Summary
Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support real Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience and valuable career-ready skills. You'll support health sciences research, learn the federal grants lifecycle, review progress reports, and help manage grant recipient submissions with National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Grants Management team.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open to post-secondary students currently accepted for enrollment, seeking a diploma/degree in a trade school., technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university or other accredited educational institution on a full time or half-time basis as defined by the educational institution. Must obtain high school diploma or GED prior to starting.
Duties
This vacancy announcement will be open from September 21, 2026 to September 25, 2026 or when 25, etc., applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages.
- Support health sciences research and learn the federal grants lifecycle.
- Review progress reports and help manage grant recipient submissions with NIDCD's Grants Management team.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Conditions of employment To participate in this Program, you must:
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.
- Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution.
- Commit to volunteering 8 - 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
- Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Federal agency and your academic institution.
- Agree to volunteer. This position is unpaid. No compensation, stipends, or hiring preference will be granted from this work. You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for.
- Agree to understanding volunteers are not Federal employees.
Qualifications
Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs.
Education
To qualify, you must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. You also must be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Attach a copy of your transcripts to your application package for verification.
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
This is an unpaid volunteer experience. Student volunteers are not considered Federal employees for any purpose other than injury compensation and laws related to the Federal Tort Claims Act, and service is not creditable for leave accrual or other employee benefits.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13034974
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume (two or fewer pages) showing:
- Your work experience to include start and end dates.
- Education information, such as the name of your school and dates of attendance.
- Any knowledge, skills or abilities you've gained through education that relate to the project.
2. Proof of current enrollment not less than half-time in a trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit:https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/statusPaper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click
here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.