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This job is open to

Recent graduates

Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.

Clarification from the agency

To be eligible for this position, you must be a college graduate from a qualifying educational institution with a Master's degree within 2 years of your application. Students scheduled to receive their qualifying degree (see required fields of study noted in 2 below) no later than June 16, 2024 are also eligible.

Duties

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As an Associate FCA Examiner, you will perform analytical assignments and receive on-the-job and extensive formal training designed to provide practical experience in evaluating an institution's financial and lending operations, management, information technology, and compliance with federal regulations. You will:

Work in a team environment to gather (research and investigate), organize, and analyze (draw conclusions and support the conclusions with facts) institution data (e.g., loan portfolio management, financial condition, policies and procedures).
Determine institution compliance with laws and regulations as well as sound business practices, prepare written reports, and recommend corrective action.
Conduct interviews with institution personnel to obtain relevant information.
Monitor and analyze the financial condition and performance of assigned institutions for emerging risks and issues that could impact operations, condition, and performance.
Use electronic and computer databases extensively.
Participate in an intensive, four-year, on-the-job and formal class-room training to learn oversight and examination procedures and practices as well as knowledge of the Farm Credit System.

If selected, you will travel (during the weekday) up to 50% of the time and undertake a rigorous 4-5 year training program consisting of proficiency exams during the first 2 years and culminating with a Commissioning Test. You will spend the majority of the time analyzing the financial condition and performance of the financial institutions FCA regulates as well as evaluating individual credit risk, board governance, and management effectiveness. You will document all analytical work with supporting facts and write external reports and present examination findings and conclusions to external parties.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. citizen at the time of application
Requires Creditworthiness Check and Background Investigation – post employment
Must meet eligibility requirements be eligible for the Pathways Recent Graduates Program (See Qualifications)
All selectees must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
Pathways is an Excepted Service Appointment, Schedule D, 5 CFR Part 362, and may not be combined with another excepted service appointment (e.g. Schedule A).
Serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment
Must be available for employment on or about June 30, 2024
Must complete degree requirements by June 16, 2024
Must submit both undergrad/grad transcripts, if applicable
Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Driver's License prior to employment , due to frequent travel to remote locations.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements, including completion of education, must be met by June 16, 2024.

1. ELIGIBILITY FOR PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM
· To be eligible for this position, you must be a college graduate from a qualifying educational institution with an undergraduate and/or Master's degree (see required fields of study noted in 2 below), within 2 years of your application.
· Students scheduled to receive their qualifying degree (see required fields of study noted in 2 below) no later than Spring 2024 are also eligible.
· Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as many as six years after degree completion to apply.

2. DEGREES REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study - Accounting, Agricultural Business, Agricultural Finance, Agricultural Economics, Animal Science, Banking, Business Administration, Commercial/Banking Law, Dairy Science, Economics, Finance, Marketing - or areas of major study directly related to the position.

3. QUALIFICATIONS

TO QUALIFY AT THE VH-35 BAND LEVEL (GS-09 equivalent), applicants must have ONE of the following:

A) One year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-34 (GS-07) band level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position includes examining or auditing such financial institutions as savings and loan associations, savings or commercial banking institutions or trust companies, farm credit associations, or Federal or State credit unions.
OR
B) A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or possession of a LL.B. or J.D degree, if related. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position.
OR
C) A combination of education and experience as listed above.

Education

In addition, you must meet EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS to qualify for this internship. Your undergraduate or graduate-level education must be in one of the following major fields of study:

Accounting
Banking
Business Administration
Commercial or Banking Law
Economics
Finance
Marketing
Other areas of major study directly related to the work of the internship position such as Agricultural Business, Agricultural Finance, or Agricultural Economics

You MUST submit copies of your transcript(s) that include: your name, the name of the educational institution, course titles, number of semester/quarter hours, cumulative GPA, grade(s) earned and degree(s) awarded. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. Educational institutions must be accredited by one of the accrediting agencies or associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Pass/Fail Courses: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.Foreign Education: If you want to use education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the requirements for this position, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by an organization recognized by the US Department of Education.

Pass/Fail Courses: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

Graduate Education: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

You must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements and submit all required supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

10/13/2023 - Announcement's closing date extended to 10/20/2023.

1. These positions are being filled at the VH-35 (GS-09) band level with promotion potential to the VH-39 band level (equivalent to the GS-13). If converted from the Recent Graduate program, you may be eligible for noncompetitive conversion to a term or permanent competitive service position.

2. Starting salaries (base): Recent graduates with a Master's degree in a qualifying field start at $54,020 per year. Locality pay is added to base salaries using on the following locality rates: Bloomington, MN, 23.78%; Irving, TX, 24.28%; McLean, VA, 32.11%; Greenwood Village, CO, 26.33%; Sacramento, CA, 26.48%. Locality rates are subject to change.

In addition, selectees are eligible for a recruitment bonus.

