Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. Citizens who are students currently enrolled full or part-time in an accredited college or university program, classified or academically ranked by semester hours as a Sophomore, Junior, Senior or Graduate student.

Are you an excellent researcher and writer who enjoys conducting analysis to solve problems? Are you interested in government oversight, program evaluation, and public service? If so, then you may be the perfect candidate to apply for the student cooperative opening at the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General's Research and Insights Solution Center (RISC). In our Research division, we write white papers assessing economic, business, operational, and policy issues affecting the U.S. Postal Service, such as the role of the Postal Service in rural areas, innovative digital and retail offerings, and other critical issues affecting USPS operations.

We are looking for a high-energy student who is intellectually curious and a critical thinker. A qualified candidate will possess stellar written and verbal communication skills and have experience with qualitative and quantitative data analysis. As a co-op, you will be exposed to a variety of projects and tasks in the Research division. Although the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs, you may be expected to perform the following tasks:

• Research, write, and edit research papers and other written products for both internal and external audiences;
• Study new technologies, innovations, emerging markets, and business models relevant to the Postal Service;
• Analyze postal products, services, processes, business and operational challenges and develop practical suggestions for improvement;
• Assist with stakeholder outreach and qualitative research, including setting up and conducting interviews, analyzing qualitative interview data, or summarizing key insights from interviews in detailed notes;
• Analyze quantitative data to support research projects, and apply quantitative methods using statistical software to create compelling data visualizations;
• Assist, plan, and execute both internal and public events, such as workshops and roundtables.
• Communicate with peers and management, verbally and in writing, the status of projects, support requests, and other tasks, as assigned.

Through working at RISC, student co-ops can enhance their skills in data analysis, quantitative and qualitative research, and writing in a compelling and persuasive manner while preparing for a career in public service. This opportunity is ideal for those looking to gain experience at the federal level.

Student co-ops enjoy a healthy work-school balance and continuous employment with the possibility of 20-30 weekly hours while in school and up to 40 weekly hours when school is not in session. Additionally, co-ops are assigned a mentor to guide them throughout their work with RISC.

The Student Cooperative Program is available for continuous employment throughout the year, while enrolled in school.

This position is being advertised at the Administrative Band level. The base salary range for this position is $14.94-$18.00/hour. Locality Pay is authorized.

Sophomore $19.65 per hour includes locality pay
Junior/Senior $20.89 per hour includes locality pay
Graduate or Law Student $23.68 per hour includes locality pay

Students who meet the requirements and qualifications below are encouraged to apply.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening and medical assessment questionnaire.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation
• Must be able to work a minimum of 20 hours per week

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

You must meet ALL of the minimum requirements.

• Students must be currently enrolled full or half-time in an accredited college or university program, classified or academically ranked by semester hours as a Sophomore, Junior, Senior or Graduate student, not graduating prior to December 2022. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPT STATING CURRENT ENROLLMENT STATUS, GPA AND IN GOOD STANDING)

AND

• Must be in academic good standing as defined by the college or university, earning at least a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale.

AND

• When local health guidance allows, must be able to report to work year-round in the USPS OIG Arlington, VA, office a minimum of 20 hours per week (Monday-Friday) during core business hours.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Enrollment in a program seeking an advanced degree in public policy, economics, business administration, journalism, or any other related discipline.
• Previous experience writing reports or research papers for a nontechnical audience and demonstrated ability to concisely communicate complicated issues through compelling and persuasive writing.
• Previous experience developing and executing quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Interest in the application of data science and data analytics.
• Exposure to and/or interest in analytical software such as SAS and/or R.
• Strong writing skills and experience in drafting and editing a variety of written products, such as full white papers, short reports, summaries, blogs, and brief articles.
• Proven ability to communicate research and analysis visually.
• Experience with creating and delivering presentations and/or planning public events.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work both individually and collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Include your major accomplishments relevant to the evaluation factors in your resume.

• Basic knowledge of or demonstrated interest in public policy, business, or economic issues.
• Basic knowledge of and experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods to assess and validate data, create visualizations, and develop conclusions.
• Ability to conduct research and analysis as well as communicate conclusions in high-quality analytical reports, research papers, and other written materials.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills, especially the use of persuasive and concise writing.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position. You will no longer be considered for this position if you: receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor; fail to attach all required documentation; if your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position; or if you fail to qualify on the interview. Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.