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Pathways Student Intern – Contract Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
This job announcement has closed

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. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/01/2019 to 03/06/2019
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$33,172 to - $59,762 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 04 - 07
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships - Excepted Service Appointment for an initial period expected to last for more than 1-year.
Work schedule
Part-time - Full Time / Part Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
07
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
FHWA.HAD-2019-0026
Control number
525888700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. 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: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets

Duties

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The Pathways Intern, Student Trainee (Contract Specialist) works in the Office of Acquisition and Grants Management (HCFA),  and is introduced and instructed in the functional areas of the office which include:

  • Work closely with the Team Leader and senior staff within the team  to assist in administering pre-award functions involving a full range of procurement actions, typically involving supplies, technical services or programs of research and development, specialized equipment or systems.
  • Participate in developmental assignments to gain an understanding of and capabilities to perform acquisition planning, scheduling procurement from time of acceptance in HCFA through award.
  • Assists with the development of solicitations, including clauses, subcontracting policy, set-asides, and pricing considerations.
  • Review procurement packages to determine adequacy of information provided and the inclusion of all supporting documentation in accordance with the Procurement Request Checklist (i.e. - specifications, government cost estimate, availability of funds/funds certification, justifications, and statement of work).
  • Serve as primary contact for vendors and a variety of functional specialists, such as auditors, cost and price analysts, engineers, and legal counsel.

Requirements

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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

  • 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. You MUST provide UPDATED transcripts that show any/all degrees conferred, current grades and registration with cumulative GPA to support your educational claims (acceptance letter is also required if applicable to current academic status).    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 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 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


Grade qualifications must be met prior to start date.

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

Education

This is an Excepted Service appointment. As a part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee's projected graduation date, plus 120 days.  Upon graduation, depending on the qualifications and the Agency’s need the student intern may be converted without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment, to a position that has a career ladder target up to the GS-12, provided they are a US citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and has received a favorable recommendation from the supervisor for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship.  Selectee is on a trial period while on a Pathways Internship appointment. 


In order to qualify for this series, you must meet the following education/experience requirements:

The required education must lead to any 4-year degree OR 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. Course work in fields closely related to those specified may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours. 


The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation.

This is an Excepted Service Appointment for an initial period expected to last for more than 1-year.   

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/.

You will be required to provide documentation to support eligibility.

Additional information

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. If selected by management, you are required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
 
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. You may be converted, without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment upon graduation provided that you are a US citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and receive the recommendation of your supervisor for retention.  There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship.

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.

Announcement may be used to fill similar positions with 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.


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