The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General's Research and Insights Solution Center (RISC) is seeking passionate, driven, and creative students enrolled in college/university programs to fill a paid Student Cooperative position located in Arlington, Virginia. Bring your skills and voice to our team!
Summary
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General's Research and Insights Solution Center (RISC) is seeking passionate, driven, and creative students enrolled in college/university programs to fill a paid Student Cooperative position located in Arlington, Virginia. Bring your skills and voice to our team!
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.
This is not a summer job. The position is potentially ongoing, evaluated quarterly, until graduation from an academic institution.
Are you interested in government oversight, public policy, and public service? Do you enjoy using data to tell compelling stories? If, so, you may be the perfect candidate for this position with the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General's Research and Insights Solution Center (RISC). As a student co-op, you'll be part of a high-performing research team producing white papers, data dashboards, and innovative digital content on critical issues affecting the U.S. Postal Service. Our recent work addresses topics including access to government services through the postal network, international approaches to adjusting the postal universal service obligation, and experiences in delivery fleet acquisition and deployment. We are seeking a student who can support this work by helping us create data dashboards, analyze data, and tell stories with data.
You'll make valuable contributions from day one by continuously learning, engaging in diverse sets of experiences, and building relationships across the organization. RISC offers the opportunity for development in many areas including research, analytics, engineering, business intelligence, customer experience, communication, and critical thinking to support investigators, auditors, and operational groups.
The Student Cooperative Program is available for continuous employment throughout the year, while enrolled in school.
We are looking for a high-energy student who is intellectually curious and a critical thinker. A qualified candidate will have strong experience using and interpreting quantitative data, possess great written communication skills, and have experience editing and producing different kinds of data-based content. As a co-op, you will be exposed to a variety of projects and tasks in the Research division. Although the duties and responsibilities associated with this position could vary based upon the agency's needs, you may be expected to perform the following tasks:
Create data dashboards using tools such as PowerBI and other platforms;
Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, applying tools and techniques to identify and predict trends and produce insights;
Communicate with peers and management, verbally and in writing, the status of projects, support requests, and other tasks, as assigned;
Contribute to the research and writing of white papers and workpapers;
Assist in the planning and day-of execution for both internal and public events, such as workshops and roundtables.
RISC supports the agency with a wide range of investigative and audit analysis covering areas such as mail operations, logistics, retail, narcotics, mail theft, healthcare, financial, and contracting program areas. This opportunity is ideal for those looking to gain experience at a federal level, while continuing their studies and gaining practical knowledge and skills. You will be assigned a mentor who will help guide you throughout your work. If you are a student who is self-motivated, detail-oriented, a fast learner, and passionate about learning new technical, business, and people skills, then this job is right for you.
Students can expect a work-school balance with the possibility of working 10-30 hours per week while in school and up to 40 hours per week when school is not in session.
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 06/15/2026 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.
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
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 program, classified or academically ranked by semester hours as a Sophomore, Junior, Senior or Graduate student graduating no sooner than May 2027. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPT STATING CURRENT ENROLLMENT STATUS, GPA AND IN GOOD STANDING)
AND
Must be in academic good standing as defined by the 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 Arlington, VA, office a minimum of 10 hours per week (Monday-Friday) during core business hours.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of creating visualizations or analytical models using Power BI, ArcGIS, other business intelligence software, whether in work, school, or another environment.
Experience using Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Well-developed data analysis skills and knowledge of quantitative research methods.
Proven ability to communicate research findings through visual, audio, and/or video web content.
Experience creating and delivering presentations.
Strong writing skills and experience in drafting and editing a variety of written products, such as research papers, short reports, workpapers, and summaries.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to work both individually and collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.
Experience editing and proofreading, including ensuring adherence to a style guide.
Experience using Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
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.
Possess skills or training in the creation of data dashboards.
Experience producing a variety of content to communicate findings, including written and visual products.
Demonstrated ability to collect and analyze data, including trends and projections, and use qualitative/quantitative research tools to generate insights.
Effective verbal and written communication skills for presenting findings and collaborating with teams.
Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education:
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities.
For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
Additional information
Student Cooperatives are not eligible for USPS OIG Employee Benefits.
This agency provides Reasonable Accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please send an email to jobs@uspsoig.gov. The decision on granting an accommodation request will be made on a case by case basis.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX-26-106B-12973379-PC, by closing date 06/15/2026.
1. RESUME - IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process)
3. TRANSCRIPTS from an accredited college or university. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable and should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, GPA, date and type of Bachelor's Degree issued. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Attach document verifying that it has been deemed equivalent. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. (Required: Upload and save as "Transcript" document.)
4. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificates or Licenses" document.
Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility including your VA letter, form SF-15 (www.opm.gov/forms) and all required documents related to your SF-15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, and can download a copy of their VA letter from https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. (If applicable to you, you are required to upload each veterans' preference document and categorize as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document")
SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 06/15/2026, to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
AIG Research Insight Solution Center
1735 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX-26-106B-12973379-PC, by closing date 06/15/2026.
1. RESUME - IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process)
3. TRANSCRIPTS from an accredited college or university. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable and should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, GPA, date and type of Bachelor's Degree issued. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Attach document verifying that it has been deemed equivalent. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. (Required: Upload and save as "Transcript" document.)
4. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificates or Licenses" document.
Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility including your VA letter, form SF-15 (www.opm.gov/forms) and all required documents related to your SF-15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, and can download a copy of their VA letter from https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. (If applicable to you, you are required to upload each veterans' preference document and categorize as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document")
SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 06/15/2026, to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
AIG Research Insight Solution Center
1735 North Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
