Duties

Summary

This is a Student Internship position under the Pathways Internship Program.
To qualify for this Internship, you MUST be a continuing student enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the current/upcoming semesters for the duration of the internship as a condition of employment, taking at least a half-time course load. You will be required to provide documentation to support eligibility. Students may be employed throughout the academic year.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Secretarial Intern Program (SIP) is designed to provide interns an opportunity to broaden their perspectives on issues facing government. Interns will work throughout the Department of Transportation (DOT) and support higher-level management in coordinating, facilitating, and implementing activities within the office to which they are assigned; and be exposed to and participate in activities, innovations, and challenges facing the Transportation Industry. The appointments for this vacancy announcement will begin with the Spring 2020 school year. The recommended program start timeframe is January 2020. This program is initially planned to run for approximately 15-weeks, at which time each Operating Administration (OA) will make the determination if they will extend the internship. Internships may be extended up to the date that the student graduates.

You will serve as a Student Trainee. The SIP integrates on-the-job training with pertinent education by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Student Trainee works in support of the office they are assigned to which may include:

• Performing a variety of assignments selected to broaden skills and provide practical experience aimed at developing the employee's skills and knowledge to perform progressively complex assignments.
• Assignments at this level are designed to orient, train, and increase the student's knowledge in his/her perspective area of study.
• Assisting specialists/analysts in developing material for briefings, reports, presentations and conference materials needed by supervisor and executive management.
• Developing documents, such as research based papers, graphs, charts, and other data to be used by transportation officials in defining transportation challenges and recommending options and potential solutions.
• Assisting management in collecting, organizing and maintaining program and/or functional documentation and materials.
• Performing a variety of program support functions, such as inputting, assigning, maintaining, monitoring, or updating work status and records as well as administering and performing other support activities.
• Participating in meetings, events, and briefings.
• Preparing a variety of correspondence, memoranda, and information as requested.

Ideal Candidate: The Department of Transportation (DOT) is looking for Undergraduate and Graduate students with an interest in transportation, majoring in science, technology, human resources, administration, mathematics, business, economics, computer science/IT, cybersecurity and research based majors. The DOT is seeking students who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and self-initiative. These positions are located in the DOT headquarters (HQ) building, which is directly across the street from the Metro and blocks away from the Washington National's Baseball stadium, or in the Federal Aviation Administration HQ building, also conveniently located next to the Metro.

The individual series are listed below for your reference and information to include the link to the applicable qualification standard:

GS-0199 - Social Science Student Trainee Series (e.g. Economist; Social Sciences or similar fields)

GS-0299 - Human Resources Management Student Trainee Series (e.g. Human Resources; Equal Opportunity; Labor Relations; Government; Policy or similar fields)

GS-0399 - Administration and Office Support Student Trainee Series (e.g. Human Resources; Management; Administration; Sciences; Research; Government; Policy or similar fields)

GS-0599 - Financial Management Student Trainee Series (e.g. Finance; Budget; Auditing, Accounting; Pay or similar fields)

GS-0899 - Engineering and Architectural Student Trainee Series (e.g. Civil; Chemical; General; Aerospace; Electrical Mechanical; Mechanical Corrosion; Metallurgical and Materials; Petroleum Engineering; or students with an interest in oil and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG))

GS-1099 - Information and Arts Student Trainee Series (e.g. Writing; Editing; Public Affairs; Communications or similar fields)

GS-1199 - Business and Industry Student Trainee Series (e.g. Business; Procurement; Contracting or similar fields)

GS-1599 - Mathematics and Statistics Student Trainee Series (e.g. Statistics; Mathematics; Data Science, Database Management or similar fields)

GS-2199 - Transportation Student Trainee Series (e.g. Transportation Specialist; Railroad Safety; Highway Safety; Traffic Management; Aviation or similar fields)

GS-2299 - Information Technology Management Student Trainee Series (e.g. Information Technology; Computer Science; Cybersecurity or similar fields)

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-TECH=&url=List-by-Occupational-Series

