, lessons, and strategic alignment.
Supports assessments of whether programs require technical adjustment, additional analysis, specialized assistance, or revised implementation approaches.
All monitoring and award-support functions shall be performed under the direction of the responsible GOR or COR. The Specialist shall not direct recipients or contractors, approve or reject deliverables, certify engineering products, modify award requirements, commit USG funds, or exercise responsibilities reserved for authorized USG officials.

5. Technical Coordination and Market Engagement (10%)

Coordinates infrastructure-related technical inputs across FAU portfolios and supports structured engagement with relevant public and private sector actors.

Responsibilities include:

Collaborates with FAU specialists to ensure that physical works associated with connectivity, health, education, agriculture, economic growth, and other sector programs are technically sound and appropriately incorporated into program designs.
Supports the Programs Team Lead and Senior Foreign Assistance Coordinator in technical consultations with national and subnational governments, public authorities, private operators, industry representatives, and other relevant actors.
Supports technical discussions with engineering firms, construction companies, suppliers, potential implementers, and other infrastructure-sector actors.
Develops and maintains market intelligence on regional engineering, construction, planning, and infrastructure-management capabilities that may inform program design and acquisition planning.
Facilitates technical consultations, workshops, and design discussions involving multidisciplinary stakeholders.
Provides remote and in-country technical support to other U.S. missions in South America based on Post needs and FAU priorities.
Participates in regional travel and site-based technical engagement as required.
Supervisory Controls

The Physical Infrastructure Program Specialist exercises independent technical judgment in assessing infrastructure concepts, reviewing engineering and construction products, developing technical requirements, and recommending approaches to address implementation challenges. The Specialist consults with the Programs Team Lead, responsible GORs or CORs, and other technical personnel when assignments involve significant policy, procurement, financial, safety, or specialized engineering considerations.

Work is reviewed for technical soundness, responsiveness to program requirements, compliance with applicable procedures, alignment with USG priorities, and contribution to effective program performance.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: One of the following combinations of education and professional experience is required:

Master’s degree in civil engineering, structural engineering, architecture, transportation planning, construction management, or another closely related infrastructure discipline, plus at least six years of relevant professional experience; or
Bachelor’s degree in one of these disciplines, plus at least 10 years of relevant professional experience. Note: Engineering, architecture, transportation-planning, and construction-management degrees are equally acceptable. A professional engineering license is not required.
Professional Experience:

Progressively responsible experience designing, reviewing, constructing, managing, or monitoring physical-infrastructure projects.
At least two years of direct experience with infrastructure projects of different sizes, levels of complexity, and sectoral focus.
Experience reviewing technical studies, designs, specifications, cost estimates, schedules, and other engineering or construction products.
Experience preparing technical scopes of work and assessing project feasibility, implementation risks, quality, sustainability, and operations and maintenance requirements.
Experience supporting project implementation, site monitoring, and multidisciplinary teams through clear technical analysis and recommendations.
Preferred Professional Experience:

Experience supporting infrastructure programs funded by the U.S. Government, multilateral organizations, bilateral donors, or international development institutions.
Experience working with the Department of State, MCC, USTDA, DFC, another U.S. Government agency, or a multilateral development institution.
Language: Level IV (Fluent) English and Level V (Fluent) Spanish required.

Skills and Abilities:

Design complex international programs
Lead proposal development efforts
Build relationships with private sector companies
Translate policy into operational programming
Integrate technical inputs into coherent program designs
Develop strategic partnerships
Communicate effectively with executive audiences
Manage competing priorities under tight deadlines
Produce high-quality analytical and written products
Comprehensive knowledge of:

Physical-infrastructure project development and implementation
U.S. foreign policy objectives
Program design methodologies
Results-based management
Infrastructure program design and project-management methodologies
Infrastructure investment programming
Government planning processes
Proposal development
Technical risk identification and mitigation

To apply, please submit resume and cover letter in English.

Please provide ONLY the following personal information on your resume: Name, telephone number, and email address.

In your cover letter please include a brief one-paragraph summary of your recent and relevant experience related to this role along with your responses to the following:

Full Legal Name
Telephone number and e-mail address
Are you legally authorized to work in Colombia and able to work daily in Bogotá? Yes/No
Highest level of Education completed and number of years of experience related to this role
Willing to undergo the mandatory background check process for this role? Yes/No
Willing and able to travel, as needed, for this role? Yes/No
Are you able to conduct the interview in English? Yes/No