VSFS is a nine-month, unpaid eInternship. See this year’s projects: http://vsfs.state.gov/projects. eInternships are virtual; students have a flexible schedule.
The government needs the talent, fresh ideas, and digital excellence of U.S. college students. VSFS eInterns will increase the digital capacity of federal agencies participating, whether technically, artistically or via increased communication. eInterns have the opportunity to connect with each other and work collaboratively.
VSFS eIntern duties and responsibilities will vary according to the location and needs of each office and VSFS project. VSFS projects may be research based, contributing to reports on issues such as human rights, economics or the environment. They may also be more technology oriented, such as working on web pages, or helping produce electronic journals. Students are expected work virtually on an average of 10 hours per week on VSFS eInternship projects. Most work and projects are internet-based.
Past VSFS projects included:
Building a platform for host country and American students to exchange their ideas, experience, and knowledge about environmental advocacy
Identifying and using journalism trends to reach out to students and young journalists
Expanding a post's English learning and educational advising
Creating lesson plans on environmental conservation and for schools in remote areas of the country
Researching, interviewing, and producing a video on visa lottery winners' stories and experiences in the US for Consular outreach
Data analysis and visualization to argue the benefits of a policy change
All work recognizes that VSFS eInterns do not have U.S. Government security clearances.
In student status at an institute of higher education
VSFS eInterns will not need to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance
IMPORTANT: You are eligible to apply for the Department's Virtual Student Federal Service eInternship program if you will be enrolled as a half or full-time student (as defined in the Education Qualifications section above.) If applying, you must have proof that you have registered, or have been accepted for enrollment.
Qualifications
You must meet the requirements and submit the application on time. You should write a dynamite statement of interest which will be seen by all three project mentors. Make sure to confirm through this site that you have successfully submitted your application through USAJobs.gov. You should receive a confirmation email. The project mentors will evaluate your application further based on their needs and your skills to make the final decision.
Education
An applicant must be:
A U.S. citizen
In student status at an institute of higher education
A part or full-time student
Additional information
VSFS eInternships are done virtually. Students must have access to the internet.
Virtual Student Federal Service eInterns are unpaid and not Federal government employees. They are not entitled to any employee benefits. To repeat, there are no employee benefits associated with the VSFS eInternship position. Applying course credit for participating in a VSFS eInternship must be determined by the student and the academic institution.
NOTE: There is NO travel associated with, nor required for, this position. Work will be completed by VSFS eInterns from the location of their choice and in the outfit of their choice.
It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all of its employees and volunteers with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination whether that discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The Interview Process
If a mentor is considering you as a candidate, you might be interviewed. Project mentors will determine the extent to which an applicant's education, experience, and background indicates that he/she possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the specific VSFS eInternship. To preview questions please click here.
In addition to using the USAJobs resume builder and completing the online application, which includes a Statement of Interest, all applicants must also provide their transcript. Both official and unofficial transcripts are acceptable as part of the application process. You must electronically submit your transcript by uploading it through USAJobs. You will be prompted to do so. If your transcript does not yet reflect your grades from either the current or most recent semester, you may still submit that transcript. If you are a first-year student and do not have a transcript, please submit a copy of your most recent course schedule to verify enrollment. If you are a first year graduate student, you must submit a copy of your most recent undergraduate transcript. Your application will not be considered if you fail to include your transcript in your application. Don’t fret about your grades; the most important part of your application is the Statement of Interest.
Recommendation letters should not be attached.
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.
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. Learn 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.
Don’t wait until the last minute! Applications must be submitted electronically through the "Gateway to State" system. To begin the application process, please click on the "Apply Online" button to the right. As part of the application process, you will need to pick your top three projects from the list of offerings: http://vsfs.state.gov/projects
You have until 6:00 am Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process. This includes submitting your online application as well as any required documents as defined in the Required Documents section. IMPORTANT : Applicants must upload their required document through USAJobs.
The VSFS team (vsfs@state.gov) will confirm that you have successfully submitted your application by early August. August is interview month so double check your contact info for that period. Also, make sure to periodically check your spam folder in case our email doesn’t make it to you. All offers will go out by Labor Day.
The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.
Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:
An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.
You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Beginning of a dialog window for the agency announcing this job. It begins with a heading 2 called "Learn more about Field Operating Offices of the Office of the Secretary of the Army". Escape will cancel and close the window.
Beginning of a dialog window for your session has expired. Escape will cancel And close the window.
Your Session is About to Expire!
Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in three minutes.
Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire.
Click the button below to continue your session.
