Duties
The 1DOT Internship Program empowers aspiring public servants to engage directly with the operational and policy challenges shaping modern government. Positioned across the Department of Transportation (DOT), interns collaborate with professional engineers, analysts, economists, financial experts, human resources, and more professionals to advance national transportation initiatives. Participants actively coordinate in professional operations, gaining firsthand exposure to how engineering, business and policy, Information Technology (IT), Mathematics, finance, safety, or human capital intersect to sustain and modernize the nation's transportation systems.
The 1DOT Pathways Student Trainee works in support of the office they are assigned to which may include:
- Performing a variety of engineering, mathematics, IT, or analytical and administrative assignments selected to broaden skills and providing practical experience aimed at developing the employee's ability to perform progressively complex tasks and assignments.
- Performing assignments designed to orient, train, and increase the student's knowledge in either engineering, IT, mathematics, business, economics, management analysis, financial management, safety oversight, human resources, administrative support, and/or
transportation program operations.
- Assisting professionals, analysts, specialists, and program staff with the planning, design, maintenance, operation, review, organization, and interpretation of business, engineering, mathematics, or IT projects in relation to transportation.
- Assisting in the development of materials for briefings, reports, presentations, policy documents, communications products, conference materials, and executive summaries for supervisors and leadership.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) seeks highly motivated, driven, and innovative undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about contributing to the modernization of the Federal Government and the advancement of the national transportation sector. Ideal candidates are interested in applying their knowledge and skills in business & policy, engineering, information technology, or mathematics/statistics operations to address challenges and improve government operations. They demonstrate strong analytical and/or technical aptitude, leadership potential, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and a desire to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions that support DOT's mission.
Academic Background: Preferably currently enrolled in a relevant degree program for either Engineering, Mathematics/Statistics, IT, Economics, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Communications, Management, Data Analytics, Transportation, or a related discipline.
Core Competencies: A demonstrated track record of analytical problem-solving, meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational capabilities, and exceptional communication skills.
Mission Alignment: A proactive eagerness to learn and apply concepts in business, engineering, information technology, or mathematics/statistics, using data-driven decision-making to improve government operations, support innovation, and advance the national transportation sector.
The 1DOT Internship Program integrates on-the-job training with pertinent education by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- GS-0199-Economics Student Trainee Series
- GS-0599-Financial Management Student Trainee Series
- GS-1899-Safety Inspection Student Trainee Series
- GS-2199-Transportation Student Trainee
- GS-2299-lnformation Technology Trainee
- GS-0299-Human Resources Student Trainee Series
- GS-0399-Administrative Support Student Trainee Series (e.g., Communications, Public Affairs, Program Support, Data Analytics, Administrative Management)
- GS-1199-Business and Industry Student Trainee Series
- GS-0099-Community Planning Student Trainee
- GS-0099-Environmental Protection Specialist
- GS-0199-Engineering Psychologist
- GS-0899-Engineering Student Trainee Series
- GS-2299-lnformation Technology Management Student Trainee Series
- GS-1599-Mathematics & Statistics Student Trainee Series
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-TECH=&url=List-by-Occupational-Series.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet the requirements of the program.
- You must be at least 16 years of age
- Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
To qualify, applicants must be enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) on at least a half-time basis in a qualifying educational institution.
- UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP: Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
- SECURITY CLEARANCE: If selected for an IT Student Trainee position with the Office of the Chief Digital and Information Officer (OCDIO), a security clearance may be required.
- Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Internship Program.
- BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Must complete a background investigation.
- DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment.
- TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment.
- WORK SCHEDULE: Interns should be able to work at least 40 hours per week during
summer.
- PHYSICAL LOCATION: The intern will be required to report to the designated onsite
location as identified upon selection.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirements for each grade in which you are requesting consideration by the closing date of this announcement.
- GS-03: Completion of one academic year of post-high school study.
- GS-04: Completion of two academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree.
- GS-05: Completion of four academic years of post-high school study leading to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree.
