Duties

Summary

This is a Student Internship opportunity under the Pathways Program.

This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first 100 applications are received or on ADD CLOSING DATE , whichever comes first.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Your application package may be shared with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like the one you are applying to. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

NOTE: At the time of application, ALL APPLICANTS are required TO BE ENROLLED or HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED for enrollment and seeking a degree, diploma or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a FULL OR HALF-TIME basis. Copies of your unofficial transcripts and/or a current proof of enrollment letter are required at the time of application to be considered for this program. The enrollment letter can be obtained from your school.

This position is located in the Materials and Structural Systems Division of the NIST Engineering Laboratory.

The incumbent of this position will conducts research in polymeric materials for the purpose of improving performance-based codes, standards, or industry best practice. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, predicting the performance and service life of polymeric infrastructural materials. With periodic supervision, test and analyze polymer samples undergoing laboratory weathering exposure. Conduct measurements to quantify chemical and mechanical changes of polymers resulting from exposure to laboratory environments by applying established methods, tests, and procedures and recording actions and results. Develop database methods to organize, store, and process acquired data.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
02

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must be suitable for Federal employment.
• You must be at least 16 years of age
• Must be enrolled at least half time at a qualifying institution
• Must possess a grade point average (GPA) of a 3.0 or higher out of a 4.0.

All applicants must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, degree) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled). In addition, you must be enrolled in school for the duration of the appointment. You will be required to provide documentation to support your eligibility for the program.

Applicants must possess a grade point average (GPA) of a 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.If you are submitting an acceptance/enrollment letter from your university you MUST also upload your last known unofficial transcript containing your cumulative GPA. If you do not provide proof of GPA, you will be disqualified from further consideration.

Applicants must be enrolled in a directly related degree program

Applicants must meet requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Your resume must be complete (i.e., include dates of experience, salary, work schedule, etc.), detailed and relevant to the position.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

Degree: Physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

Or

Combination of education and experience: Education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

APPLICANTS MUST ALSO MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING :

Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education.

Or

Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree.

Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

Class standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b. 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society - Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Click here for a list of qualified honor societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements this provision.

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains Federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the OPM website located at http:///www.opm.gov/qualifications

Applicants may request reconsideration of their qualifications determination within three business days from the date their applicant status was changed. Applicants should email the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement with their written request listing the announcement number; explaining why the original determination was improper; what factors were not considered; and, should provide any other pertinent information that would enable reevaluation.

Education

PROOF OF ENROLLMENT FOR THE CURRENT SEMESTER. This may be documented on your official/unofficial transcripts, a course schedule, an acceptance letter from your university for future enrollment, or an official letter of enrollment from the university registrar's office or a university counselor, as long as your enrollment for the current semester is clearly documented. If you do not provide proof of enrollment for the current semester, you will be disqualified from further consideration.

If you are currently enrolled, but in your last semester/quarter of completing your degree/certificate requirements, you must show proof of continuing education, such as an acceptance letter, or you will be disqualified from further consideration.

This position has an education requirement. You must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts to document that you have met the education requirement. Official transcripts will be required prior to a final offer of employment.

Foreign education: Individuals educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for a U.S. equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. View a listing of these accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website . Provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing.

Additional information

As a part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee's educational program requirements have been completed.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION: Program participants may be non-competitively converted to a career-conditional, career, or term position within 120 days of successful completion of the program, but there is no requirement to do so.

To be eligible for conversion, the intern must:

• Meet the OPM qualification standards for the position to which s/he will be converted
• Have completed academic study from a qualifying institution
• Have completed at least 640 hours of work experience while in the Internship program; up to 320 hours may be credited from other qualifying federal Internship appointments or non-federal work experience toward the 640 hours
• Receive a favorable recommendation by an official of the Agency

Pathways participants may be converted to a permanent or term position within any NIST career path. If converted to permanent or term position, the full performance level would be: ZP-III

More information on the Pathways Programs for students and recent graduates can be found if you click here .

You will be in a trial period throughout your entire Pathways appointment.

This position is covered by an Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). This system replaces the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and grade with career paths and pay bands. For information regarding how the pay bands correspond to the General Schedule, click here.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.

Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band.

ZP only statement: Please also include in your resume a list of all publications and patents/patent applications on which you are a named inventor and provide the title and patent/patent application number for each.

Your application package will be placed in one of three categories based on your responses to the assessment questions; Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. If non-veterans can be referred, the Best qualified (i.e., candidates in the GOLD category) will be forwarded for consideration to the selecting official and may be contacted for an interview. More information about the three categories can be found at: Category Rating

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information regarding CTAP and ICTAP appointments and eligibility can be found at - CTAP/ICTAP

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

You MUST submit your unofficial college transcripts, that includes your GPA, with your application. This office will be unable to determine qualification eligibility without transcripts. Applications without transcripts are incomplete applications and will be rated "INELIGIBLE". Transcripts will NOT be accepted after the closing date of this announcement.

You MUST provide proof of enrollment for the current semesters (i.e., unofficial transcript, course schedule, acceptance letter, letter from the registrar). Applications without proof of enrollment are incomplete applications and will be rated "INELIGIBLE". Proof of Enrollment will NOT be accepted after the closing date of this announcement.

HRS PLEASE INCLUDE IF THERE IS A POSITIVE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE POSITION : Applicants MUST submit documentation that reflects the following: the degree/diploma program in which you are currently enrolled or you have been accepted into. Applications without a declared major listed on transcripts, school letter, etc are incomplete applications and will be rated "INELIGIBLE". Resumes or cover letters declaring an intended major will NOT be accepted because this information must be listed on documentation provided by the school/university.

For more information please refer to the Pathways Intern section of the Required Documents page

Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Official documents are not required at the time of application, copies are sufficient. If selected, official documentation must be submitted prior to appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.