Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Public Affairs (Pathways Intern/Student Trainee)

Federal Communications Commission

Summary

This is a developmental Pathways Internship position located in the Office of Media Relations, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) located in Washington, DC.

This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 100th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.  

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/19/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 19, 2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$70,623 - $111,087 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 11
Promotion potential
11 - The full promotion potential once appointed as a Pathways Intern is GS-11. If the position is non-competitively converted to a permanent position, the full promotion potential is GS-12.
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - This is a full-time position. Work schedules, including telework, are at the discretion of the supervisor, consistent with agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Appointment type
Internships - This is a Pathways Intern position. Upon completing the Pathways Program requirements, may be non-competitively to a permanent, career-conditional position.
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes - This position is in the bargaining unit. The exclusive representative is NTEU Chapter 209.
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
PATHWAYS-OMR-2026-001
Control number
871849700

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Those in Registered Apprenticeship Programs and Job Corps programs are also eligible to apply. This is a Pathways Internship position which may confer eligibility for non-competitive conversion to a permanent or term appointment.

Duties

Help

RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID.

THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS.

This is an Intern position in the Pathways Program. Upon completing the Pathways Program requirements, may be non-competitively to a permanent, career-conditional position.

As a Public Affairs (Pathways Intern) you will be responsible for:

  • Drafting content for and distributes a variety of communications for internal and external audiences including content for social media and web.  
  • Assisting in coordinating requests from across the agency for digital communications support.    
  • Supporting the implementation of new new initiatives and projects that will enhance the team's operational effectiveness.  
  • Identifying, tracking, and reporting relevant breaking local, state, and national news.  

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be actively enrolled in a master's or Ph.D. degree program.
  • Suitable for employment as determined by a background investigation.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
  • Must submit a financial disclosure statement upon assuming the position.
  • Resume must not exceed two pages and must meet resume format criteria.
  • Education-Transcripts Required

Must maintain at least half-time enrollment status as defined by your school.  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.  Therefore, you should only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  You may verify accreditation at the following website:  http:www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html  All education claimed will be verified.

Qualifications

Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

  • Must be actively enrolled in a Master's or Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree program.
  • Enrolled in a school that has been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Enrolled at least half-time as defined by your school.
  • Be in good academic standing (i.e., must have at least a 3.0 GPA or its equivalent).
  • US Citizen or if you are not a citizen you must meet one the following criteria:  1. owe permanent allegiance to the United States (for example, natives of American Samoa and Swains Island); 2. be a lawfully admitted for permanent residence and seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); or 3. be admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or have been granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and have filed a declaration of intention to become lawful permanent resident and then citizen when eligible.

Education

Must be actively enrolled in an accredited educational program (master's degree or Ph.D. equivalent degree program).

Additional information

EEO Policy Statement

Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement

Veterans Information

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

Pathways Program - U.S. CITIZEN OR NON-U.S.CITIZEN EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS


There is no U. S. citizenship requirement to participate in the Pathways Programs. HOWEVER, U. S. citizenship is a requirement for conversion to the competitive service via a term or permanent appointment.
**Non-U.S. citizens may apply to the Pathways Internship Program as current students or recent graduates and be employed; however, the student must have been lawfully admitted into the United States as a permanent resident or otherwise authorized to be employed in the Pathways Internship Program.
NOTE: A non-citizen student may not be converted to career-conditional employment in the competitive service unless they are U.S. citizens at the time of conversion. Additionally, applicants must be a U.S. citizen for positions that require security clearances.

*NOTE-This position is in the bargaining unit.  The exclusive representative is NTEU Chapter 209.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Optional Four Essay Questions

At the time of application, applicants have the option of answering the following four short, free-response essay questions.

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Applicants will be required to certify that they are using their own words, and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). The responses to each question cannot exceed 200 words per question.

What is the Rule of Many

The FCC adheres to the Rule of Many. The Rule of Many means that more than one applicant can be referred to the hiring manager, not just the top few, nor will candidates be placed into scored qualification categories (i.e. Best Qualified, Fully Qualified, Minimally Qualified).

Everyone who meets minimum qualifications and scores 70 or higher may be referred, even if many applicants qualify. There is no fixed limit on how many people can be referred.

What this Means for Applicants

  • You do not need to be the highest scorer
  • You do need to meet qualifications and score at least 70
  • Multiple applicants can be considered fairly
  • Selection is based on overall qualifications, not just test scores
  • Veterans preference applies

SME REVIEW

At the time of application you are required to take an external skills-based assessment which is based upon government-wide recognized competencies and consistent with OPM Merit Hiring Plan requirements and the Chance to Compete Act. Should you receive a passing score of 70 or higher, your application will be reviewed by subject matter experts to determine if you meet the OPM qualification requirements for this position.

  • Oral communication
  • Written communication
  • Skill to interact effectively
  • Ability to determine effective communication techniques

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Federal Communications Commission

The FCC, a U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC is the federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing America’s communications law and regulations, and its jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions.

Agency contact information

Kristin Young
Phone
540-303-8108
Email
Kristin.Young@fcc.gov
Address
Federal Communications Commission
45 L St NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20554
United States

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.