Student Trainee (Engineering and Architecture) Job

Vacancy No. CHAR-26-12839792-DHA Department US Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
Salary $36,464.00 to $55,183.00 Grade 3 to 4
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/15/2026 Close Date 4/21/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Huntsville, ALMobile, ALLittle Rock, ARDavis, CA
Los Angeles, CAWellington, FLWest Palm Beach, FLSavannah, GA
Fort Riley, KSLouisville, KYConcord, MASaint Paul, MN
Fort Leonard Wood, MOKansas City, MOLake City, MOWhiteman AFB, MO
Vicksburg, MSWilmington, NCTulsa, OKPortland, OR
Fort Worth, TXWinchester, VASeattle, WAWalla Walla, WA


Summary

About the Position: The Student Intern Program provides selectees an exciting opportunity to embark on a training and development path for a successful career as an Army Civilian employee. Students may also receive payment for tuition/training, which is subject to availability, and potential conversion into full-time positions upon graduation. Don't wait! Apply now to start your Army Civilian internship today!

GS-03 Salary $36,464-$49,162

GS-04 Salary $37,918-$55,183

This job is open to

The public

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

Students

Current students enrolled in an accredited high school, college or graduate institution.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

  • As a Student Trainee (Engineering and Architecture), the incumbent will work under closer supervision performing assignments and completing training. At the full-performance level, you will be expected to:
  • Perform a variety of standardized and non-standardized engineering tasks to accomplish or provide technical support on assigned projects.
  • Assist in design analysis and modifications by compiling, computing, tabulating and making graphic or model presentations of pertinent data.
  • Review specifications, drawings, technical reports and other documentation.
  • Research standard references, guides, precedents and other sources to obtain pertinent technical information.
  • Prepare drawings and sketches using familiar methods, procedures and data inputs.
  • Conduct tests on materials and equipment which involves collecting and preparing samples, adjusting and operating equipment, recording instrument readings and evaluating test data.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • A post-secondary student appointment expires 120 days after completion of the designated academic course of study, unless the student is selected for noncompetitive conversion.
  • May be converted to a permanent appointment in the competitive service, to include the conversion out grade at the GS-05 or GS-07 and corresponding full performance grade at the GS-11 or GS-12.
  • If converted to a permanent position, selectee may be required to meet additional conditions of employment.
  • If converted to a permanent position, selectee may be provided relocation assistance subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • A Post-Secondary Student Participant Agreement is required for post-secondary students.
  • A Personnel Security Investigation is required.

Qualifications

This position is being filled under the Direct Hire Authority for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates.

The Student Intern Program offers post-secondary students 12 weeks of full-time employment, up to 480 hours, during the summer months. Employment dates will vary depending on when summer break begins for each college, however, the earliest start date is the end of May. Actual length of employment is contingent upon budget and workload. Employment is intended to continue each subsequent year during the summer months while the student is enrolled in a degree program.

MAY be non-competitively converted to a career/career-conditional appointment within 120 days of successful completion of academic program.

Pay will vary by grade level and geographic location.

Who May Apply: To be eligible for consideration you must meet the definition of post-secondary student as defined below:

Post-Secondary Student: a person who, (1) is currently enrolled in, and in good academic standing at, a full-time program at an institution of higher education; and (2) is making satisfactory progress towards receipt of a baccalaureate or graduate degree; and (3) has completed at least one year of the program.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education requirements described below. 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 must clearly describe your relevant education and experience.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

GS-03 Minimum Qualifications:

Education: To qualify at the GS-03 level, students must have completed 1 academic year of post-high school study (one year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university).

GS-04 Minimum Qualifications:

Education: To qualify at the GS-04 level, students must have completed 2 academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree (one year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university).

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Post-secondary students being considered for initial appointments to positions leading to target positions with positive education requirements should be enrolled in directly-related degree programs in order to meet the OPM qualification requirements for the target position upon completion of their academic program.

Must be in good academic standing and maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average or equivalent, as eligibility criteria.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • This is an Engineering and Scientist Career Management position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • This position requires a 1 year probationary period which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • May be selected at any grade level with non-competitive promotion potential to target grade. Non-competitive promotion potential to the target grade is based on time-in-grade requirements and demonstrated ability to perform the higher graded duties.
  • If selected, official college or university transcripts must be submitted. However, unofficial transcripts must be submitted at the time of application.
  • Post-secondary students will initially be appointed to a term appointment in the competitive service for a period expected to last more than 1 year not to exceed 4 years; they may be non-competitively converted to a career or career-conditional appointment within 120 days of successfully completing the qualifying academic program.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. 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. Your resume:

  • Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • 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 may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • You must submit a copy of your transcript to determine eligibility under this hiring authority. Further, if you claim qualifications based on education and do not submit a supporting transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found not qualified. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected, official transcripts are required. If you received Advanced Placement (AP) credits, you MUST also submit either your high school transcripts showing your AP grades or your AP Exam Score from the College Board. You MUST submit your unofficial college transcripts with your application to include transfer courses, credit hours, grades to calculate GPA, and proof of current enrollment. Applicants who fail to provide transcripts will be marked as insufficient and will not receive consideration for this position. See: Transcripts and Licenses

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

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 questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/21/2026 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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12839792).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • 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 in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of 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/status.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
W4CM01 ACCMA ECTAP
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "incomplete application" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Additional locations

Los Angeles, CA
7 vacancies
Wellington, FL
1 vacancy
West Palm Beach, FL
1 vacancy
Savannah, GA
5 vacancies
Fort Riley, KS
1 vacancy
Louisville, KY
1 vacancy
Concord, MA
4 vacancies
Saint Paul, MN
3 vacancies
Fort Leonard Wood, MO
1 vacancy
Kansas City, MO
4 vacancies
Lake City, MO
1 vacancy
Whiteman AFB, MO
1 vacancy
Vicksburg, MS
2 vacancies
Wilmington, NC
1 vacancy
Tulsa, OK
1 vacancy
Portland, OR
4 vacancies
Fort Worth, TX
2 vacancies
Winchester, VA
3 vacancies
Seattle, WA
10 vacancies
Walla Walla, WA
7 vacancies

US Army Civilian Human Resources Agency

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
W4CM01 ACCMA ECTAP
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
US