Duties

Summary

These positions will be filled in the Excepted Service under the Department of Justice Pathways Internship Program (Tax Division). The program is designed to provide students currently enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions (undergraduate to graduate college level) with opportunities to work and get paid while exploring federal careers.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Tax Division is seeking students to work during the academic (school) year. Selected candidates could begin working during the summer break as long as they are enrolled in a qualifying program for the Fall 2021 term.

As a Student Trainee (Administrative Support/OA), you will work with attorneys and support staff assisting with a variety of administrative and clerical duties. These duties may include creating and maintaining electronic and paper files, closing litigation case files, answering phones, receiving visitors, assembling materials for litigation purposes, assisting with incoming and outgoing mail, and copying or scanning documents.

NOTE: These positions are clerical in nature and may not meet your school's requirements for academic credit.

Students may work full-time (40 hours a week) during the summer and part-time (up to 32 hours per week) while school is in session. Students also may work full-time (depending upon the needs of the agency) during vacation periods or whenever the school is officially closed.

Selected Pathways students are not eligible for promotion, therefore current Student Interns are encouraged to apply for consideration for a higher grade level.

The candidates selected to fill the positions will be required to complete a Participant Agreement which defines the requirements of the program, including an anticipated date for completing educational requirements. For more information about the Pathways Internship program please visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentAndGrads

Note: Interns are appointed in the Excepted Service to positions Not-to-Exceed (NTE) 1 year under legal authority Schedule D 213.3402(a). The positions may be extended at the Tax Division's discretion as long as the intern continues to meet the eligibility requirements. Once degree requirements have been met, the intern is no longer eligible for the program and the appointment is terminated.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
None

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• May be required to complete a background investigation, pass a drug test and credit check prior to entry on duty.
• Must be registered with the Selective Service, if applicable.
• Must be currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student. To work during the summer, you must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the Fall 2021 in an accredited institution.
• Must submit a resume, unofficial transcript(s), and/or Letter of Acceptance as supporting documents.
• Must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.
• Must be available to work in the Washington, DC metro area.
• Must provide proof of student status (transcript, current class schedule or Verification of Acceptance from the School Registrar's Office) and anticipated date of graduation (month/year)
• Must provide a transcript that indicates you have at least a 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) and final semester/quarter grades no lower than a "C".
• Regarding Work Experience, please indicate on your resume whether your employment was full-time or part-time, number hours per week as well as the dates of employment (month/year to month/year).

Qualifications

Education/Experience Requirements:

To qualify at the GS-03 level: Applicants must have 6 months of general experience to include progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled; - OR,
Education: Applicants must have completed 1 full academic year of post-high school study; - OR
Education and Experience Combined: Applicants must possess a combination of education and experience. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements.

To qualify at the GS-04 level: Applicants must have at least one (1) full year of general experience. General experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates the ability to perform the duties of the position to be filled; - OR
Education: Applicants must possess at least (2) years of education above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. (One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school); - OR
Education and Experience Combined: Applicants must possess a combination of general experience and education which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. To determine if you qualify based on a combination of general experience and education, first determine your education as a percentage; then determine your general experience as a percentage; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal to at least 100% to qualify.

Education

Please see the education requirements in the qualifications section above. To be eligible for consideration, candidates must be currently enrolled in a qualifying program and provide appropriate proof of enrollment.

Additional information

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: None - This is not a career ladder position.

WORK SCHEDULE: Part Time tours of duty (up to 32 hours a week) will be established so that they do not interfere with the academic schedule during each semester/quarter of the school year. Interns may work full-time (40 hours a week) (depending on the needs of the office) during vacation periods or at other times when classes are not in session.

WORK LOCATION: The nature of this position will likely require that you report in person to our offices in Washington D.C. during the ongoing pandemic.

This vacancy announcement may also be used to select candidates for student appointments during the 2021-2022 academic year, if additional vacancies occur.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Candidates who meet the qualification requirements will be eligible for further consideration. The Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the application assessment questionnaire to place you into an initial quality category via the Division's Category Ranking procedures. The questions are designed to capture the desired competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position. The rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire and is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for this position. If you rate yourself higher than what is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of three categories:

- Best Qualified - Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for announced position.

- Highly Qualified - Candidates in this category possess solid skills and experience above the minimum requirements for announced position.

- Qualified - Candidates in this category possess solid skills and experience at the minimum requirements for announced position.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

• A Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional). Your resume must include full employment information such as periods of employment with month/year started and ended, title of position(s), part-time/full-time hours worked, and description of duties. If it is federal employment, include the grade of the position (s). Please include the anticipated date of graduation on your resume.
• Unofficial Transcript(s): Please submit your current transcript(s) or you will be removed from consideration. (Note: If you are selected for the position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to the final job offer.)
• Veteran preference documentation, if applicable.
• Completed Occupational Questionnaire.
• Documentation noting your current enrollment in a qualifying institution.

Failure to provide proof of enrollment/acceptance will result in an incomplete application and you will not be considered further.