- GS-07: Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR
Superior Academic Achievement: In the upper one-third of graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0, as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0, based on average of required courses completed in major or required courses in major completed the final 2 years of curriculum.
Due to the education requirement of this position, an official or unofficial transcript must be submitted at
the time of application. If transcripts are not received, you will be rated as ineligible.
Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to
a final offer of employment. You may use 2026 in-progress semester/quarter hours to qualify for a higher
grade level. Qualifications will be determined based on completed and in-progress hours stated on your
unofficial transcript submitted at the time of application.
You must provide updated transcripts that show any/all degrees conferred, current grades and registration
with cumulative GPA to support your educational claims (acceptance letter is also required if applicable to
current academic status). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.
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 - click here.
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.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service
programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious;
spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and
skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will
receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Knowledge of subject area typically provided by college-level courses sufficient to perform a variety of assignments to broaden skills and gain practical experience.
- Ability to assist higher graded teammates in developing material for briefings, reports, presentations and conference materials.
- Ability to participate in meetings, events, and briefings.
- Skill in oral and written communication.
Education
PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY:
You must be a current student enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment in an accredited college, trade school, or other qualifying educational program for the Fall 2027 semester/quarter on a half to full-time basis (as defined by the educational institution) and must maintain qualifying student status throughout the entire internship period.
Please note: If you are graduating from your current academic program prior to May 31, 2027 or during the duration of this internship, you will not be eligible for this student appointment UNLESS you are accepted for enrollment in a qualifying educational program seeking an additional qualifying degree, diploma, certificate, etc. You MUST submit proof of acceptance for future enrollment, along with your current transcripts, in your application for consideration.
- Interns may work full-time during the summer and a flexible part-time work schedule during the school year (based on agency needs) while continuing their education.
- Enrollment must be at least half-time course load as defined by the higher education institution (typically six hours or equivalent for undergraduate and three hours or equivalent for graduate).
- Qualification requirements (education) for each grade level applied to must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
- Eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
If selected you:
- Must provide official transcript.
- Must sign Pathways Participant Agreement.
- Must maintain status as a current student AND maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA;
- Must furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and
- Must provide verification of academic status (e.g. official transcript, registrar letter, etc.) at the end of each academic term or upon agency request.
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 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 the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Additional information
This is an Excepted Service appointment on a temporary basis.This is a temporary internship to complete project work that is temporary in nature. The appointment is not-to-exceed September 19, 2027. The temporary appointment can be extended and/or converted to a new temporary appointment at management’s discretion based on the needs of the organization for the work to continue and provided the employee remains eligible for employment in the Pathways Intern Program. Promotion is not permitted during this temporary appointment.
Conversion to the Competitive Service: Upon successful completion of all Pathways Internship Program requirements and the student’s academic program, the intern may be noncompetitively converted within 180 days, without a break in service, to a term (time-limited), career-conditional, or career appointment in the federal government up to a GS-12 Full performance Level (FPL) provided the student has completed all Pathways conversion requirements, to include working at least 480 hours in an appropriate program, meets the qualification and time to hire requirements, and has received a favorable recommendation for retention.
Please note that conversion is not guaranteed and is subject to the needs of the agency, available funding, and
satisfactory performance. Grade level upon conversion will be determined by management and qualifications.
Refer to the Qualifications and Requirements section for information pertaining to the Pathways Internship
Program.
For additional information about applying to Federal Pathways Internship Positions, please click on the following
link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualificationstandards/#url=GS-PIP
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date
of the referral certificate.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
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.
Review our 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.
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination.
You will not be considered for the position if any part of the application or supporting documentation is incomplete. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or adverse action after hiring.
Once you complete and submit your application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the job. Qualified students will be referred to the hiring manager in unranked order by veteran preference status: (1) Preference eligible having a compensable, service-connected disability of 10 percent or more; (2) all other candidates eligible for 10-point veteran preference; (3) candidates eligible for 5-point veteran preference; and (4) candidates not eligible for veteran preference.
Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process. Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
You may preview questions for this vacancy.