This is a Student Trainee (General Engineer) position under the Pathways Internship Program. As a general engineering intern you will serve as a member of a Volpe team supporting senior engineers. You will be given a wide range of tasks and developmental assignments meant to enhance your engineering skills and professional knowledge of project management as well as the development, evaluation, and operation of transportation systems.
Summary
This is a Student Trainee (General Engineer) position under the Pathways Internship Program. As a general engineering intern you will serve as a member of a Volpe team supporting senior engineers. You will be given a wide range of tasks and developmental assignments meant to enhance your engineering skills and professional knowledge of project management as well as the development, evaluation, and operation of transportation systems.
Open to all U.S. Citizens. This position is part of the Pathways Program and is open to current students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a qualifying educational institution and enrolled at least half-time. Additional information can be found at
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/students-recent-graduates/
One or more vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
As a General Engineering Intern you will perform duties involving basic principles of engineering and will work as a member of a project team in one of Volpe’s engineering organizations. Project work varies by division, to learn more visit: https://www.volpe.dot.gov/our-work. You will carry out specific assignments in accordance with defined work procedures outlined by your supervisor. Complexity of duties increases with experience.
Major duties may include:
Assisting in the research, interpretation, design, testing and analysis of transportation systems, vehicles and structures.
Articulating information through methods such as: fact sheets, project reports, design documentation, discussions, meetings, and briefings or presentations to the project team, Volpe Center management, sponsor representatives or representatives of other government agencies/industrial groups.
Assisting higher-level engineers who work in a variety of specializations with a variety of equipment, instruments, computer software and hardware, and laboratory tests with managing the operation/scope/schedule/quality of assigned project.
Extracting and processing data and measurements using mathematics, elementary algebra and geometry, basic statistics, and standard formulas of engineering specific disciplines.
Traveling to field sites for testing or assignments and performing other related duties, as appropriate. Areas of study may include: connected and automated vehicle research, hardware/software/network architectures for transportation and safety systems, software development for cybersecurity/building policies, aviation or maritime systems engineering, applied mechanics, finite element analysis techniques, energy use reduction, fire safety/code compliance, occupational safety, transportation infrastructure improvements, automobile/rail crash-worthiness tests and simulation, or highway/transportation engineering (design, construction, materials, survey and mapping, and asset management).
The ideal candidate for this position is pursuing a degree in professional engineering and has a desire to study engineering concepts/principles and assist with complex projects for air or surface transportation systems, vehicles and structures. Preferred engineering fields include: civil, mechanical, fire protection/chemical, environmental, computer, computational, software, electronics, electrical, systems, architectural, geomatics, construction/industrial, and engineering management.
Volpe is committed to fostering an all-inclusive diverse workforce where employees feel valued for their unique backgrounds and qualities and have a sense of belonging and engagement in helping to advance transportation for the public good.
Flexibility, creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to take initiative will help you to find—or to create—the projects that interest you the most. Good social skills will allow you to establish a close rapport with our clients both over the phone and in the field. Here is your opportunity to study trains, planes, automobiles, boats, buses, bicycles, traffic lights, pipelines, sidewalks, unmanned and autonomous systems, or hyperloops—yes, even hyperloops. To learn more about the work we do, please visit our website: www.volpe.dot.gov/our-work.
You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet Pathways Internship requirements.
Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
This position is telework eligible.
May be used to fill similar positions within 90 days for this location.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Internship Program.
Must be enrolled at least half time at a qualifying educational institution* pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate and provide proof of enrollment.
Must complete a background investigation.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
Review required documents section and provide all required documents by the closing date.
Positions are located in Cambridge, MA; relocation expenses are not approved.
Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
The required education must lead to a degree in professional engineering.
To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, communications, or electronics.
GS-3: Completion of one academic year post-high school study.
GS-4: Completion of two academic years of post-high school study; OR associate’s degree.
GS-5: Completion of four academic years post-high school study leading to a bachelor’s degree; OR bachelor’s degree.
GS-7: Completion of one academic year of graduate level education; OR bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement as defined in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Operating Manual for Qualification Standards; 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.
GS-9: A Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR A LL.B. or J.D., if related.
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.
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.
In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Internship Program:
- All applicants are required to provide proof of current student enrollment such as a current/fall 2018 unofficial transcript (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or a letter from a school official (e.g. registrar, advisor, etc.) by the closing date of the advertisement or will be disqualified from further consideration.
- All applicants invited to an interview will be required to bring documentation of enrollment in the spring 2019 semester/quarter.
- All applicants must have at least 1 year remaining in their studies before they complete their current degree requirements or must enroll in another qualifying degree program upon completion of current requirements.
- Students graduating before March 1, 2019 must provide proof of continued education in the next semester/quarter (e.g. letter of application or acceptance, etc.) with their application or will be disqualified from further consideration.
- Students graduating before September 1, 2019 may apply but will be required to provide documentation of application or acceptance for future enrollment in another qualifying degree program if invited for an interview.
- If selected, you will be required to provide Official transcripts.
- If selected, you must periodically provide transcripts and/or letter from the school stating you are enrolled in a degree/certificate program on at least a half time basis in good standing and your expected graduation date.
- You may include multiple transcripts/letters; please ensure all documentation is legible.
- A writing sample may be requested.
Additional information
NOTE: This vacancy is limited to the first 150 applications received and will close at midnight on the closing date or midnight on the day this application limit is reached, whichever comes first. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered.
This is a temporary internship to complete project work that is temporary in nature. The appointment is not-to-exceed September 28, 2019, and can be extended without further competition to a new temporary appointment or an appointment without a not-to-exceed date at management’s discretion based on the need of the organization for the work to continue and provided the employee remains eligible for employment in the Pathways Intern Program.
Upon graduation and completion of program requirements you may be non-competitively converted, without a break in service, to a term (time-limited), career, or career conditional (permanent) appointment in the federal government with a GS-12 full performance level, such as a General, Civil, Mechanical, Computer or Electrical Engineer. Grade level upon conversion will be determined by management and neither conversion nor promotion under this Program is guaranteed.
GS-3, step 1: $29,378 ($14.08 per hour)
GS-4, step 1: $32,980 ($15.80 per hour)
GS-5, step 1: $36,899 ($17.68 per hour)
GS-7, step 1: $45,707 ($21.90 per hour)
GS-9, step 1: $55,909 ($26.79 per hour)
Applicants must meet grade qualifications prior to the start date.
Internships are expected to begin in May 2019, however, applications will be accepted for a limited number of positions available as early as January 2019.
If selected, you will be required to sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
Interns may work full-time during the summer and a flexible part-time work schedule 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.
This is an Excepted Service appointment. As part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee’s educational program requirements have been completed.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
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. To preview questions please click here.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents must be provided by the closing date.
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: Only required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment but do not have a transcript showing proof 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 (if applicable).
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 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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
DOT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE / HAHR-50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
Once the application process is completed in its entirety, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents must be provided by the closing date.
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: Only required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment but do not have a transcript showing proof 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 (if applicable).
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 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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
DOT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE / HAHR-50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
Once the application process is completed in its entirety, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
