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Student Trainee (Program Assistant), GS-0399-5/6/7

National Science Foundation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is an opportunity under the Internship Program under Pathways. The Internship Program provides students enrolled in high schools, colleges, trade schools and other qualifying educational institutions with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while completing their education. Veteran's Preference will be applied in filling positions under the Pathways Programs. These student positions will be filled within Directorates and Offices throughout the Foundation.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/01/2021 to 04/14/2021
Salary
$39,684 to - $63,906 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 05 - 07
Location
Alexandria, VA
Few vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships - This is an indefinite internship position under the Pathways Program.
Work schedule
Full-time - Part-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
07
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NSF-2021-0007
Control number
596904200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to any U.S. citizen, at least 16 years old, who is a student currently enrolled for the Spring/Summer 2021 academic terms in a degree or certificate seeking program, taking at least a half-time course load. You also must have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must have at least one year remaining in their required coursework for completion of their degree or certificate. Noncitizens may apply, but must complete a citizenship affidavit. **See Summary section below**

Duties

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As a Student Trainee, you will:

  • Play a key role in the processes involved in grants and cooperative agreements including soliciting and evaluating proposals, awarding funds, monitoring the status of grants and cooperative agreements, tracking budgets, and preparing a variety of reports.
  • Work with a variety of automated systems to enter information about grant proposals, to forward information to reviewers electronically, and to facilitate panel review meetings.
  • Coordinate the logistics for meetings and conferences of scientific panelists or senior leaders.
  • Provide administrative support to staff including handling travel arrangements; and assisting in the management of the DD and/or DDD’s calendar and scheduling of appointments; answering phones; greeting visitors; and participating in the planning/coordination of meetings, including making space reservations, etc.

Competencies:

  • Travel and Panel Meeting Coordination
  • Proposal Management and Award Administration
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Customer Service
  • Administrative Support

**This announcement may be used to hire Student Trainee (Administrative Support Assistant) or Student Trainee (Program Assistant) employees**

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  • You must be taking at least a half-time course load.
  • Background investigation.
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs.  Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

• Eligible students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited academic institution & maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher.
• Students may be hired for Internship positions at any time during the year, & may work full-time or part-time based on office needs.
• Students will be on indefinite appointments during their period of eligibility under the Internship Program.
• Interns will be required to sign an agreement that outlines the parameters of the Internship Program.
• The Internship Program allows students an opportunity to be converted non-competitively to a career-conditional or term position once the student completes all requirements of the Internship Program.
• Noncompetitive conversion to a permanent or term position is NOT guaranteed. The Intern’s eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that the agency will opt for conversion.
• Interns may be required to submit updated transcripts and proof of enrollment upon selection.  

From the closing date of this vacancy announcement, applicants MUST have at least one year remaining in their required coursework for completion of their degree.

Experience refers to paid & unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) & other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).  Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills & can provide valuable training & experience that translates to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

You must answer all job-related questions in the eRecruit questionnaire.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address.  If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full /blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-05 level, you must have successfully completed four full years of education above high school level;

OR At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes the following: using word processing software to prepare correspondence, responding to routine non-technical inquiries or other clerical or office support functions.

To qualify at the GS-6 level, you must have completed one full semester of graduate level (9 semester hours) education; 

OR least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes the following: using word processing software to prepare correspondence, reports and other document; track pending actions to ensure timely completion of work assignments; coordinating and making travel arrangements; responding to routine non-technical inquiries; and coordinating and handling logistical support for meetings.

To qualify at GS-7, you must have completion of one full academic year of graduate level (12 semester hours) education;

OR have a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (as evidenced by class standing in the upper third of the graduating class; 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for all academic work; grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the major field of study; or election to membership in a national honor scholastic society).

OR At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes the following: collecting data and evaluating information, reviewing budget data to monitor expenditures, and assisting with database queries.

From the closing date of this vacancy announcement, applicants must have at least one year remaining in their required coursework for completion of their degree.

Education

Education may be substituted for experience as described in “Qualifications."

All Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants may verify accreditation at the following website: Accreditation.

PLEASE NOTE: Certificate program is defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution equal to at least one academic year of full-time study that's part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum.

Additional information

Students may be hired for Internship positions at any time during the year.

Eligible students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited academic institution and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Students typically work part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer, winter, and spring vacations.

Students will be on indefinite appointments during their period of eligibility under the Internship Program.

Interns will be required to sign an agreement that outlines the parameters of the Internship Program during employment with NSF.

The Internship Program allows students an opportunity to be converted non-competitively to a career-conditional or term position once the student completes all requirements of the Internship Program.

Noncompetitive conversion to a permanent or term position is NOT guaranteed. The Intern’s eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that the agency will opt for conversion.

Relocation expenses will NOT be paid.

This announcement is open to All US Citizens who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements.

Federal Appropriations Law requires that Non-Citizens meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered.   Non-citizens may NOT be converted to competitive service appointments

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.  You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.  For additional information, visit:  OPM's Career Transition Resources

Veteran's Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

Applicant qualifications will be assessed based on the level of completed education and relevant work experience at the closing date of the announcement. Category rating procedures will be used to rank and select eligibles.  Based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire, you will be assigned a score.  Your score will determine in which of three categories you will be placed: Excellent, Very Good, or Good.  Under this process, veterans will be assigned to the appropriate category (without additional preference points) and then placed at the top of their category.  

The information contained in your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you meet the competencies required of this position. Please ensure you answer all questions accurately. Your responses are subject to verification. In support of your responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, your resume should include verbiage that describes your experience relative to the position for which you are applying and provide examples that show the depth of knowledge, level of skill, or degree of ability you possess. If your application does not support your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire or your application is not complete, it may affect your evaluation or result in your name being removed from further consideration.

Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or CTAP must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." In NSF categories, this means at least “Very Good.”


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