3. Current students who have a planned graduation date not earlier than August, 2024 and no later than June, 2025 are encouraged to apply to our Pathways Internship announcement. Please see vacancy announcement VA-24-0003-INT-VD for requirements.

4. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

5. All FCA employees are subject to the conflict of interest laws and Standards of Ethical Conduct imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report.

6. FCA's supplemental ethics regulations restrict certain FCA employees concerning their direct or indirect interests in, or connections with, Farm Credit System institutions. These rules also require all employees to obtain approval for outside employment or business activities. Please contact the HR Division for additional information on these rules.

7. FCA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

8. This announcement may be used to fill similar vacancies.

How you will be evaluated

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

Employment will begin on or about June 4, 2024.

Trial Period: As a recent graduate, you will serve a two-year trial period, during which you will gain basic knowledge about the job, the Agency, and the Farm Credit System, and attend formal training and develop your knowledge and skills through on-the-job training. If your performance and conduct are satisfactory with competencies outlined at the start of employment, you may be eligible for permanent placement within the FCA. If not, your appointment may be terminated at any time during the trial period.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps including submitting an application and completing the application questionnaire. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Conscientiousness/Work Motivation
Interest and Willingness
Learning
Oral Communication
Professionalism
Researching and Investigating

Online Assessment Battery (once successfully passed the questionnaire):

Accountability
Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Writing
Arithmetic
Mathematical Reasoning

This position requires an online assessment; the online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Required Documents

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Resume. Highlighting relevant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this position. Your resume must include the following information (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, average number of hours worked per week and salary (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable ; (2) indication of the knowledge, skills and education you have that are pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties you have performed as a regular part of your job with indications of the level of responsibility and complexity of work; (4) Names and contact information for your current and/or previous supervisor(s).

Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. All applicants must submit a copy of their college/university unofficial transcript(s) for positions with a positive education requirement. See the Education section of the announcement for details on education requirements for this position. If you are selected, you must provide official transcripts to verify your education prior to your entry on duty.

Undergraduate students: You must submit college transcripts (official or unofficial transcript) showing your name, the name of your university(s), all courses completed, and cumulative GPA. Your undergraduate degree must be in one of the fields of study listed in the Qualifications Tab of this announcement.
Graduate students: If you are pursuing a Master's degree, either your Master's degree or Undergraduate degree must be in one of the fields of study listed in the Qualifications tab of this announcement. In this case, you must submit all college transcripts (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate) that document the educational requirements for this position (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).
If You Are Not a Current Student: You must submit proof of enrollment (letter from the registrar's office or acceptance letter from an accredited educational institution) showing intended enrollment on not less than a half time basis as defined by the academic institution.

Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

Help

To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (EDT) on the announcement closing date.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

FCA HR Division

Phone: 703-883-4135
Email: Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov

Address: Office of Agency Services OAS-HRD
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US

Next steps

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the submission of your application unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application. You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and selecting "Application Status." We recommend that you also opt to receive USAJOBS status update emails.

Once referred, you may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview as part of the multiple hurdle assessment process. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement.

Required Documents

Help

Resume. Highlighting relevant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this position. Your resume must include the following information (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, average number of hours worked per week and salary (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable ; (2) indication of the knowledge, skills and education you have that are pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties you have performed as a regular part of your job with indications of the level of responsibility and complexity of work; (4) Names and contact information for your current and/or previous supervisor(s).

Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. All applicants must submit a copy of their college/university unofficial transcript(s) for positions with a positive education requirement. See the Education section of the announcement for details on education requirements for this position. If you are selected, you must provide official transcripts to verify your education prior to your entry on duty.

Undergraduate students: You must submit college transcripts (official or unofficial transcript) showing your name, the name of your university(s), all courses completed, and cumulative GPA. Your undergraduate degree must be in one of the fields of study listed in the Qualifications Tab of this announcement.
Graduate students: If you are pursuing a Master's degree, either your Master's degree or Undergraduate degree must be in one of the fields of study listed in the Qualifications tab of this announcement. In this case, you must submit all college transcripts (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate) that document the educational requirements for this position (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).
If You Are Not a Current Student: You must submit proof of enrollment (letter from the registrar's office or acceptance letter from an accredited educational institution) showing intended enrollment on not less than a half time basis as defined by the academic institution.

Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

How to Apply

Help

To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (EDT) on the announcement closing date.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

FCA HR Division

Phone: 703-883-4135
Email: Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov

Address: Office of Agency Services OAS-HRD
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US

Next steps

If you meet the minimum qualifications of this position, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments system. These additional online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the submission of your application unless you have requested Reasonable Accommodation for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Your results will be kept on record for one year when applying for future jobs that require the same USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application. You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and selecting "Application Status." We recommend that you also opt to receive USAJOBS status update emails.

Once referred, you may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview as part of the multiple hurdle assessment process. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement.