Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience & valuable career-ready skills. Students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational 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 Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience & valuable career-ready skills. Students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution & participation must be with the permission of the institution at which the student is enrolled.
This vacancy announcement will be open from 07/30/2026 to 08/05/2026 or when 25 applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages.
The Bureau of Human Resources proposes a structured, project-based student volunteer initiative within the Records and Information Management branch of the Office of Talent Services (HR/TS/RIM) at the U.S. Department of State. This initiative directly supports the Presidential Management Agenda and Department priorities related to standardizing systems, eliminating data silos, and reducing wasteful processes. Student volunteers will contribute to clearly defined, outcome-driven projects, including the documentation of standard procedures, conducting process mapping and proposing innovative modernizations, and updating SharePoint and ServiceNow systems with relevant information. These efforts address a legitimate agency need to increase efficiencies as well as improve the usability, discoverability, and preservation of operational documents while supporting broader federal data and records management objectives.
The project is designed to align with student learning objectives by providing hands-on experience in process mapping and improvement, writing in Plain Language, lean management practices, and digital records management, while strengthening technical, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Work will be scoped for completion within a single academic term and will include structured milestones such as onboarding and training, midpoint progress reviews, and final deliverables. Deliverables may include process documentation, digitized Standard Operating Procedures cataloged in web-based systems, and research summaries that can be operationalized by HR/TS/RIM staff.
Goal: Improve the clarity, consistency, and efficiency of HR/TS/RIM’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) by reviewing, revising, and standardizing up to 10 priority SOP documents using Lean management principles, Plain Language best practices, and staff input.
Objectives: 1) By the end of the Spring 2027 semester, review up to 10 existing SOPs; consult with relevant staff and partners to identify process inefficiencies, lessons learned, and opportunities for improvement; research and apply appropriate Lean management principles to develop revised SOP draft. 2) By the end of the Spring 2027 semester, create a culminating presentation to HR/TS/RIM staff and leadership about insights and lessons learned from SOP review, including any recommendations for additional improvements and practice adoptions for the office gleaned from interactions with staff and reviewing source materials.
Deliverables: By the conclusion of the internship, finalize and upload all approved SOPs to the designated digital platform using the organization's standard template, ensuring each document is written in Plain Language, reflects current practices, and is organized for ease of use and future maintenance.
Conditions of employment To participate in this Program, you must:
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.
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 for the Spring 2027 semester.
Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution.
Commit to volunteering 8 – 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Federal agency and your academic institution.
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 understanding volunteers are not Federal employees.
Must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 scale.
Qualifications
Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically, applicants should possess:
- Strong attention to detail
- Research capabilities
- Interest in management, process development, and digital records management
Preferred qualifications:
- Students pursuing degrees in business, public administration, communications, or related fields
- Familiarity with process documentation and management practices
- Familiarity with Microsoft 365 tools (e.g., Excel, SharePoint)
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 for the Spring 2027 semester. 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.
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 scale.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated by Department of State personnel to determine your eligibility for the position and your application will be forwarded to the project manager for review.
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.
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.
Include any supporting documents that don't fit within another category or are listed in the job announcement.
Proof of enrollment shows that you are enrolled in a school or training.
Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.
See the job announcement for what you should include in the supplemental application.
Transcripts may support your qualifications for a federal job and can include high school, college or other schools.
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.
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 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. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
United States
Next steps
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.
Include any supporting documents that don't fit within another category or are listed in the job announcement.
Proof of enrollment shows that you are enrolled in a school or training.
Your resume should include relevant work experience, applicable education and your contact information. For current or previous federal employees, include the pay plan, series and grade.
See the job announcement for what you should include in the supplemental application.
Transcripts may support your qualifications for a federal job and can include high school, college or other schools.
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.
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 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. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
United States
Next steps
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.
