Student Trainee (Contract Specialist)

Clarification from the agency

U.S. citizens who are accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution. -OR- Current Department of Homeland Security employees serving under a Pathways internship appointment.

As a Student Trainee (Contract Specialist), GS-1199-4, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

• Serve on a team specializing in acquisition to negotiate, award, administer, and closeout actions
• Engineer or cost estimate aspects of programs
• Assist in requirements planning and the development and review of statements of work
• Prepare acquisition documents and obtain legal, financial, and staff review
• Assist higher-graded staff with the day-to-day administration of acquisition activity
• Participate in special activities as assigned
• Assure data in information systems for assigned work is complete, current, and accurate
• Oversee contractor performance under contracts
• Complete training and career development activities

Key features of the SHIP experience include:

• Cohort based onboarding experience
• Orientation to DHS mission and cultures
• Orientation to federal acquisition careers and the professional environment
• Structured on the job experience
• Partnership with a mentor
• Peer support and networking with your "shipmate" counterparts
• Specialized training
• External events and activities
• Mission-connection experiences
• A management interview of a senior professional
• A leadership shadowing experience
• Capstone project that showcases your SHIP experiences
• Special projects

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 150 applications have been received, whichever happens first.View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.
• You must be 16 years of age or older to apply.
• You must submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with your application.
• All interns are required to sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
• You must serve a trial period.
• Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
• The Pathways Program requires the incumbent to submit official or unofficial transcripts with your application and provide official transcripts prior to entrance-on-duty (EOD).
• This position requires the incumbent to sign a Pathways Internship Participant Agreement, which outlines the work schedule, intern responsibilities, work assignments, and program requirements.
• This position requires you to be enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half- to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution.)
• You must maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or equivalent (no rounding) per semester in an undergraduate degree program or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (or equivalent) per semester in a Master's or Professional Degree Program.
• Student interns must be prepared to meet the Program Eligibility standards outlined under the DHS Acquisition Professional Career Program (APCP) at the time of application and/or graduation for conversion.

Qualifications

To be eligible for this internship, ALL of the following requirements must be met:

• Age Requirement: You must be at least sixteen years of age;
• Citizenship Requirement: You must be a citizen of the United States or lawfully admitted to the United States as a permanent resident or otherwise authorized to be employed under immigration laws, and also satisfy the Appropriations Act Ban on employment of non-citizens;
• Student Status: You must accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) at a qualifying educational institution, on at least a half-time basis (as defined by the institution); or accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized post-secondary credential (such as a Registered Apprenticeship Program or Job Corps) pursuant to 5 CFR 362. "Half-time" is defined by the school in which the student is enrolled. Under this program, an individual who needs to complete less than a half-time equivalent of an academic/vocational or technical course load immediately prior to graduating is still eligible.
• Grade Point Average: You must be considered in good academic standings by the school. You must have at least a 2.0 GPA, or a 3.0 GPA if enrolled in a Master's or Professional degree program.
• Qualification Standards: You must meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) qualification standards prior to appointment and any physical and security requirements.

AND You must also meet all qualification requirements:

You qualify at the GS-4 grade level if you possess the following: Completion of 2 full academic years of post-high school study or higher from a qualifying educational institution or a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized post-secondary credential (such as a Registered Apprenticeship Program or Job Corps).

We highly desire students with majors/degrees closely related to Business, especially programs focused on Purchasing, Procurement, Acquisition, Contract Management, and Supply Chain Management.

An academic year is computed as follows:

• At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a degree is credited based on its relationship to 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours. For example, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements. Additional credit cannot be given for duplicate course work.
• For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school.
• An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
• When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.

NOTE: If your school's definition of "academic year" differs from above, you must submit proof of this difference (e.g., copy of course catalog that defines an academic year). Absent this documentation, you will screened for academic qualifications based on the hours defined in the bullets above.

Students may be offered the opportunity to extend their internships into subsequent periods, but no internship will extend beyond three periods before graduation.

After successful completion of the program (SHIP) requirements, the individual may be converted to a term or permanent appointment at the agency's discretion. Only student interns who otherwise meet the criteria for a GS-1102-07 Contract Specialist are eligible for conversion to permanent positions in the APCP program.

Basic Requirement for Contract Specialist (1102):Contracting Series, 1102 (opm.gov)

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements for Administrative and Management Positions (General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov)).

For all Contracting Series, 1102 positions at GS-05 through GS-12: Selectee must meet position requirements for Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional certification within 36 months as of entrance on duty.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

How you will be evaluated

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

Rating Method: Unranked Order

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered in the following order:

1. Preference eligibles having a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more;
2. Other 10-point preference eligibles;
3. 5-point preference eligible; and
4. Non-preference eligibles (i.e., non-veterans).

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12974448

Veterans: Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is not considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non- preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

1. Your resume NOTE: Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center
2. Your responses to the job questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12974448
3. Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
4. You must provide proof of enrollment such as a screen shot of the semester class schedule, an official letter of enrollment, or listed on the transcripts. The document should show your name, academic institution, the degree or certificate program, and enrollment in at least half-time status (as defined by the academic institution).
5. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.
6. Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.
7. Areyou a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
   • Position title,
   • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee),
   • Agency,
   • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

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