This vacancy is for a Student Trainee (Engineering) in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration within the Department of Commerce.
Summary
This vacancy is for a Student Trainee (Engineering) in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration within the Department of Commerce.
Students must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half- to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution); . Full-time during school breaks and Part-time 10 to 20 hours while attending school.
This position has eligibility to be converted to a term or perm appointment in the competitive service. Interns must meet the qualification requirements for the position to which converted.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is seeking bright, innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Pathways Internship Program (IP). Internships can be seasonal (spring, summer, fall) or year-round. Interns may work full-time while on academic breaks or part-time (up to 20 hours per week) while attending school. The Internship Program under the Pathways Program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in Federal agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and getting paid for work performed. At the successful conclusion of this program, you may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to a Federal career or career-conditional position.
The selectee will serve as a Student Trainee in the electrical or computer engineering field assisting senior computer and electronics engineers. Perform communications and communication support tasks in electronics; assist senior engineers; conduct product research; apply engineering methods & techniques; study and assess the performance of telecommunication system technologies; work in a team-based
environment. This position entails a variety of opportunities including:
For electrical engineering interns: Duties will include assisting technical staff in measurements of radio wave propagation, research and development of spectrum monitoring tools, radio wave propagation research, development of electromagnetic compatibility tools, assessment of over-the-air radio frequency transmissions, or evaluation of systems' susceptibility to interference. Student trainees will work with senior engineers to configure measurement system hardware, configure systems for instrument control, conduct measurements in both field and lab environments, and post-process and analyze data. Students will apply established methods, tests, procedures, and techniques, and recording actions and results. Applicants will be working in a team-based environment, where they will meet regularly to provide status updates. Students will contribute to technical reports, refereed journals, and technical presentations. Prior course work in electromagnetic fields and waves, physics, mathematics, experimental science and experience with Matlab®, python or software defined radios is desired and it is expected that applicants will be able to adapt their knowledge to additional tasks.
For computer engineering interns: Duties will include implementing complex mathematical algorithms; developing, validating, and verifying of software implementations; improving and validating radio wave propagation models; and implementing novel RF measurement methods. Interns will be responsible for computer software programming development, testing, and documentation and applying engineering methods and techniques on communication systems. Applicants will be working in a team-based environment, where they will meet regularly to provide status updates through project management and source control tools. Proficiency in modern programming concepts is preferred and it is expected that applicants will be able to adapt their knowledge to additional tasks.
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student.
You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
A trial period may be required.
Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
Drug Test: NO
License required: NO
Pre-employment physical required: NO
Bargaining Unit Position: NO
Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): NO
Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: WILL NOT be paid
Qualifications
To qualify, the candidate must:
Be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment.
Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student on at least a half-time schedule at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. Qualifying Educational Institutions are any of the following: 1) A public high school whose curriculum has been approved by a State or local governing body; 2) A private school that provides secondary education as determined under State law; 3) A home school that is allowed to operate in a State; 4) Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education: A technical or vocational school; a 2-year or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g. law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum.
If selected, must sign Student Pathways Program Agreement and provide official transcript at the time of appointment and at the end of each academic term to ensure eligibility. Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. Official transcripts will be required before you can report to duty.
To qualify for the ZP-II Student Trainee (Engineering) position you must possess the following:
Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement(SAA) Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree.
SAA is defined as: Having a 2.9 Grade Point Average(GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
Education
In addition to the above qualifications, you must meet the following requirements.
All applicants must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, degree) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled). In addition, you must be enrolled in school for the duration of the appointment. You will be required to provide documentation to support your eligibility for the program.
Applicants must meet requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
PROOF OF ENROLLMENT. This may be documented on your official/unofficial transcripts, a course schedule, an acceptance letter from your university for future enrollment, or an official letter of enrollment from the university registrar's office or a university counselor, as long as your enrollment for the current semester is clearly documented. If you do not provide proof of enrollment for the current semester, you will be disqualified from further consideration.
If you are currently enrolled, but in your last semester/quarter of completing your degree/certificate requirements, you must show proof of continuing education, such as an acceptance letter, or you will be disqualified from further consideration.
This position has an education requirement. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.
Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.
Additional information
Interns may be converted to a permanent (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the program. Program requirements for conversion include:
Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program.
Complete their degree or certificate requirements.
Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted.
Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant's Agreement.
Perform their job successfully.
This appointment may continue until the selectee earns 640 work education hours AND education program requirements have been completed, at which time the individual may, at the agency's discretion, be converted to a term or permanent appointment. Pathways intern are not conferred any rights nor guarantee for conversion at the end of the appointment.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Reasonable Accommodations (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
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.
We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are "gold", "silver" and "bronze". However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
Pathways Internships
Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration.
Classified or government sensitive information
Social Security Number (SSN)
Photos of yourself
Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11871313
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.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Refer to the "How you will be Evaluated' section for types of information not to include in your resume/application.
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp#VeteransEmploymentAct1998.
Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
College Transcripts: Required from all applicants who are currently enrolled. Copies of your transcripts which include courses currently in progress (spring 2023 or after). "Unofficial" transcripts are acceptable. (Prior to appointment, an official transcript will be required.
Acceptance Letter of Enrollment: A letter from the educational institution that confirms the following: The degree/diploma program in which you have been accepted and that you will be enrolled on at least a half-time basis in the upcoming semester. Required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment and have not yet attended, therefore do not have a transcript to submit.
IMPORTANT: Students graduating in spring 2023 must provide proof of acceptance or enrollment (transcript or letter) for fall 2023 (or equivalent semester) to qualify for this internship position.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
Position title;
Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
Agency; and
Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc.You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
Note: To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the online assessments, you will be issued a unique URL via email to access the USA Hire system. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can reuse the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
Selected or Not Selected.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Refer to the "How you will be Evaluated' section for types of information not to include in your resume/application.
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp#VeteransEmploymentAct1998.
Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
College Transcripts: Required from all applicants who are currently enrolled. Copies of your transcripts which include courses currently in progress (spring 2023 or after). "Unofficial" transcripts are acceptable. (Prior to appointment, an official transcript will be required.
Acceptance Letter of Enrollment: A letter from the educational institution that confirms the following: The degree/diploma program in which you have been accepted and that you will be enrolled on at least a half-time basis in the upcoming semester. Required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment and have not yet attended, therefore do not have a transcript to submit.
IMPORTANT: Students graduating in spring 2023 must provide proof of acceptance or enrollment (transcript or letter) for fall 2023 (or equivalent semester) to qualify for this internship position.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
Position title;
Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
Agency; and
Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc.You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
Note: To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the online assessments, you will be issued a unique URL via email to access the USA Hire system. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can reuse the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US
Next steps
Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Ineligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
Selected or Not Selected.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
