The DoD College Acquisition Internship Program (DCAIP) is a paid, 10- to 12- week summer internship that provides students with real-world exposure to Department of Defense acquisition workforce career opportunities. The program targets full-time second and third year students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
Summary
The DoD College Acquisition Internship Program (DCAIP) is a paid, 10- to 12- week summer internship that provides students with real-world exposure to Department of Defense acquisition workforce career opportunities. The program targets full-time second and third year students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.
This is an internship for students who are enrolled full-time as a sophomore or junior in an undergraduate program at an accredited university and have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours.
As a Student Trainee (Intern), duties will depend on your major and the Program Office. The selected candidate(s) may be placed within one of the Program Offices based on the office's function and the student's major, skill sets and interest.
Interns receive hands-on, practical experience in analysis, research, report writing, oral briefings, policy development, program analysis, and computer applications. Student interns gain experience in career fields available within the Acquisition workforce such as: Engineering, Contracting, Logistics, Business - Financial Management, Business - Cost Estimating, Information Technology, Test & Evaluation, Industrial Contract Property Management, Purchasing, Science and Technology, Production, Quality and Manufacturing, Facilities Engineering, and Program Management.
Be suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
Be able to obtain and hold a security clearance.
Must be enrolled at a qualifying educational institution at least half time.
Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov).
Must maintain student eligibility for the duration of internship.
May be required to complete a pre-employment drug testing.
Qualifications
Requirements:
Enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment as a full-time or half-time (Half-time basis is defined by the academic institution that the student is enrolled or accepted into) student into an accredited college or university in a qualifying degree-seeking program, or enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment in a qualifying certificate program.
Students must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) at time of application and must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA throughout the entire Student Trainee Internship appointment to remain in the Program.
Applicants MUST submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with the online application.
Please note that if you are graduating from your current academic program prior to May 31, 2025 you will not be eligible for this student appointment unless you are accepted for enrollment at a qualifying educational institution seeking an ADDITIONAL qualifying degree, diploma, certificate, etc., OR an advanced degree. You MUST submit proof of acceptance along with your current transcripts for consideration.
Education
Due to the education requirement of this position, an unofficial transcript must be submitted at the time of application. If transcripts are not received, you will be rated as ineligible.
Accreditation: Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities 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. 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. If you fail to provide the required documentation, by the closing date of this announcement, you will not receive consideration. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Additional information
The agency will close this announcement once 500 applicants have applied or the closing date occurs.
This internship opportunity will not start until mid to late May/June 2025.
The end date for this appointment will be specified in the Participant Agreement and is generally the intern's projected graduation date.
This position may be non-competitively converted to a permanent employment upon completion of education.
Initial Probationary Period: If you are converted to a career-conditional appointment upon completion of your internship program, you will be required to serve an initial probationary period of one year if one has not already been completed.
All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-4434 for assistance.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn 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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING.
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. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements. Errors or omissions may affect your consideration for employment. Veterans' preference eligibility is treated as a positive factor when making a selection from external sources. It is applied when the organization makes a final selection from the candidates with substantially equal qualifications as described in the Best Meets Mission Requirements definition below. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package.
Best Meets Mission Requirements definition: Applicant has the knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies to substantially exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. This equates to the best qualified assessment criteria established for the vacancy and based on overall demonstrated experience, education, training, appraisals/evaluations, job-related awards, certifications, honors and relevant outside activities.
The Assessment Questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and collects information on your education, training and experience related to the following critical competencies:
Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.ssc-cc@mail.mil.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn 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.
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Résumé: The latest resume submitted will be used to determine qualifications.
Complete Assessment Questionnaire
Current transcripts (must show your name and school's name)
Acceptance letter if not currently enrolled (Must include verification of minimum part-time enrollment)
Other Supporting Documents
The following supporting documents are REQUIRED to verify your individual eligibility status. Not all will apply for each applicant. They MUST be received by the closing date of the announcement.
If you claim Veteran's Preference:- You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be.- If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability- If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference.
College Transcripts - required from all applicants
Other documents identified in the announcement.
Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered and uploaded are received, legible, and accurate.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY
9820 Belvoir Road
Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060
US
Next steps
The assessment questionnaire and the resume that you submit will be used to assess your qualifications for the job, and to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. Application of Veterans Preference: The Category Rating Method does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible's who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Qualified) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.
All information included in the resume and Assessment Questionnaire is subject to review and verification. HR will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum requirements will be further evaluated by information provided in the Assessment Questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have misrepresented your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position and, if you're already an employee, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal service.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Résumé: The latest resume submitted will be used to determine qualifications.
Complete Assessment Questionnaire
Current transcripts (must show your name and school's name)
Acceptance letter if not currently enrolled (Must include verification of minimum part-time enrollment)
Other Supporting Documents
The following supporting documents are REQUIRED to verify your individual eligibility status. Not all will apply for each applicant. They MUST be received by the closing date of the announcement.
If you claim Veteran's Preference:- You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be.- If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability- If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference.
College Transcripts - required from all applicants
Other documents identified in the announcement.
Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered and uploaded are received, legible, and accurate.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below.
Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY
9820 Belvoir Road
Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060
US
Next steps
The assessment questionnaire and the resume that you submit will be used to assess your qualifications for the job, and to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. Application of Veterans Preference: The Category Rating Method does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible's who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Qualified) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.
All information included in the resume and Assessment Questionnaire is subject to review and verification. HR will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum requirements will be further evaluated by information provided in the Assessment Questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have misrepresented your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position and, if you're already an employee, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal service.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
