Summary
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, Justice leads the Nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Any Currently Enrolled Student Eligibles who are U.S. Citizens/Nationals.
Duties
This position is located in Hammond, Indiana.
Hammond, Indiana is centrally located in the Northwest Indiana region. With a thriving population and minutes away from Chicago, Northwest Indiana offers low-cost, high-quality living while offering highly competitive salaries at the Chicago locality rate. The proximity of Chicago also offers its art and cultural institutions, world-class entertainment, and dining. The area boasts a variety of living options - from urban living and suburbs to small towns and rural communities. Northwest Indiana is also home to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park and the Indiana Dunes State Park - both offering trails, camping and beaches along Lake Michigan.
For more information about the area, visit www.nwiforum.org
For more information about the state of Indiana, visit www.visitindiana.com.
The office is soliciting applications for a Student Trainee (Financial Litigation) within the Pathways Program to support the Civil Division. If selected, you will provide office clerical and automation support to the Financial Litigation Unit in the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana. Automated support may include use of one or more of the following software applications: word processing, electronic spreadsheets, database management, customer service, project management, calendar, and electronic mail. You will receive formal and/or on-the-job training. Duties include:
- Producing a variety of documents using varied and advanced word processing software functions
- Sort, calculate, and retrieve data from electronic databases or spreadsheets to produce reports, charts, and graphs.
- Obtain and analyze financial information on debtors.
- Communicate with debtors to assure successful collection of debts.
- Processes monies received by debtors.
- Review and reconcile computerized debt collection records.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Conditions of Appointment:
- Pathways Participant Agreement: All interns are required to sign the Participant Agreement and meet the requirements of the Pathways Program throughout their appointment.
- Duration of Appointment: This is NOT intended to be a short-term position. The selected candidate will be expected to work year-round on a flexible schedule, which will accommodate class schedules during the school session. The ideal candidate will serve a minimum one (1) year appointment.
- Work Schedule: The work schedule for this position may be either Full-Time or Part-Time. Part-Time hours worked must be a minimum of 20 hours per week, but no more than 32 hours per week. Full-Time hours worked must be at least 40 hours per week.
- Work Location:If selected, you will be expected to work at the location designated in this vacancy announcement. This is NOT a remote-work position. Telework may be permitted on a limited basis as authorized by the agency.
- Conversion: Interns may be non-competitively converted to a term, career-conditional or career appointment within 120 days following successful completion of all of their educational and work experience requirements in accordance with 5 CFR 362.204.
- Promotion Requirements: The advancement of Interns to higher-graded positions, prior to conversion, is strictly at the agency's discretion. To qualify for promotions, the Interns must have the same level and type of experience and/or education usually required for an initial appointment.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements:
- U.S. Citizenship: You must be a United States Citizen or National. Student Interns must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.)
- Minimum Age: You must be at least 16 years of age or older.
- Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov for additional information.
- Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
- Student Status Requirements: Definition of a student - applicant must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school, two-year or four-year college or university, graduate/professional school, or certificate program equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study (go to http://www.ed.gov/accreditation to verify accreditation status) pursuant to 5 CFR 362. You must be considered in good academic standings by the school. Individuals must be taking at least a half-time academic, vocational, or technical course load leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. "Half-time" is defined by the school in which the student is enrolled.
- Grade-Point-Average (GPA) Requirement:You must have at least a 2.5 GPA.
- Proof of Enrollment: You must submit an academic transcript or proof of enrollment with your application to verify that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
You must apply online and submit a complete application by the closing date of this announcement in order to be considered for this position. (See Required Documents section of this announcement)
All applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. (See Qualifications section of this announcement)
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, you must meet the experience/education requirements as described below:
GS-5 Grade Level Qualification Requirements
To be eligible at the GS-4 level you must meet at least one of the following conditions below:
Experience: At least one (1) year of general office experience defined as experience providing routine office automation/clerical support. Examples of specialized experience may include the following: using automated systems to process and input data, communicating with external parties to determine validity of data, and producing a variety of written documents and materials utilizing a wide range of office software applications ensuring proper format, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.
-OR-
Education: At least two (2) years of education above the high school level. This education must be obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. (One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.)
-OR-
Combination of Experience and Education: Combinations of successfully completed post high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, college education must be in excess of 60 semester hours or beyond the second year. To determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. For example, if you had 20 semester hours of creditable education. 20 divided by 60 is 33% of the required education. If you also had 8 months of general experience, then 8 divided by 12 is 67% of the required experience. 33%+67% = 100%, therefore, you would qualify for this position.)
-AND-
Typing Proficiency Requirement
In addition to the qualification requirements for each grade level identified above, you must type at least 40 words per minute based on a 5-minute sample with three or fewer errors. (A typing test may later be required.)
The complete Qualification Standards used for this position may be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-Standards
Pathways Internship Positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP
Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov.
Foreign Education Note: You may use foreign education to meet qualification requirements if you send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency in with your transcript. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Benefits
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.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements you may be referred to the selecting official or if Veterans' Preference must to be adjudicated, your application will be placed in one of three grouping categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these groupings, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. All CP/CPS preference eligibles that meet minimum qualification and eligibility requirements will be included in the "Best Qualified" grouping.
You will be rated on the following Competencies:
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Decision Making
- Adaptability
- Applies Technology to Tasks
Go to OPM Website for the definition of each competency.
The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package by the closing date of this announcement, which includes:
- Online Occupational Questionnaire (Required) - This is completed automatically during the "Apply Online" process. Your responses from the online questionnaire while be used to help determine your eligibility to apply, identify any preferences or special considerations for employment, and if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position.
- Resume (Required) - Your resume must show relevant experience and dates (month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time). 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. Please be sure that the information included in your resume is complete and accurate, we cannot make any assumptions about your experience when considering your application.
- Cover Letter (Optional, recommended) - A cover letter is not required, but it is recommended. Any cover letters should be tailored to the agency and position that you are applying to. Please do not include any personally identifiable information (such as a photo, date of birth, social security numbers, etc.).
- Proof of Enrollment and/or unofficial College Transcripts - Current unofficial college transcripts or other proof of current enrollment (e.g., recent letter from the registrar's office) that sufficiently demonstrates that you meet the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Program (see Requirements Section above). If you meet qualifications based on education you must include copies of any applicable college transcripts and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement (Note: If you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day).
- Veterans Documentation (Required, if applicable) - If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application and submit the appropriate documentation, as specified below:
- DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty" (Member Copy 4) - In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
- Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" (If applicable) - If you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
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 occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2024 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, http://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12514391
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, contact USAINN HR at 219-937-5500 or USAINN.HR@usdoj.gov as soon as possible to arrange an alternative application process.
Next steps
Application Status Updates:Please visit www.usajobs.gov to view the status of your application. You will receive email updates as your application progresses through each step of the process. Please do NOT contact our office for the status of your application.
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit check, and a drug test by urinalysis. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.
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