This job announcement has closed

Positions are being filled under the Pathways Student Internship Authority which is designed to provide students enrolled in a variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore federal careers while in school.

IMPORTANT APPLICATION DEADLINE: The first referral of candidates will be made from applications received by 11:59 PM EST, December 09, 2018; subsequent cut off dates and referrals will be made as vacancies occur.

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Hiring complete

Open & closing dates

12/03/2018 to 01/18/2019
Salary

$21,121 - $37,630 per year
Please see Additional Information for details.
Pay scale & grade

GS 2 - 5
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Locations

Many vacancies in the following locations:
Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required

Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed

No
Appointment type

Internships
Work schedule

Multiple Schedules
Service

Excepted
Promotion potential

None
Job family (Series)
- 0499 Biological Science Student Trainee
Supervisory status

No
Drug test

No
Announcement number

ONEUSDA-19-0499-NM
Control number

518354100

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Students

Current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Includes internships, pathways and other student programs.

Clarification from the agency

WHO MAY APPLY: Students who are currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

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The incumbent of this position performs a variety of clearly defined tasks within one or more functional areas of biological sciences.
Biological sciences include forestry, rangeland management, wildlife biology, fish biology, ecology, botany, recreation, natural resources management, biological sciences, and other related disciplines.
Assignments will vary by Agency and setting.
The major duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Develops and applies knowledge of principles, concepts, work processes, and regulations of one or more functional areas of biological science.
Assists in one or more phases of the research process.
Performs routine techniques using a variety of specialized equipment.
Records instrument readings, collects samples, and takes measurements.
Maintains inventory of chemical and biological materials.
Maintains work area in a neat and orderly manner
Forest Service incumbents in wildland fire management may also perform the following:
Develops and applies knowledge of fuels management and fire suppression techniques.
Cleans, reconditions, and stores fire tools and equipment.
Serves as a member of fire crew assigned to suppress wildland fires.
Reviews detailed procedural instructions and receives in-depth on-the-job and formal classroom training.

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Conditions of Employment

Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
All applicants must be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Permanent Residents and Foreign Nationals who meet both Immigration and Annual Appropriations Law requirements may also apply.
Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you may be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report inquiry.
Must be in good academic standing as defined by the agency as a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution.
Meet education requirements. (see Qualifications section)
A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: https://www.e-verify.gov/
Work may require lifting of objects up to 50 pounds
Recreation Management positions require possession of Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
Fire Management positions at GS-05 grade level require Ninety (90) days of experience as a primary/rigorous firefighter or equivalent experience outside federal employment
Fire Management positions at GS-03 level require passing of WORK CAPACITY TEST (WCT). The WCT Arduous fitness (Pack) Test requires completing a three (3) mile hike within forty-five (45) minutes, while carrying a forty-five (45) pound pack.
Housing and travel will be addressed on an agency and/or office level basis, and may or may not be available.

Qualifications

Pathways Intern Program Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must meet Pathways Intern Program Eligibility Requirements as shown below by the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment from a qualifying educational institution on a full or half-time basis.
Applicants must be seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) and be in good academic standing (GPA of 2.5 or equivalent) to qualify for the intern program and to stay throughout the duration of their intern program.
The duties of the position must be related to the student's academic field of study or career interests.

Position Qualifications:
Applicants must meet position qualifications requirements as shown below at the time of appointment. Entrance on duty dates for appointment are scheduled for May 26, 2019; June 09, 2019; June 23, 2019; or July 07, 2019. The agency must be able to verify that the education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed.

GS-02: Completion of high school or possession of a GED diploma.
GS-03: Completion of 1 full academic year of post-high school study.
GS-04: Completion of 2 full academic years of post-high school study or an associate's degree.
GS-05: Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

NOTE: Grades recruited for are the GS-02 to the GS-05, however, not every USDA agency and location will select for all or any grades. Selections will be made according to agency needs.

Education

College Transcripts: You must submit a copy of your college transcript or high school diploma/GED certificate as proof that you meet the educational requirements for the grade to which you are applying. You may submit unofficial copies of transcripts at the initial phase of the application process; however, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entrance-on-duty. See "Required Documents" section for more details.

All academic degrees or course work must be completed in an educational institution that has obtained accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov/

Additional information

The salary ranges vary according to the geographic area locality adjustments; therefore, rates advertised represent base pay only as pay will depend upon the selectee's duty location. See the 2018 General Schedule (GS) Locality Pay Tables and the 2019 GS Locality Pay Tables, when it becomes available, for more information.

This is an Excepted Service appointment. This announcement will be used to fill full-time or part-time temporary summer student internship positions and may not exceed 6 months. However, an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition when the student intern remains eligible for the program. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or funds.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Student Interns must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of the appointment. Incumbents will be required to provide proof of continued enrollment and good standing (cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale) each semester or grading period throughout the internship program. Failure to do so may result in termination of the appointment.

Pathways Interns may be converted to a term, career-conditional or career appointment before expiration of the original NTE appointment if that date is within 120 days of the completion of degree requirements provided all other requirements for conversion have been met; however, conversion is not guaranteed. The full performance level (FPL) of the position to which converted may be up to the GS-12 level or below. The FPL will be determined based on the career path of the position to which converted. For more information on the Pathways Intern Program, please click HERE.

