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Student Trainee (Information Technology)

Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Come make the most of your internship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)! The Student Trainee (Information Technology) position is a great way to gain federal experience while pursuing an education. This is an opportunity to work with top professionals who exemplify and promote creative discoveries, innovative strategies, and collaborative exchange of information. Be a part of the mission - apply now!

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/25/2024 to 03/26/2024
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$18.96 to - $38.01 per hour

Salary displayed is the absolute minimum and maximum allowed. Pay will be set using the appropriate locality upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Locations
Montgomery County, MD
Few vacancies
NIH - US Locations,
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships - Temporary Excepted Service Appointment NTE 09-30-2024
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules - Full-Time, Part-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
9 - The promotion potential is the highest level that can be obtained while in the program and is not inclusive for all student trainee positions. Promotion potential is determined based on the position being filled within an Institute/Center.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NIH-ST-24-12321369
Control number
783314500

Duties

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As a Student Trainee (Information Technology), your typical work assignments may include:

  • Installing, configuring, troubleshooting, and maintaining customer hardware and software.
  • Implementing instructions, policies, procedures, and standards for IT programs, services, operations, and/or customer support.
  • Performing routine procedures for backing up operating systems, applications, and data on networks.
  • Responding to and resolve customer requests for assistance, such as help desk calls for routine issues and problems.
  • Providing customer training on IT systems, applications, and equipment.
As a Pathways Student Trainee at the NIH, you will be engaged in projects/tasks related to your position and program area. The NIH Institute will share further information on the structure and content of the program with you during the interview process.

This announcement can be used to fill a variety of Information Technology positions in the following types of areas: Customer Support/Help Desk, Digital Information Specialist, Cybersecurity, Network Services, Data Management, Apps/Software, as well as others.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be at least 16 years old by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Applicants under 18 years of age will require a work permit prior to appointment.
  • Must have obtained and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (we DO NOT round up) throughout the duration of the program is required. GPA is based on current enrollment.
  • This announcement is open to U.S. citizens, non-citizens, national or legal permanent residents.
  • Applicants who graduate college at the conclusion of the Spring 2024 semester may only be considered if they are accepted for enrollment in a new program for the Summer 2024 or Fall 2024 semester.
  • Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen prior to conversion to a career-conditional appointment.
  • Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.

Qualifications

To be eligible, you must be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis in an accredited educational institution for Spring 2024. These institutions include (but are not limited to):

  • High School
  • College (including 4-year colleges/universities, community college, and junior college)
  • Professional, Technical, Vocational, and Trade School
  • Advanced Degree Program
  • Certificate Program*
  • Other qualifying educational institutions
*A note about certificate programs: Certificate programs are defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institute and must be equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study. The certificate program must also be a part of an accredited college-level, technical, vocational, trade, or business school curriculum.

Students graduating in Spring 2024 who are not accepted or enrolled for a new degree-seeking program after graduation will be rated ineligible for this position due to the requirement to have 640 work hours prior to conversion to the competitive service.

To qualify for the GS-5 grade level: You must have completed 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree OR have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: assisting customers on selected desktop software packages, installation, configuration, and/or testing software on customer workstations; troubleshooting issues and resolving problems; assisting in developing, configuring, installing, and maintaining of a local area network (LAN).

To qualify for the GS-7 grade level: You must have completed 1 full academic year of graduate level education; OR demonstrate eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree; OR have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: identifying standard computer hardware and software problems and accomplishing repair or adjustments; preparing reports and documentation; diagnosing and resolving routine problems in response to customer reported incidents with IT systems, applications, and/or equipment; coordinate with vendors on routine installation and maintenance issues and problems; respond to and resolve customer requests for assistance, such as help desk calls for routine issues and problems.

Superior Academic Achievement:
If you are claiming SAA you must provide evidence such as a copy of your official transcript at the time of application.

To be eligible under Superior Academic Achievement at the GS-07 level you must meet one of the following requirements: a) graduating within the upper-third of the graduating class in a college, university, or major subdivision such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; b) obtain a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; c) being elected for membership in a national scholastic honor society.

Special Provisions/or Interns with Previous Related Education or Experience:
Previous education and/or experience may be evaluated to determine the highest grade level for which the individual is qualified.

