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Student Trainee (Contracting)

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
US Army Engineer District, Contracting Division
This job announcement has closed

Summary

About the Position: This is a Public Advertisement for positions being filled under the Department of Defense (DoD) Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Post-Secondary Students, Sec 1106, PL 114-328, 12/23/2016.

Selections will be made for positions filled by this announcement as vacancies occur.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/23/2018 to 10/22/2019
Salary
$26,587 to - $38,798 per year

Pay varies by geographic location and qualifications

Pay scale & grade
GS 3 - 4
Locations
many vacancies in the following locations:
Chicago, IL
Louisville, KY
Detroit, MI
Buffalo, NY
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
SWGJ181954115766DHA
Control number
514540600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

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  • Apply knowledge and utilization of both efficient procurement processes and good business management to ensure timely delivery of goods and services to the customer.
  • Utilize innovation for strategic decision-making in the acquisition process.
  • Formulate the contracting approach to be taken that will best satisfy the requirement.
  • Determine the type of contract best suited to the requirement, developed by special clauses and terms and conditions applicable to the solicitation.
  • Perform cost and price analysis for all negotiations to determine fair and reasonableness of price.
  • Terminates contracts for default or convenience and negotiates settlements. Issues cure and show cause notices when the contractor is not in compliance with contract provisions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • DHA Post-Secondary Student Participant agreement.
  • ACWA exam must be taken before conversion.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Post-secondary students who meet the definition below:
The term "post-secondary student" means a person who (1) is currently enrolled in, and in good academic standing at, a full-time program at an institution of higher education; and (2) is making satisfactory progress toward receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate degree; and (3) has completed at least one year of the program.

This position is designed to prepare a student trainee for employment after graduation as a Contract Specialist. Students will be assigned tasks designed to increase familiarity with the target occupation in a real world work environment.

This opportunity follows a standard promotional path:

  1. Selection will be made at the GS-03/04. These grade levels are what typical college students in their second, third, fourth or fifth year may, may qualify.
  2. Within 120 days after completion of requirements, you may be eligible for conversion to the entry-level for the target occupation. Entry level for these positions are typically at the GS-07 level. The actual grade level at the time of conversion depends on academic achievement and other factors.
  3. The full performance level of this position is GS-11.
  4. Progression from the entry-level to the full performance level for this occupation will depend on successful completion of all requirements for promotion.
To qualify as a GS-03, students must have completed one full academic year of post-high school study.

To qualify as a GS-04, students must have completed two full academic years of post-high school study or have an associate's degree.

For qualification purposes, an academic year is computed as follows:
  • At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a degree is credited based on its relationship to 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours. For example, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements. Additional credit cannot be given for duplicate course work.
  • For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school.
  • An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
  • When academic credit is expressed in contract months, 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 appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.

Education

For this Student Trainee (Contracting) position, you must be a current student majoring in current student majoring in Accounting, Business Management, Business Administration or Law programs..

This occupation has specific educational requirements for entry and applicants must show evidence that their planned academic program will meet those requirements (i.e. transcript reflecting enrollment in applicable programs). Students who graduate without meeting those requirements may not be converted to the target position and could be separated from federal service. Educational requirements for conversion to the target position are: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in any field; and B. At least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Your transcripts are a required part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Additional information

  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • This is a Career Program (CP) 14 position.
  • This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
Eligibility requirements for conversion to a permanent or term position- students must:
  • Complete their educational requirements (as specified in the announcement);
  • Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualification standard, including any applicable positive education requirement and/or selective placement factors and any other special qualifications requirements and conditions of employment (e.g. medical standards) appropriate for the specific competitive service position to which the student will be converted;
  • Successfully complete all the requirements of the Program as defined in the agency-participant agreement; and
  • Perform their job successfully as documented through performance evaluations and/or completion of an Individual Development Plan (IDP).
  • Selection may be made at the GS-03, or GS-04 level based on applicant qualifications.
  • Selectees will be initially appointed to a term appointment in the competitive service for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year and may be extended up to 4 years, with the ability to convert to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment with no further competition within 120 days of successful completion of the academic program requirements.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

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