Please note: Depending on the type of position, the full promotion potential may be up to a GS-12.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must meet the qualification standards of the position
• You must be at least 16 years of age
• You must complete a background investigation
• This position is NOT telework eligible; intern must work onsite
• Review Required Documents section as documents are required by closing date
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP: Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• INTERNSHIP: Must meet the requirements for the Internship Program.
• PROOF OF ENROLLMENT: Must be enrolled at least half time at a qualifying educational institution pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate at least half-time.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Must complete a background investigation.
• DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment.
• STUDENT STATUS: You must maintain status as a current student while on this appointment.
• DEGREE: Must be related to the position.
• WORK SCHEDULE: Intern should be able to work at least 20 hours per week, depending on academic schedule, and preferably full-time during the summer. This is position is not eligible for telework.
• PHYSICAL LOCATION: Intern will be required to work onsite.
• TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment.

You must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement; furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term.

Qualifications

This position has an education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to a final offer of employment.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

GS-4 Completion of two academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree.

GS-5 Completion of four academic years of post-high school study leading to a bachelor's degree or four academic years of pre-professional study

GS-7 Completion of one academic year of graduate level education; OR bachelor's degree with http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Policies">Superior Academic Achievement as defined in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook; OR five academic years of pre-professional study.

Superior Academic Achievement- In the upper one-third of graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0, as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0, based on average of required courses completed in major or required courses in major completed during the final 2 years of curriculum.

Special Provisions for Interns with Previous Related Education or Experience. Previous education and/or experience may be evaluated to determine the highest grade level for which the individual is qualified.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - click here . You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

For the definition of a qualifying educational institution, please use the following link: click here
Eligibility: Applicants must meet the definition of a Student, click here for additional information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

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

Education

You must be a student currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited college or university:

• Enrollment must be at least half-time course load as defined by the education institution (typically six hours or equivalent for undergraduate and three hours or equivalent for graduate).
• Maintain good academic standing, generally, at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA for undergraduate programs and a 3.0 GPA for graduate programs, on a 4.0 grading scale.

For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets

For a list of accredited institutions, please visit: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ .

Additional information

This is an Excepted Service appointment. Upon graduation, depending on the qualifications and the agency's need the student may be converted without a break in service to a permanent appointment in the competitive service, to a position that has a career ladder target up to the GS-12 depending on the office the student is selected to work in and provided the student is a U.S. citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and has received a favorable recommendation for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position in the competitive service following this internship.

If selected, you will be required to sign a Pathways Participant Agreement. Interns may work full-time or part-time during the school year (based on agency needs) while continuing their education.

You will be in a trial period throughout your entire Pathways Internship appointment. If selected, you will be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for Federal employments and to authorize a background investigation.

EEO STATEMENT: The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. 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, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.

Once you complete and submit your application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the job. Qualified students will be referred to the hiring manager in unranked order by veteran preference status: (1) Preference eligible having a compensable, service-connected disability of 10 percent or more; (2) all other candidates eligible for 10-point veteran preference; (3) candidates eligible for 5-point veteran preference; and (4) candidates not eligible for veteran preference.

You will not be considered for the position if any part of the application or supporting documentation is incomplete. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or adverse action after hiring.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

ALL Applicants must provide a resume that fully supports the required specialized experience and was created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and respond to the vacancy questions by the closing date of the vacancy.

The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying. Please review each of the following sections to determine which, if any, additional documents you need to provide with your application.

Current Resume: Needs to be created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and required from all applicants.

Completed Questionnaire.

College Transcripts: Copies of your transcripts which includes courses currently in progress. "Unofficial" transcripts are acceptable. (Prior to appointment, an official transcript will be required.) Required from all applicants who are currently enrolled.

Acceptance Letter of Enrollment: A letter from the educational institution that confirms the following: The degree/diploma program in which you have been accepted and that you will be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment.

Department of Defense Form DD-214: Official document verifying creditable military service (if applicable).

Standard Form 15: Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, to adjudicate individuals' claims for veterans' preference (if applicable).

VETERANS: Your last DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility. it need not be official.

• If you are claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
• If you are applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) ( https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa ), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214, which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

Veterans Administration Letter: Official document verifying total compensable disability based on military service (if applicable).

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

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.