STUDENT TRAINEE

Department of Defense

National Defense University

Summary

This is a Student Internship opportunity under the Pathways Internship Program. The Internship Program provides manager 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 their curriculum study or career goals while offering eligibility for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment upon completion: However, there is no guarantee for conversion.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens. Open to Student Trainees.

Duties

This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. For more information, visit USA Hire Assessment.

Major Duties: The primary purpose of this position is to provide a Student Trainee with a professional development opportunity for them to enhance their future goals and improve their knowledge and working experience.

The Student Trainee will be responsible for:

Using word processing software to produce a wide range of documents.
Performing basic research tasks for selected faculty and/or senior staff at the National Defense University.
Collecting and assisting in the gathering of information and data to be used by faculty and staff in the development and preparation of publications or presentations.
Conducting archival research and current literature to provide written or oral synopses of the information available.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0
Must be enrolled at a qualifying educational institution at least half time
Must complete a participant agreement
This is a temporary position not-to-exceed 1 year with possibility for extension.
You must be a student currently enrolled for the Fall 2026 academic terms. You must also live or attend school within the local commuting area of the announcement.

Qualifications

You must be a student who has been accepted for enrollment or who is currently enrolled and seeking a degree, diploma or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a full or half-time basis (half-time is defined by the educational institution in which the student is enrolled).

Applicants MUST submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with the online application.

GS-05:
You must have one year specialized experience which is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position specialized experience is defined as performing variety of support functions using standardized procedures that require application and understanding of administrative and management support concepts, policies, principles, and regulations.

You must also have completed 4 academic years (120 hours) of post-high school study leading to a bachelor's or equivalent degree.

Volunteer Experience: 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 to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Due to the education requirement of this position, an unofficial transcript must be submitted at the time of application. If transcripts are not received, you will be rated as ineligible.

Accreditation: Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities 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. 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. If you fail to provide the required documentation, by the closing date of this announcement, you will not receive consideration. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

PATHWAYS PROGRAM OVERVIEW:This is a Student Internship opportunity under the Pathways Internship Program. The Internship Program provides manager 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 their curriculum study or career goals while offering eligibility for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment upon completion: However, there is no guarantee for conversion.

National Defense University (NDU) supports the joint warfighter by providing rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select others in order to develop leaders who have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world.

NDU has a comprehensive benefits package that includes retirement, social security, and thrift savings; health, life, and long term care insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. NDU employees enjoy flexible work schedules, transit subsidy, and the opportunity to telecommute.

Initial Probationary Period: If you are converted to a career-conditional appointment upon completion of your Pathways program, you will be required to serve an initial probationary period of one year if one has not already been completed.

Background or Security Investigation: This is a non-sensitive position which requires a background investigation. The individual selected for this position is required to obtain and maintain a Secret security determination to occupy a non-sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Military Spouse Preference (MSP) eligible candidates will receive priority consideration at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified up to and including the full performance level.

PPP Application Based Preference Eligibles (Military Reserve and National Guard technicians, Military Reserve and National Guard technicians receiving disability retirement, and Retained Grade employees) will receive priority consideration at the full performance level only.

All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-4434 for assistance.

The agency will close this announcement once 100 applicants have applied or the closing date occurs.
The end date for this appointment will be specified in the Participant Agreement and is generally the intern's projected graduation date.
This position may be non-competitively converted to a permanent employment upon completion of education.
Priority Placement Program (PPP) Military Spouse Preference (MSP) eligible candidates will receive priority consideration at the full performance level only.

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.

IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Eligible candidates will then be placed for selection consideration into 3 categories as described below:

Best Qualified Category - Exceeds the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates a high level of proficiency in the job-related competencies based on the answers to the occupational questionnaire.
Highly Qualified Category - Exceeds the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates proficiency in some of the job-related competencies based on the answers to the occupational questionnaire.
Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualifications as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.

You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13021762

Criminal History Inquiries- If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.ssc-cc@mail.mil

Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Resume: A two-page maximum resume is required. Applicant guidance on the two page resume requirement may be found at: Learn more about the new resume requirements.
Complete initial Eligibility Questionnaire: Your resume must demonstrate the quality of your work as it relates to the experience requirements outlined in the job announcement.
Current transcripts (must show your name and school's name)
Acceptance letter if not currently enrolled (Must include verification of minimum part-time enrollment)
Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: Military Spouse Preference applicants, must be selected and placed at the highest grade level for which they have applied and been determined best qualified up to and including the full performance level. You must include a completed copy of the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Spouse Preference. To download the checklist, select "Save" or "Save As" instead of "Open." Save the document to your device then open it as a PDF. Once the form is opened, select "Enable All Features" and the form will populate so that it can be completed. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/forms/dd3000_3499/DD3145-4/
Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist.
Other Supporting Documents

The following supporting documents are REQUIRED to verify your individual eligibility status. Not all will apply for each applicant. They MUST be received by the closing date of the announcement.

If you claim Veteran's Preference:
- You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be.
- If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability
- If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference.
College Transcripts - required from all applicants
Other documents identified in the announcement.

Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered and uploaded are received, legible, and accurate.

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 provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below.

Click 'Apply Online' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
1. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents.
2. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application.
3. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking Application Status, then More Information for this position. Return to an incomplete application by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application: to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
9. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/images/d/d0/USA_Hire_Reasonable_Accommodation_FAQs_-_Dec2016.pdf

Agency contact information

HR Customer Care Center

Phone: (317) 212-0454
Email: dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.dfasmeritcc@mail.mil

Address: National Defense University
300 5th Avenue Bldg 62
Washington, DC 20319
US

Next steps

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. We will notify you of the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection Procedures. We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligiblies within each category and all eligible candidates will be placed for selection consideration into one of the categories described below:
1. Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualifications and demonstrates minimum experience and/or training only based on responses to occupational questionnaire.
2. Highly Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates full-performance level experience based on responses to occupational questionnaire.
3. Best Qualified Category. Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates experience as an expert in the field or recognized as a senior specialist, team lead, etc.

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