Clarification from the agency

This is a Public Notice Flyer ONLY. Individuals seeking to apply to the U.S. Digital Corps Pathways Fellowship must visit the U.S Digital Corps website at Digitalcorps.gsa.gov for more information on how to apply.

THIS IS A PUBLIC NOTICE. This is to advise you that we will be accepting applications for the U.S. Digital Corps 2024 cohort. Individuals seeking to apply to the U.S. Digital Corps Pathways Fellowship must visit the U.S. Digital Corps website at Digitalcorps.gsa.gov.  

Duty Location:

Digital Corps Fellows will be able to work remotely, in-person, or in a hybrid model subject to the needs of their placement agency. Digital Corps Fellows have the option of working from Washington D.C., where many agencies are headquartered. Those who are not located in Washington D.C. should expect to travel occasionally for program events. All official travel costs will be covered by the program. 

Relocation expenses will NOT be paid.

Salary:

The GS-09 salary range is $57,118 to $91,873 per year.

• This is a developmental position. The positions fall within an established career-ladder program.  Fellows will begin at GS-9 and, pending completion of program and performance requirements, may be promoted to GS-11 following the first year of the fellowship and to GS-12 after successful completion of the two-year program. 
• The starting pay rate for the position is GS-9, step 1 locality pay table. Pay will vary based on work location.
• The Digital Corps will also offer a recruitment incentive to all eligible candidates in the amount equivalent to 25% of starting salary, for both years of the program. The payout of the incentive will be weighted toward the first year.

Security Clearance: 

This position will be at the T4 Non-Sensitive High-Risk or higher clearance level as needed. Some positions may require a T5 Non-Critical Sensitive High-Risk and will require the selectee to undergo a more extensive background check for a Secret clearance once onboarded based on agency needs.

One or more positions may be filled using the vacancy announcement.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.
• Register with the Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

• ELIGIBILITY: 
• Applicants to this Pathways Recent Graduates program must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or the likelihood of completion prior to the start of the fellowship.  If you completed a qualifying degree within the previous two years, you may apply.  
• If you are a veteran who was prevented from applying during the 2-year period due to your military service, you may apply if your degree was completed within the last 6 years.
• Enrolled students:  If you will complete your degree requirements by July 14, 2024, you may apply.
• Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. 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 this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
• CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 
  • Serve a one year trial period, if required. 
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 4 investigation level or higher). 
  • Complete a financial disclosure report to verify that no conflict, or an appearance of conflict, exists between your financial interest and this position. 
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.  We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment. 
  • Signed participant agreement is required for employment under the Pathways Program prior to entrance on duty.
• To be eligible for conversion to the competitive service after completion of the Pathways Recent Graduate program candidates must: 
  • Meet the OPM qualification standard for the position to which the Recent Graduate may be converted. 
  • Maintain an acceptable performance under GSA's approved performance management system. 
  • Receive a favorable recommendation from their Supervisor prior to a permanent appointment.
  • Meet all the training and development requirements outlined in the GSA Pathways policy.

Qualifications

INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO APPLY TO THE U.S. DIGITAL CORPS FELLOWSHIP SHOULD VISIT DIGITALCORPS.GSA.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Subject matter experts will evaluate whether you meet the qualifications for the U.S. Digital Corps position you have applied to. Digital Corps positions have both track specific technical and collectively shared qualifications. See ‘How You Will Be Evaluated’ below for more information.

Subject Matter Experts in the track you applied to will review three pages of your resume: The first page regarding your education—including relevant coursework, projects, and presentations—and the first two pages detailing your work experiences, volunteering, student organizations, and other relevant experiences. A "federal resume" is not required, however, federal hiring does require that your resume must explicitly reflect the minimum qualifications cited in the job posting. More information regarding resume best practices is available on the USDC website. 

You qualify for these positions if you possess the required specialized experience and education or a combination of both. 

Experience: one year of specialized experience at the next lower GS-grade (or equivalent). Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Demonstration of specialized experience can include paid and unpaid internships, volunteer experiences, student organizations, and jobs.

How you will be evaluated

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

The evaluation process for this job is different from a typical federal job announcement as the U.S. Digital Corps program utilizes the Subject Matter Expert Qualifications Assessment (SMEQA) process.

The qualifications for this position will be evaluated by subject matter experts. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified’, or ‘Well Qualified’, category by Subject Matter Experts (SME) based on your knowledge and experience to the required competencies of this position. If you misrepresent your knowledge and experience in your application package, you will be excluded from consideration for this job.

Veteran's preference applies to all selections made under the Pathways authority in accordance with Part 302 of 5 CFR. Veteran Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the qualifying phone interviews. The “Best Qualified” applicants will be issued to the Selecting Official by the Human Resources Office. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Based upon your category and score, you may be referred to the U.S. Digital Corps for interviews with host agencies. 

The evaluation process has several steps including a resume review, project-based assessment, and interview. Review the hiring and assessment process for the U.S. Digital Corps at digitalcorps.gsa.gov.

Future consideration: We anticipate hiring up to 80 fellows within 5 technical tracks in 2024. There are many great roles available in the federal government. When we complete our selections, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional federal agencies. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional agencies. There is no guarantee of further consideration and you can continue to explore other job opportunities.