DOJ Pathways Internship Program - Bureau of Prisons (Social Science Student Trainee) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. CO-2025-0056 Department Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Salary $45,146.00 to $58,686.00 Grade 05 to 05
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/30/2024 Close Date 11/6/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

PATHWAY PROGRAM OVERVIEW:The Pathways Internship Program 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 still in school. Provides students with work experience related to the career goals while offering eligibility to permanent employment upon completion. To learn more, visit: http://www.opm.gov/HiringReform/Pathways/program/interns/.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

• Open to individuals currently accepted for enrollment OR currently enrolled students in a qualifying educational institution on a full or half-time basis. • Division: Information Technology & Data Division Central Office • Duty Location: Washington, DC • • NOTE: This is a Student Internship opportunity under the Pathways Program. This is a temporary internship to complete project work that’s temporary in nature. This is an excepted service appointment under the Pathways Internship Program.

Duties

This position is part of the Pathways Internship Program and will be assigned to the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Central Office.

Performs a variety of administrative support duties for the Correctional Programs Division or the Information Technology and Data Division.

Performs and/or assists with a variety of assignments which may include: reviewing incoming and outgoing correspondence; conducting research involving reentry and recidivism; coding pre-sentence investigations and in-depth criminal history data (RAP sheets) and entering the data into a database for analysis; gathering statistical information; preparing reports to track key indicator data; analyzing and interpreting results to prepare reports; creating a coding manual and data entry system for both the pre-sentence investigations and the criminal history; conducting surveys of institution and community-based services; researching and preparing responses to inquiries; and planning and coordinating training conferences and workshops.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • Must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement
  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Maintain a GPA of 2.5 and above with no grade below a "C"
  • Maintain at least a half-time course load at the collegiate level.

PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY - To be eligible for appointment to a position in the DOJ Internship Program an individual must:

  • Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution; to include “qualifying career or technical education programs” (which may include Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps).
  • Be seeking a degree that is relevant to this position.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:
 
Applicants must be current students pursuing a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher AND maintain at least a half time or full-time course load.

AND 

Completion of four (4) academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree.

This position has a basic educational requirement.  Individuals applying for this position must be enrolled in a degree program directly related to the position.  In order to be eligible for conversion into the competitive service, the incumbent must meet the degree requirements, as governed by the Office of Personnel Management, for this position.
 
Applicants must also provide documentation from the educational institution verifying current enrollment with at least a half time or full-time course load.  This documentation may be a Current Enrollment Verification Certificate or a statement of current enrollment or acceptance letter (which verifies all of the required information).

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities. 
 
**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.** 

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant’s criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant.  An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the EEO Office in the Central Office at BOP-PRD-EEOOffice-S@bop.gov.

After a conditional offer is received, all applicants must satisfactorily pass all screening requirements related to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit check.

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

PATHWAY PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Allows students to be exposed to the work of the Government through Federal internships while pursuing their degree. This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program which is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school. The Internship provides managers a ready source of student employees and potential permanent employees upon completion of the program requirements.  It also provides the student with work experience directly related to the curriculum studies or career goals. 

To learn more, please visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a pre-employment and panel interview, urinalysis, physical and background investigation.  

The Core Value Assessment (CVA) is an in-person assessment that must be facilitated at a Bureau of Prisons Human Resource Servicing office.  On the day of the scheduled interview, a CVA will be administered.  The applicant assessment must be completed within a 70 minute time period and a passing score must be obtained.  Further employment consideration will not be extended if the applicant fails to complete the examination or fails to achieve a passing score.  Note: The Core Value Assessment will not be administered to current BOP employees.

Conversion to the Competitive Service:  Interns may be converted to a permanent position (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the program.

To be eligible for conversion, Interns must:

Complete at least 480 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, and perform their job successfully.
Agencies may waive up to 320 of the required 480 hours of work for Interns who demonstrate high potential as evidenced by outstanding academic achievement and exceptional job performance.
In addition, students working in agencies through third-party intern providers may count up to 320 of the hours they work toward the 480 hour requirement.

Time spent under previous Internship Program appointments may count towards required work experience hours.  Applicants will be required to provide supporting documentation to support participation in previous programs.

Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:

This is a non-law enforcement clerical or administrative support position (one-grade interval). Individuals selected for these positions will lose law enforcement coverage and will need to return to a position with "primary" law enforcement coverage to regain coverage.

Benefits

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.

Health and life insurance coverage for Federal employees depends on the type of appointment. Students hired under the Pathways Internship Program may be entitled to these benefits. If eligible, employees serving on temporary appointments will receive the same government contribution as full-time permanent employees. Temporary employees are not eligible for coverage under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program.

Students hired under the Pathways Internship Program are generally ineligible for retirement coverage.

Applicants hired under the Pathways Internship Program on appointments for 90 days or more are eligible to earn annual and sick leave.  As provided in 5 U.S.C. 6303(b), employees whose appointments are limited to less than 90 days may be eligible for annual leave if they have previously served for a continuous period of 90 days under successive appointments.

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.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Based upon your self-reported responses to the assessment questions during the application process, your application will be placed into one of three categories:  Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Applications will be reviewed from the top quality category. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. If you are found qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to the responses you provided on the online assessment questionnaire.

NOTE: Candidates within the top quality category and who are eligible for veterans preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans preference you are claiming on your resume.  Although veterans preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under "How You Will Be Evaluated", veterans preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.  

In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest qualified category as defined by category rating procedures.


What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Technology Application

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

  • Veterans' Preference Documentation:  Veterans MUST provide a DD-214 demonstrating that they have been discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions (i.e., the individual must have received either an honorable or general discharge).
  • If you are on active duty and expect to be discharged or released from active duty service within 120 days, you may submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty from the appropriate Branch Personnel Office containing the following information: (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; (2) and the character of service (must be an honorable or general discharge); and (3) any qualifying service/campaign/expeditionary medals.
  • SF-15: If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, submit a completed Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference"; all other required documentation identified on the SF-15, in addition to the veteran's DD-214 described above.  A Department of Veterans Affairs letter must contain: the Veteran’s Name and Combined Service-Connected Evaluation.
  • Failure to submit all required documents at the time of application will result in the loss of claimed preference eligibility.
  • Resume: showing relevant experience (cover letter optional).
  • In order to receive credit for experience contained in an application, your employment history must be documented in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date and include the number of hours worked per week.  Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification.
  • College transcript: which includes the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). (Note:  If you are selected for this position, official transcript(s) will be required prior to your first day).
  • SF-50: for proof of prior LEO coverage, if applicable.

Failure to provide these documents could possibly result in removal from consideration for this vacancy.  If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc.  Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts.

We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc.

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.

How to Apply

You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov.  Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents.  

NOTE:  Submission of a resume alone is not a complete application.  This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section.  Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions.  Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment.

Claiming Veterans Preference? If yes, you MUST claim preference on-line during the application process and upload documentation to support preference claimed.   Failure to claim Veterans Preference or provide supporting documentation may result in you not receiving appropriate consideration during the assessment process.

Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded).

All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing date of the vacancy announcement.  Supporting documentation for announcements with an application limitation MUST be uploaded the same day you apply, as these positions may close earlier than stated in the announcement.  

Paper applications:  If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure.

Contact for Assistance in Applying On-Line:
DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, TX  75051
E-Mail:  BOP-HRM-HRSC-ConsolidatedStaffingUnit-S@bop.gov
Phone:  972-352-4200

Agency contact information

CSU
Address
JUSTICE, BUREAU OF PRISONS
Consolidated Staffing Unit
346 Marine Forces Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75051
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the application process has been completed.  Applicants will be notified via e-mail, to the e-mail address registered in USAJOBS.  The referral certificate or list of eligibles will then be issued to the selecting official for further consideration.  The Human Resource Office may then contact you for an interview if they wish.  We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants referred on a certificate of eligibles may receive an Inquiry of Availability (OF-5 Form) via e-mail, mail or a telephone inquiry from the local Human Resource Department.  Applicants MUST complete the OF-5 form and return it to the Human Resource Department or contact the Human Resource Department telephonically or via e-mail.  Applicants MUST also telephone the Human Resource Department during normal business hours to schedule an interview.  Failure to either return the form or contact the Human Resource Department will result in a loss of consideration for the position.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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