Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support real Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience and valuable career-ready skills. Students must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited institution. Participation must be with the permission of the institution at which the student is enrolled.
Summary
Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support real Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience and valuable career-ready skills. Students must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited institution. Participation must be with the permission of the institution at which the student is enrolled.
Open to post-secondary students currently accepted for enrollment, seeking a diploma/degree in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution on a full or half-time basis as defined by the educational institution. Must obtain high school diploma or GED prior to starting.
*****Applicant Cutoff***** This announcement will close at 11:59 PM EST the day on which 50 applications have been received; the advertisement may be removed from USA Jobs before the scheduled closing date. It is recommended that you apply early.
The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program, as authorized under 5 U.S.C §31114 and 5 CFR Part 308, enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration. These assignments are designed to align with each agency's strategic priorities, offering participants practical experience within Federal operations while supporting the advancement of targeted initiatives.
Under Permitting Council staff supervision, the student will:
Analyze and review the effectiveness of various permitting technology tools and projects, funded by the Permitting Council, in place at other Federal, state, local and tribal entities.
Work closely with agency Project Team staff to assess and improve Permitting Dashboard functionality, gathering and implementing user feedback, improving data collection and analysis capabilities.
Document permitting technology and Dashboard best practices.
The scope is time-bound and limited to fit the student's term; no policy decisions, or any other inherently governmental functions are performed by the student volunteer - approvals and any implementation are completed by Federal staff.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National studying in the U.S. or abroad. International students on valid visas may participate if they meet applicable immigration, visa, and agency authorities and have three years of residency in the United States.
Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.
Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution.
Commit to volunteering 8 - 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
Agree to volunteer. This position is unpaid. No compensation, stipends, or hiring preference will be granted from this work. You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for.
Agree to the understanding that volunteers are not Federal employees.
Must submit work a permit, if applicable, if you are a minor under 18 years of age.
Qualifications
Prospective volunteers will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically, applicants should possess the following competencies:
Data Management: Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and tools of data management, such as modeling techniques, data backup, data recovery, data dictionaries, data warehousing, data mining, data archiving, data disposal, and data standardization processes.
Information Technology Research and Development: Knowledge of scientific principles, methods, and tools of basic and applied research used to conduct a systematic inquiry into a subject matter area.
Planning and Evaluating: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
Software Engineering: Knowledge of software engineering design and development methodologies, paradigms, and tools; the software life cycle; software reusability; and software reliability metrics.
Education
To qualify, you must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. You also must be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Attach a copy of your transcripts to your application package for verification.
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
This is an unpaid volunteer experience. Student volunteers are not considered Federal employees for any purpose other than injury compensation and laws related to the Federal Tort Claims Act, and service is not creditable for leave accrual or other employee benefits.
However, if selected for this opportunity, students will gain:
Professional experience: Meaningful project work with clear deliverables, regular supervision and Federal mentorship. Skill Development: Hands-on application of academic knowledge in real-world Federal operations. Career Exploration: Exposure to Federal missions, workplace culture, and potential career pathways.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your resume may be reviewed by HR, senior leadership, or other agency staff to make the determination on how well your knowledge, skills, and abilities relate to the project's, and agency's, needs. Depending on the outcome of the review, your resume may be forwarded to the project manager for further consideration and possible interview.
This is an unpaid volunteer experience. Student volunteers are not considered Federal employees for any purpose other than injury compensation and laws related to the Federal Tort Claims Act, and service is not creditable for leave accrual or other employee benefits.
However, if selected for this opportunity, students will gain:
Professional experience: Meaningful project work with clear deliverables, regular supervision and Federal mentorship. Skill Development: Hands-on application of academic knowledge in real-world Federal operations. Career Exploration: Exposure to Federal missions, workplace culture, and potential career pathways.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume (two or fewer pages) showing:
Your work experience to include start and end dates.
Education information, such as the name of your school and dates of attendance.
Any knowledge, skills or abilities you've gained through education that relate to the project.
2. Proof of current enrollment not less than half-time in a trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position.
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position.
After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume (two or fewer pages) showing:
Your work experience to include start and end dates.
Education information, such as the name of your school and dates of attendance.
Any knowledge, skills or abilities you've gained through education that relate to the project.
2. Proof of current enrollment not less than half-time in a trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position.
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position.
After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
