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.

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The RISC Business Operations team manages core administrative functions, including budgeting, contracting, and training, alongside project and performance management. The position requires candidates that are responsible, detail-oriented and have excellent writing and critical thinking skills.

The Student Cooperative will assist with business operations including:

• Budgeting
• Contracting
• Project Management Support
• Travel and training logistics
• Various administrative operations

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

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on 03/06/2026 will be considered.

The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience.

This position is being advertised at the Administrative Band level. The base salary range for this position is $16.73-$20.15/hour. Locality Pay is authorized.

Sophomore $22.41 per hour includes locality pay
Junior/Senior $23.81 per hour includes locality pay
Graduate or Law Student $26.99 per hour includes locality pay

Student Cooperatives are not eligible for USPS OIG Employee Benefits.

Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the area of assignment. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations. The student cooperative performs specialized duties with continuing responsibility for projects, questions, or issues that arise in the area of assignment/curriculum. Each assignment typically consists of a series of related actions or decisions prior to final completion.

• Assist the Budget Coordinator in budget execution and budget formulation duties.
• Assist the Contracting Officer's Representative with contracting market research and preparing purchase requests for submission.
• Assist the Project Management Office with project management tasks and tracking in JIRA.
• Help maintain the group's SharePoint-based team site.
• Help organize workshops and roundtables.
• Provide administrative assistance to directors and managers as needed.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) clearance
• Must be able to work a minimum of 10 hours per week (while school is in session students can work up to 30 hours per week, and while school is not in session students can work up to 40 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. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPT STATING CURRENT ENROLLMENT STATUS, GPA AND IN GOOD STANDING-an unofficial transcript from the university is acceptable. May be required to produce an official transcript prior to receipt of a formal offer.)

AND

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

AND

• Must be able to report to work year-round in the USPS OIG office. (Minimum one-year commitment)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Background in business, data analytics, or technology and innovation.
• Familiarity with/experience using Microsoft Power BI.
• Proficiency in Jira Query Language (JQL) and scripting (e.g., Python or Groovy/ScriptRunner) is preferred.
• Knowledge of business administration and market analysis.
• Proficiency in SharePoint management.
• Experience with quantitative data analysis.
• Strong writing skills and experience in drafting and editing a variety of written products such as white papers, reports, newsletters, blogs, and brief articles.
• Experience conducting business, policy, or other research.
• Experience in creating presentations and other visual communication material.

EVALUATION FACTORS

Failure to demonstrate that you meet all of the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0); an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration.

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

• Knowledge of business administration.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Demonstrated analytical ability and problem-solving skills.
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and in a team on a wide range of assignments/projects.
• Experience using Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and/or data analytics software.

We're looking for a year-round, paid student cooperative. We want a team player who enjoys learning and able to work in our Arlington VA, headquarters office. We are looking for a high-energy student who is comfortable alternating between working independently and as part of a team.

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
• Submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit
• If your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position
• 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.

Applicants for this position may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. During interviews, applicants may not use any AI tool or virtual assistant (such as ChatGPT) to help them answer questions, except for accessibility tools used as part of a reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the hiring process.