Experience must be IT related and must meet all of the four competencies listed below:
  1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
  2. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
  3. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
  4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12321369

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

  • All unofficial transcripts must include the following: enrollment status showing Spring 2024 courses, current overall GPA, major, and the number of credits for each course.
  • Additional proof of enrollment for the upcoming Summer 2024 or Fall 2024 semester will be required before a final job offer can be extended.
You must be currently enrolled on at least half-time basis for Spring 2024.

If you are recently enrolled for Spring 2024 semester and do not have a transcript, please provide enrollment verification including number of credits with your application (e.g. I graduated in Fall 2023 with a bachelor's degree and am now enrolled in a master's degree program on at least a half-time basis for Spring 2024).

If you have been accepted for Fall 2024 semester and do not have a transcript or enrollment verification, please provide a copy of an acceptance letter with your application (e.g. I am a high school senior graduating in May/June 2024 and have been accepted for Fall 2024 enrollment in a bachelor's program).

If you are unable to provide transcripts with the required information, please provide other proof of enrollment (e.g., enrollment verification letter) for Spring 2024 on at least a half-time basis and include cumulative GPA.

Applicants who have completed their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization and must provide a copy of the evaluation prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education.

If you do not submit a transcript indicating your possession of the required education, you will not be considered for this position.

Conversion Into the Competitive Service
While conversion is not guaranteed, NIH Student Trainees, with U.S. citizenship, may be converted to a career-conditional appointment within 120 days of successful completion of all program requirements as specified by the Pathways Participant Agreement.

Non-competitive conversion may be made to either a one-grade or two-grade interval position, depending on the agency's policy. An individual participating in the Internship Program who otherwise meets the Program requirements for conversion (i.e., work hours, satisfactory performance, educational requirements, training completed, etc.) may be converted to a position that has an established career ladder. Upon conversion, positions may have promotion potential up to the GS-13 grade level. Promotion potential is determined based on the position being filled within an Institute/Center. For a description of the positions listed above, please visit: http://www.jobs.nih.gov/globalrecruitment/.

Student Trainees must work 640 hours prior to graduation in order to be eligible for conversion.

The duration of a Pathways appointment under Schedule D is a trial period.

A one-year probationary period will be required upon conversion into the competitive service.

Additional information

  • Some positions in this announcement are eligible for non-local remote work. Please select the "All-NIH Locations" location when applying if you wish to be considered for non-local remote work. All other location(s) are not eligible for non-local remote work. Non-local remote is a position designation where little to no onsite presence is required (e.g., once or twice annually). You may work anywhere in the U.S., including any of the territories. Worksites outside of the U.S. are prohibited. Your pay is determined by the geographically defined pay locality applicable to your approved worksite (e.g., home residence). Reporting to an NIH location may also be required during the onboarding process. Visit NIH's Remote Work page for more information and requirements.
  • This position has a not-to-exceed (NTE) date of 09/30/2024. Managers will have the option to extend these appointments on a case-by-case basis. Extensions are not guaranteed and are held at the Agency's discretion.
  • Student Trainees and their supervisors must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement which outlines expectations for the internship prior to entrance on duty.
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 of higher on a 4.0 scale is required throughout the duration of the program.
  • This position is designated as a "non-emergency/non-teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/ non-teleworker" employee.
  • Summer Interns hired on a short-term basis (90 days or less) are not eligible for Federal benefits (i.e. health, life, retirement). Full-time appointments that exceed 90 days are eligible for health benefits.
  • All summer Interns will accrue sick leave.
  • We may make additional selections for similar positions within the commuting area(s) of the locations listed through this vacancy announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).
  • The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
  • The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
  • Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • A newly appointed or reappointed employee may receive service credit for prior work experience or active duty uniformed service that otherwise would not be creditable for the purpose of determining his or her annual leave accrual rate. All creditable service must be directly related to the duties of the position being filled and decisions to allow for such credit must be finalized prior to the selectee's entrance on duty. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people. Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
  • Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
  • Visit our Total Compensation page and this sample for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement, and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications. Veteran's Preference does apply. If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, to verify your preference claim and receive preference you MUST submit supporting documents with your application package. These documents may include, but are not limited to:

  • DD-214 member 4 copy (which indicates character of service),
  • SF-15,
  • VA Letter, and/or
  • Activation/Deactivation orders.
If you are a veteran, click here for additional information and about required documents.Selections will be made in preference order. All individuals in the highest preference group must be selected before making selections from the next lower preference eligible group. All preference eligibles must be selected before making selections from the non-preference eligible group.

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