Interested in a career in international agricultural trade? The International Agricultural Internship Program (IAIP) gives current or soon to be graduate students a chance to gain first-hand experience working at a Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS/USDA) overseas post in U.S. Embassies and Trade Offices around the world.
Summary
Interested in a career in international agricultural trade? The International Agricultural Internship Program (IAIP) gives current or soon to be graduate students a chance to gain first-hand experience working at a Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS/USDA) overseas post in U.S. Embassies and Trade Offices around the world.
Possible assignments include, but are not limited to: Berlin, Germany; Brasilia, Brazil; Brussels, Belgium; Bogota, Colombia; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Kyiv, Ukraine; Mexico City, Mexico; Moscow, Russia; San Jose, Costa Rica; Shanghai, China; Seoul, Korea; and Tokyo, Japan.
Eligibility Requirements These opportunities are open to students who:
Are enrolled full-time or half-time in a graduate program, or are accepted to graduate programs for the spring or fall of 2019 majoring in an agricultural or related field. Acceptable fields include: agricultural economics, agricultural business, agricultural journalism, international economics, international finance, business or marketing. Law students and graduate students majoring in international studies or in an agricultural science field will also be considered.
Are at least 18 years of age.
Demonstrate a minimum grade point average of 3.3 at the graduate level (or at the undergraduate level if accepted to graduate school)
Have some experience (paid or volunteer) in agriculture; international affairs; international trade, business, or marketing; agricultural development; biotechnology, and/or international law. We’re looking for team players with strong writing and analytical skills. Proficiency in a foreign language is preferred.
These internships will be located in Foreign Agricultural Service overseas offices which are located in U.S. Embassies or Trade Offices in key countries around the world. The intern carries out tasks in support of the Agricultural Counselor, Agricultural Attaché, and/or Agricultural Trade Officer in connection with USDA's agricultural trade policy, analysis, and market development programs. Duties of the internship include, but are not limited to the following:
Compiles, edits, formats, and transmits information required for the execution of USDA programs.
Assists in researching and drafting agricultural reports.
Solicits and compiles in-country agricultural trade intelligence.
Monitors trade policy developments for food and agriculture products.
Represents U.S. agriculture and promotes the interest of U.S. food and agriculture product exports overseas.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
Proof of enrollment in a graduate program must be submitted
All applicants must be have a GPA of 3.3 or higher
Applicants must be at least 18 years old
Qualifications
Up to twelve IAIP Interns will be selected and assigned in FAS offices in the Western Hemisphere, Asia, Europe, or Africa and the Middle East. Geographic locationpreferences should be noted in your application along with specific skills that you may have for particular regions (former Peace Corps Service, language capabilities, past work experience in a region, professional interests, etc.)
The internships typically last for 12-16 weeks during the summer season, although there is flexibility on start and end dates.
While these are considered volunteer internships, a stipend of approximately $16.50 an hour will be provided.
You may qualify for the IAIP internships if you are a part-time or full-time graduate student (or you have been accepted to a graduate program beginning in 2019) in a relevant area of study as indicated in the Eligibility Requirements section above and you have the following qualifications:
Relevant work experience (paid or volunteer) in agriculture, trade policy, business, marketing, international trade, agricultural development, biotechnology, and international law
Analytical skills
Communication and writing skills
Initiative
Teamwork
Selection and retention in this position is contingent on a successfully adjudicated FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check) and a background investigation before the internship is scheduled to begin/by no later than mid-June of 2019. Inability to obtain the required security clearance by that time will result in a delay of an internship offer until the following fiscal year.
Prior to employment, you will be required to complete an OF-306, Declaration of Federal employment and other paperwork. The information collected on this form is used to determine suitability for Federal employment. You will also be required to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application/resume. You must answer all questions truthfully and completely. A false statement on any part of the declaration or other forms may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.
Additional information
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
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.
Benefits will not be provided for these volunteer internships.
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.
You will be evaluated based on your eligibility and qualifications for this position as evidenced by the education, experience, and training you described in your resume, as well as the responses to the Occupational Questionnaire.
We will review your application to ensure that you meet the eligibility and job requirements. Before an applicant referral list is sent to the selecting official, the resume and supporting documents are reviewed by an HR Specialist to ensure that (a) eligibility and minimum qualification requirements are met and (b) all of the required documents have been submitted.
Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right.
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.
Benefits will not be provided for these volunteer internships.
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.
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
A one-page Statement of Interest is required: The statement of interest must describe your motivation for seeking this internship and specify which region of the world is of interest to you. You can select more than one region or state "worldwide availability". Please include specific skills that you may have for particular regions (such as former Peace Corps service, language capabilities, previous work experience in a region, professional interests, etc.).
A Resume is required: Resumes must include the following information: 1) personal/contact information; 2) educational information; 3) work experience information, including the work schedule and hours worked per week as well as beginning and ending dates of employment; job title, (and job series and grade if applicable); and a description of the work performed for each work period 4) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks; and, 5) other qualifications that may be pertinent to these internships.It is preferred that resumes be no longer than two pages.
College Transcripts are required. You must submit copies of your under- graduate and graduate level transcripts (or undergraduate transcripts and a letter of acceptance if you are a new graduate student). The transcripts must show your field of study, school name, student's name, current GPA or academic standing, past and current course work, degree program, and major/concentration. An unofficial copy is sufficient. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Proof of graduate student status is required. Applicants must submit one of the following: a letter of acceptance to a graduate study program an accredited college or university for an upcoming academic term; OR Transcripts showing current enrollment in a graduate program in a related field of study at an accredited college or university; OR A letter on college/university stationery stating that you are enrolled in a graduate program for the current or upcoming academic term.
Veterans' Preference: if claiming veterans' preference you must submit a DD-214 (Member 4 Copy). Disabled veterans must also submit a VA Letter and an SF-15 Application for 10-point Veteran Preference. Current active duty members must submit a certification that they are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents are submitted and received by the closing date of the announcement.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all of the instructions before you begin.
The following instructions outline our application process.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you are requesting this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload an already existing resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement). Step 3: For this position you will also need to create a Statement of Interest document and upload it to your USAJOBS account (see the "Required Documents" section for more information on the Statement of Interest.
Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required (such as proof of enrollment in a graduate study program, college transcripts and your Statement of Interest). You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application” to continue. NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Once in the Agency's staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).
The following documents are required for your application to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
A one-page Statement of Interest is required: The statement of interest must describe your motivation for seeking this internship and specify which region of the world is of interest to you. You can select more than one region or state "worldwide availability". Please include specific skills that you may have for particular regions (such as former Peace Corps service, language capabilities, previous work experience in a region, professional interests, etc.).
A Resume is required: Resumes must include the following information: 1) personal/contact information; 2) educational information; 3) work experience information, including the work schedule and hours worked per week as well as beginning and ending dates of employment; job title, (and job series and grade if applicable); and a description of the work performed for each work period 4) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks; and, 5) other qualifications that may be pertinent to these internships.It is preferred that resumes be no longer than two pages.
College Transcripts are required. You must submit copies of your under- graduate and graduate level transcripts (or undergraduate transcripts and a letter of acceptance if you are a new graduate student). The transcripts must show your field of study, school name, student's name, current GPA or academic standing, past and current course work, degree program, and major/concentration. An unofficial copy is sufficient. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
Proof of graduate student status is required. Applicants must submit one of the following: a letter of acceptance to a graduate study program an accredited college or university for an upcoming academic term; OR Transcripts showing current enrollment in a graduate program in a related field of study at an accredited college or university; OR A letter on college/university stationery stating that you are enrolled in a graduate program for the current or upcoming academic term.
Veterans' Preference: if claiming veterans' preference you must submit a DD-214 (Member 4 Copy). Disabled veterans must also submit a VA Letter and an SF-15 Application for 10-point Veteran Preference. Current active duty members must submit a certification that they are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents are submitted and received by the closing date of the announcement.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all of the instructions before you begin.
The following instructions outline our application process.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office during business hours well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages with supporting documents must be submitted no later than noon on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact us if you are requesting this.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a resume with USAJOBS or upload an already existing resume into your USAJOBS account. Customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement). Step 3: For this position you will also need to create a Statement of Interest document and upload it to your USAJOBS account (see the "Required Documents" section for more information on the Statement of Interest.
Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required (such as proof of enrollment in a graduate study program, college transcripts and your Statement of Interest). You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application” to continue. NOTE: Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system. Once in the Agency's staffing system you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).