To be eligible for conversion, Interns must:

Be a U.S. citizen;
Have completed at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program;
Have completed educational requirements from a qualifying institution;
Meet the qualification requirements for the position to which the Intern will be converted;
Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant's Agreement and;
Have received a favorable recommendation by an official of the agency.

These internship positions are designed to prepare a student trainee for employment after graduation in the Biological Sciences field. The occupational series to which interns may be converted may have specific educational requirements for entry and applicants must show evidence that their planned academic program will meet those requirements (i.e. transcript reflecting enrollment in applicable programs). Students who graduate without meeting those requirements may not be converted to the target position and could be separated from federal service.

USDA may provide the following benefits to their student hires:

Commuter Transit Subsidy (pending the availability of budgeted funds/allocations)
Telework and/or Flexible work schedule (upon supervisor approval)
Student interns with a NTE date may be eligible to enroll in the Federal Employee's Health Benefits (FEHB) Program if they meet the criteria as described in the Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 201, October 17, 2014. See http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-10-17/html/2014-24652.htm

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time or part-time. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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

Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the Position Qualifications and Pathways Intern Program Eligibility Requirements listed in the "Qualifications" section above. Applicants who meet these requirements will be placed on the certificate of eligibles per the grade qualified and forwarded to the selecting official for further review and consideration. Selections will be made from the certificate of eligibles. Interviews may be conducted but are not guaranteed.

Veteran's preference applies in the arrangement of qualified applicants for all USDA Pathways Programs positions (5 CFR 302.101(a). Qualified applicants eligible for veteran's preference will be referred and considered ahead of non-veterans.

NOTE: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you provided false documentation, you will be removed from consideration.

Help
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.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

The following documents are required for your application to be complete.
- Resume must include: 1) personal information; 2) education; 3) work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; and title, series and grade if applicable; 4) supervisor's phone number, e-mail address for each work period listed, and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks.
- Proof of enrollment or acceptance of enrollment AND good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale):
  You must submit a copy of your most recent college transcripts. Transcripts must show your school name, student's name, current GPA, past and current course work, degree program, and field of study/major/concentration. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information stated in the previous sentence; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
* Alternate methods to show proof of enrollment may be in the form of letters, records, or statements issued from a high school, vocational institution, college or university. The documentation provided must be issued from an authorized source (example: university registrar's office). However, a transcript (official or unofficial) must still be submitted in order to show current GPA, past and current course work, degree program, and field of study/major/concentration.

You must submit the documents below if you claim the following:
- Veterans, if cIf claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
  If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS.
NOTE: If you are adding a document, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).

Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.
You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire, which can be previewed here:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10370511 .
- Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
- It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
- To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information

Lauren Arthur

Phone

2024401487

Email

lauren.arthur@dm.usda.gov

Address

Departmental Administration
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.

You will be notified of your application status at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You may check your application status by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking "Application Status".

The amount of notices that each applicant receives may vary. The four points of notification are:
- Application Received or Application Incomplete
- Minimum Qualification Requirement Met/Not Met
- Eligible (Application Referred) or Eligible (Application Not referred)
- Selected or Not Selected
Notification of selection will be made by March 31, 2019.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Help

The following documents are required for your application to be complete.

Resume must include: 1) personal information; 2) education; 3) work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; and title, series and grade if applicable; 4) supervisor's phone number, e-mail address for each work period listed, and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks.
Proof of enrollment or acceptance of enrollment AND good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale):
You must submit a copy of your most recent college transcripts. Transcripts must show your school name, student's name, current GPA, past and current course work, degree program, and field of study/major/concentration. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information stated in the previous sentence; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

* Alternate methods to show proof of enrollment may be in the form of letters, records, or statements issued from a high school, vocational institution, college or university. The documentation provided must be issued from an authorized source (example: university registrar's office). However, a transcript (official or unofficial) must still be submitted in order to show current GPA, past and current course work, degree program, and field of study/major/concentration.

You must submit the documents below if you claim the following:

Veterans, if cIf claiming veteran's preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veteran's preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS.

NOTE: If you are adding a document, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded resumes must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX).

Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in mail service, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

Help

You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire, which can be previewed here:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10370511 .
Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Lauren Arthur

Phone: 2024401487
Email: lauren.arthur@dm.usda.gov
Address: Departmental Administration
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.

You will be notified of your application status at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You may check your application status by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking "Application Status".

The amount of notices that each applicant receives may vary. The four points of notification are:

Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met/Not Met
Eligible (Application Referred) or Eligible (Application Not referred)
Selected or Not Selected

Notification of selection will be made by March 31, 2019.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/518354100. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

Student Trainee (Biological Science)

Summary

Overview

Open & closing dates

Salary

Pay scale & grade

Locations

Telework eligible

Travel Required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type

Work schedule

Service

Promotion potential

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

Drug test

Announcement number

Control number

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Duties

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Education

Additional information

How You Will Be Evaluated

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Agency contact information

Next steps

Required Documents

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

How to Apply

Agency contact information

Next steps

Fair & Transparent