Clarification from the agency

Open to any U.S. Citizen, at least 16 years old, who is a student. You must be enrolled for the current/upcoming semester in a degree or certificate-seeking program taking at least a half-time course load.

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This position will be in the Office of Investigations.

As a GS-4 Student Trainee (Program Support Assistant), you will:

• Provide assistance to the supervisor in the preparation of a variety of administrative material required to support the organization. Assist in reviewing reports and other documents for correctness and verifying discrepancies with the appropriate office or individual.
• Assist higher level employees in evaluating the success of projects in attaining their productive goals.
• Conduct follow-up actions to assure timely receipt of responses.
• Assist in assembling data and consolidating and preparing reports for assigned and reviews for correctness and conformance to organizational policies.
• Answer phones and route callers to appropriate personnel within the organization.

Conditions of employment

• U.S Citizenship is required.
• Registration with the Selective Service (if applicable).
• Suitability for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
• Must be at least 16 years of age.
• Must sign a Pathways Program Participant Agreement
• Must be able to work full-time for the duration of the appointment.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Education used as part of an application package will only be considered if complete transcripts are submitted and must be from an accredited institution as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To see if your institution is accredited, please follow this link: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx

Positive Education Requirement: This position has a position education requirement, as indicated below. A complete transcript showing relevant coursework and degrees must be submitted with your application package. A list of completed courses or incomplete transcripts will not be accepted.

This is an excepted service appointment under the OIG Pathways Internship Program. The internship will begin May 2023 and is not to exceed September 30, 2023. This appointment does not allow for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the federal service.

Internship Eligibility Requirements: 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 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 an unofficial academic transcript that reflects your current enrollment and a verification of Spring 2022 enrollment. If you have been accepted for enrollment at a qualifying academic institution, you must submit an acceptance letter from the academic institution on the institution's letterhead. For Summer 2023 or Fall 2023 enrollment, you must provide sufficient academic documentation to be appointed.

To qualify for the GS-04 grade level, the applicant must:

• Have graduated from high school and successfully completed at least two years of academic education above the high school level; OR
• Have at least one year of general experience as it relates to having a clerical knowledge and skill. General experience is a demonstrated experience using word processing hardware and software; producing, storing, retrieving, and printing documents; sorting, calculating, and retrieving information from electronic databases or spreadsheets; composing and reviewing reports, charts, and graphs; operating office equipment; sorting, filing and retrieving materials in alphabetical, numerical or chronological order; and answering office telephones and referring calls to appropriate staff; OR
• Have a combination of general experience and education described above.

Note: One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university.

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. Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

This agency uses Category Rating Procedures. Under Delegated Examining (All U.S. Citizens), we will use your responses to the job questionnaire to place you in one of three categories. If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

• Best Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of all evaluation criteria.
• Well Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of evaluation criteria.
• Qualified: Applicants possessing the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.

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).

If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses will be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Your resume must document specialized experience and support your responses to the vacancy questions.

You will be evaluated on the following:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11820732

Selections may be made for vacancies across the entire Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). By applying, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more HHS hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.