Clarification from the agency

The term "current post-secondary student: means a person who: (1) Is currently enrolled in, and in good standing in a full-time program at an higher education institution; AND, (2) Is making satisfactory progress toward receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate degree; AND, (3) Has completed at least one year of the program. Post-Secondary Students MUST have more than one year remaining in their baccalaureate or graduate program.

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice for the DoD Direct-Hire Authority for Pathways Post-Secondary Students.

Post-Secondary Students will be placed on term appointment and MUST have more than one year remaining in their baccalaureate or graduate program in order to be appointed under this direct hire authority. Under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section 1116 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31), "Extension of Direct Hire Authority for the Department of Defense for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates"

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

• Perform a variety of clerical, administrative and technical duties/responsibilities in support of management with the intent of accomplishing the administrative requirements of the directorate to which assigned; therefore contributing to the efficient and effective accomplishment of the objectives of the overall organization
• Research office files or other sources for pertinent information needed to prepare correspondence, program briefings and other related actions.
• Assist in conducting reviews and studies involving various aspects of the organization.
• Develop and coordinate a variety of basic/routine reports, staff actions, correspondence, program briefings and other related actions
• Maintain required database of information and develop and submit required reports, charts and graphs which reflect any/all personnel actions information

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• Must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement
• This position may require you to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
• This position may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station via military or commercial aircraft.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• Total salary varies depending on location of position
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period

Qualifications

Internship Eligibility Requirements: Current Post-Secondary student meaning an individual who is currently enrolled in, and in good academic standing at a full-time program at an institution of higher education, is making satisfactory progress toward receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate degree; and has completed at least one year of the undergraduate program.

Post-Secondary Students MUST have more than one year remaining in their baccalaureate or graduate program.

Students enrolled (must provide academic transcripts) in an accredited college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges) advanced degree programs. Note: You must provide sufficient transcripts and a proof of enrollment that reflects your current enrollment and a verification of Fall, 2026 enrollment. Applicants can be selected at GS-7 grade level. The target grade of this position is 11.

You may qualify at the GS-07 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

Have one year of experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-05) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in: 1) Researching office files or other sources for pertinent information needed to prepare correspondence, program briefings and other related actions and 2) Developing and coordinating a variety of basic/routine reports, staff actions, correspondence, program briefings and other related actions.

OR

Successful completion one year of full-time graduate level education at an accredited college or university. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and claim eligibility for superior academic achievement based on one of the following:

Class standing in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

OR

Have the specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and I have at least one year of graduate education as described in B, but less than the required two years. I have computed the percentage of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100% (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

All qualifications, education, and time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Note: Under this DHA, veteran's preference does not apply.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your résumé and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your eligibility and qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position (if applicable). If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Problem Solving
• Self-Management
• Technology Application

DOD PPP candidates using Application-Based Procedures:

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 (DD-3145-3) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician preference.

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 (DD-3145-2) to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference.

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 (DD-3145-1) to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS. You MUST upload the applicable documents with your application package. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your technical qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 1" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration.

If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you will not be considered for this vacancy.

For qualifications determinations, your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment for each position listed on your resume (i.e., hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If the resume does not contain this information, the application will be marked as incomplete by HR and the individual will not receive consideration for this position.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade held (WHS serviced employees SF-50s will be verified via eOPF).
• College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education (WHS serviced employees will be verified via eOPF or you may include them in your application package)
• DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
• PPP Registrants/Eligibles: Must submit the following applicable documents: 1) PPP registration 2) PCS orders (if applicable)

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You are strongly encouraged to provide a copy of transcripts or degrees in your application package. It is also acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

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