Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current students in an accredited high school, college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges); professional, technical, vocational, and trade school; advanced degree programs; or other qualifying educational institution pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate.

This announcement will be used to fill full-time or part-time internship positions during the Spring 2020 Semester, and/or the entire 2020-2021 academic year.

As a STUDENT INTERN (FOREIGN AFFAIRS), GS-0199-5/7/9, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

• Serve as a Student Trainee (Foreign Affairs) conducting research and providing support to higher grade specialist on foreign affairs issues associated with specific functional area(s) to include but not limited to geographic areas, national security, international security, security affairs, special operations, strategic affairs; Congressional, Policy, DoD and USG interagency processes; and defense resource and planning activities.
• Conduct research on foreign policy issues.
• Assist higher graded specialist and provide analysis of policy, strategy, concept, and program issues, force posture alternatives, and implications of changes to the international environment and defense programs.
• Perform foreign affairs analytical and writing assignments of moderate difficulty that support the Department of Defense missions and conform with organizational formats and performance standards.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement
• Must be a current student enrolled, in good academic standing, or accepted for enrollment
• For this internship, you must be able to work part time (24 hours per week) during the school year and full time (40 hours per week) during the summer.
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position requires the incumbent to be able to travel and work outside of the continental U.S.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• This position requires to work other than normal hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime

Qualifications

Internship Eligibility Requirements:

• Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half- to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution). Short-term training programs (e.g., several two-week programs completed) are not considered an academic course of study;
• Meet the definition of a student throughout the duration of their appointments;
• Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the agency's Participant Agreement with the Intern; and
• Meet the qualification standards (e.g., series and grade) for their Internship positions.

Definition of a Student: Individuals accepted for enrollment (must provide an acceptance letter from the academic institution on letterhead) or students enrolled (you must provide academic transcripts) in an accredited high school, college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges); professional, technical, vocational, and trade school; advanced degree programs; or other qualifying educational institution pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate.

Note: You must provide sufficient proof of enrollment or acceptance by submitting either an unofficial academic transcript that reflects your current enrollment and a verification of Fall 2019 enrollment, OR an acceptance letter from the academic institution on the institution's letterhead for Fall 2019 enrollment.

Please note that if you have graduated or are graduating from your current academic program prior or during December 2019 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 may qualify at the GS-05 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
Have completed 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. Note: You must provide a copy of your college transcript

You may qualify at the GS-07 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
Have completed 1 full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree. Note: You must provide a copy of your college transcript.

Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
1. Class Standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.

2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a G.P.A of:

• 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on their official transcript, or as computed based in 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 ("B+" or better) based on their official transcript, or as computed based in 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.

3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (external link). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

You may qualify at the GS-09 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
Have completed 2 academic years of graduate level education, or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree. Note: You must provide a copy of your college transcript.

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

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and,
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your résumé and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the assessment questionnaire and the competencies listed below. The assessment questionnaire link can be found under the 'How To Apply' section.



For Category Rating: Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the three quality categories: Qualified, Well Qualified, or Best Qualified. Qualified Category = Does not exceed the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. Well Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies defined below. (This category must be met to be considered under ICTAP procedures) Best Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies defined below. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

The Category Rating Process 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 quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).