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.

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Responsibilities

The Student Trainee (Transportation Specialist) Pathways Intern will:

• Implements transportation program functions in a wide variety of disciplines (engineering, planning, environment, etc.) under the review of the office specialists. The activities will be focused on identifying and eliminating program deficiencies; and develops and coordinates a variety of reports, staff actions, correspondence, program briefings and other related actions.
• Tracks data and maintains databases of varied Federal-aid performance data and drafts reports as requested. Participates in initiatives/activities as required by the Division Performance Plan to implement programs, products, processes, or technologies that contribute to the achievement of the agency's National Strategic Goals.
• Assists supervisor or staff members in the formulation of milestones, goals, target dates and requirements to evaluate/analyze various aspects of projects/programs. Assists in monitoring status of accomplishments against established schedules and on occasion is tasked to identify anticipated problem areas and initiate simple corrective actions.
• Researches, analyzes, and drafts responses to questions regarding specific transportation related topics.
• Participates in meetings, workshops, conferences, and similar activities.
• Contributes to a range of modeling enhancements that involve engineering, economic, or statistical analysis. Assists with remodeling the problem into a more efficient constrained model by reviewing all constraints and objectives in order to improve the mathematical model and remove redundancies and inefficiencies; Explores possibilities for integrated computer applications of HERS and other models. advises on the model re-code into PYTHON.
• Reviews the quality of the HPMS sample data, devises fixes or errors and omissions, and recommends changes to the data collection instruments. Ascertains the minimum sample size needed to generate reliable model outputs (the current sample size is geared toward obtaining reliable descriptive statistics on the highway system at sub-State levels of geography; a smaller sample may suffice for the HERS model where the focus is national).
• Reviews HERS to identify elements that could possibly be eliminated or simplified without any significant loss, but with benefits in faster run times, increased model transparency or integrity, or reduced costs for model documentation and updates, and recommend specific changes.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel will be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
11

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet the requirements of the program.
• You must be at least 16 years of age
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date

PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY - To be eligible for appointment to a position in the DOT Internship Program, throughout the duration of the appointment, an individual must:

• Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution).
  
• Be seeking a degree that is relevant to this position.
• Be able to work at least 20 hours per week, depending on your academic schedule, and preferably full-time during the summer.
• Grade qualifications must be met prior to start date.

If selected you:

• must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement;
• may be employed throughout the academic year;
• must maintain status as a current student;
• must maintain good academic standing, at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale.
• must furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and
• must provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term.

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

ADDITIONAL 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.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding." This information will be listed under conditions of employment.
• DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment.
• PHYSICAL LOCATION: Intern will be required to work onsite unless COVID-19 restrictions mandate change
• TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment.

Qualifications

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

• GS-07: Completion of one academic year of graduate level education; OR eligibility under the http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Policies">Superior Academic Achievement *provision, as defined in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Operating Manual for Qualification Standards, and completion of a bachelor's degree.

*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.

Academic Year: At the undergraduate level, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. When academic credit is expressed in units or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the institution.

• GS-09: Completion of one academic year of graduate level education; OR eligibility under the http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Policies">Superior Academic Achievement *provision, as defined in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Operating Manual for Qualification Standards, and completion of a bachelor's degree.

Completion of two academic years of graduate level education, or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Ability to develop efficient optimization models and solution algorithms, analyze transportation data sets, and conduct statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in algorithm development using optimization software (e.g. CPLEX, GAMS, AIMMS, and FICO Express), statistical programs (e.g., SAS, R), and programming languages (e.g., Python).
• Applicants should be proficient in using callable functions for the optimization software within API.' (Updated VRF provided reflecting changes).

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 Pathways Internship Positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the start of the internship.

Education

Refer to the Qualifications and Requirements section for information pertaining to the Pathways Internship Program.

Additional information

This is an Excepted Service appointment. As a part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee's educational program requirements have been completed. The student intern may be converted, without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment upon graduation, to a position that has a career ladder targeted up to the GS-14, provided they are a US citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and receive a favorable recommendation from the supervisor for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship. The selectee is on a trial period while on a Pathways Internship appointment.

COVID VACCINATION: As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

A USAJobs built resume is required to apply.

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. Formatted resumes can be uploaded when you arrive at the DOT application system. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

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.

Completed Questionnaire.

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 and have not yet attended, therefore do not have a transcript to submit.

College Transcripts: Copies of your transcripts which include 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.

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.

Veterans: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), 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 applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
• 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 (member-4 copy), 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.

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.