This position is located in the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), Office of Examination, Staff Development Division. The Staff Development Division develops and prepares Associate FCA Bank Examiners to successfully evaluate an institution's financial and lending operations, management, information technology, and compliance with federal regulations to determine safety and soundness as well as compliance with laws and regulations as outlined in the agency's mission.
Summary
This position is located in the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), Office of Examination, Staff Development Division. The Staff Development Division develops and prepares Associate FCA Bank Examiners to successfully evaluate an institution's financial and lending operations, management, information technology, and compliance with federal regulations to determine safety and soundness as well as compliance with laws and regulations as outlined in the agency's mission.
All United States Citizens who: are enrolled at least half-time as students in an accredited 4-year college/university Bachelor's or Master's degree program; will have completed at least their junior year in college when they enter the internship; have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.95; have a planned graduation date not before August 2025 but not later than June 2026; are majoring in a specified field (see qualifications tab of this announcement); and are in good academic standing.
As a Student Trainee (Associate FCA Bank Examiner), you will be responsible for gaining hands-on experience in financial institution examination work. Candidates selected to participate as an Associate FCA Examiner (Intern) will receive on-the-job exposure to credit and compliance examination of a financial institution, participate in a comprehensive group project related to the Farm Credit System, and interact with co-workers and Farm Credit System personnel. Interns will:
Learn about the Farm Credit System institutions and the Farm Credit Administration through a credit examination, a compliance review, and a group analytical project;
Gain knowledge of the five credit factors (character, capital, capacity, collateral, and condition), their interrelationships and relative importance through formal training and on-the-job training of loan files;
Learn effective verbal and written communication skills and practice active listening and reading comprehension by interacting with System personnel and agency staff;
Expand their exposure to working professionally in a team environment; and
Learn time management skills and how to organize tasks to ensure timely and accurate completion of work products.
Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Must be at least 16 years of age.
Must be able to work full-time during summer break.
You may be required to travel up to 20 nights (4 weeks) over the summer.
Must possess or be be able to obtain a valid Driver's License prior to employment , due to frequent travel to remote locations.
Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
Employment will begin on or about May 18, 2025.
Qualifications
As a Pathways Intern, you must meet and comply with PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
Maintain your enrollment on at least a half-time basis at qualifying educational institution. Half-time is typically 6 semester hours for undergraduate and 3 semester hours for graduate students but may be defined differently by your educational institution;
Provide course registration information at the start of each school term and verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term;
Meet and maintain the required GPA;
Sign a Pathways Internship agreement that sets forth the expectations for the internship upon entry on duty;
Have the ability to work a full-time schedule (40 hours/week) during your summer break from school; and
Be available for occasional weekday travel away from your duty location. Failure to meet or maintain qualifications or program requirements or failure to provide required documentation will result in termination of your appointment.
You may be non-competitively converted to a term, career-conditional or career appointment, within 120 days following successful completion of all of your educational and work experience requirements in accordance with 5 CFR 362.204, at the discretion of the Agency. Conversion is not automatic nor guaranteed. If you meet program requirements and are approved for conversion, you will be appointed at the grade level for which you are qualified to a FCA Examiner position, which has promotion potential to the VH-39 (GS-13) band level.
In addition, you must meet STUDENT STATUS REQUIREMENTS to be eligible for this internship opportunity. You must:
Be enrolled as a student in an accredited 4-year college/university Bachelor's or Master's degree program on at least a half-time basis;
Have substantially completed 3 academic years of progressive, higher level education, i.e., be a current college junior or higher. Three full academic years of undergraduate or graduate education is the number of credit hours determined by your college/university to represent three years of full-time study;
Provide proof that you have completed your third academic year of higher level education by submitting an official transcript at the end of your school's 2025 spring term
Have and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.95 on a 4 point scale. If your school uses an alternate grading system, you must submit proof and explanation of the grading system with your application or you will not be considered for this position;
Have a planned graduation date not earlier than August, 2025 and no later than June, 2026; and
Be in good academic standing (e.g., not on academic probation).
If you graduate before August 2025 you are not eligible for this Pathways Internship unless you are pursuing further education and provide proof of enrollment or acceptance into a degree or certificate seeking program with your application. If you aren't planning to pursue further education at this time, you may qualify for a permanent position under the Pathways Recent Graduates program. Please see vacancy announcements VA-25-0001-RG-VD for requirements.
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.
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. For more information, visit US Department of Education.
BAND/GRADE LEVEL:
In addition to meeting the Student Status and Educational Requirements you qualify at the VH-32 (GS-5 equivalent) band level if you have completed 1) at least 2 full academic years of post-high school study or 2) an associate's degree.
You must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements and submit all required supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement.
Additional information
Starting salaries (base):$37,395 per year. Locality pay is added to base salary using on the following locality rates: Bloomington, MN, 26.89%; Irving, TX, 26.87%; McLean, VA, 32.99%; Greenwood Village, CO, 29.55%; Sacramento, CA, 28.80%. Locality rates are subject to change.
Candidates selected for the Internship may elect to receive a one time $2,000-$2,500 stipend (in addition to bi-weekly salary) at the beginning of the program. Certain stipulations apply.
In addition, selectees may be eligible for a $10,000 recruitment bonus upon conversion.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
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.
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.
FCA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
This announcement may be used to fill similar vacancies.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019, with some exceptions, prohibits the Farm Credit Administration from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, visit our website at (Careers at FCA | Farm Credit Administration) for information on filing a complaint.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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 application will be reviewed to ensure you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for this internship position.
If you meet the requirements, your application will be forwarded to the hiring manager in unranked order by veterans' preference as follows: 1) preference eligibles with compensable, service-connected disability of 10% or more; 2) all other candidates eligible for 10-point veterans' preference; 3) candidates eligible for 5-point veterans' preference; and 4) candidates not eligible for veterans' preference. This method protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles. The hiring manager may make selections from the list providing no preference eligible is passed over to select a non-preference eligible unless the requirements of 5 USC 3371(b) or 3318(b) are met.
Please review the Qualifications and Required Documents sections of this announcement to make sure you have provided all required information clearly and with sufficient detail to allow a determination on your qualifications. We will not make assumptions regarding your education. You will not be considered for this position if any part of your application or supporting documentation is incomplete. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or adverse action after hiring.
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. Education must be from accredited institutions. FCA reserves the right to verify educational information.
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:
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
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 (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application.
Office of Agency Services OAS-HRD
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. Your ratings in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification based on the documents and references you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings.
Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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. Education must be from accredited institutions. FCA reserves the right to verify educational information.
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:
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
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 (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application.
Office of Agency Services OAS-HRD
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. Your ratings in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification based on the documents and references you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings.
Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
