Job Information
Federal Highway Administration PATHWAYS STUDENT INTERN (Transportation Specialist) in Indianapolis, Indiana
Summary This is a Student Internship position under the Pathways Internship Program. To qualify for this Internship, you MUST be a continuing student enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the current/upcoming semesters for the duration of the internship as a condition of employment, taking at least a half-time course load. You will be required to provide documentation to support eligibility. Students may be employed throughout the academic year. Responsibilities This is a developmental position with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation (DOT). The position is designed to provide interns with challenging assignments that will broaden their perspectives on issues facing the government and prepare them for future positions throughout the government. This is a Student Trainee (Transportation Specialist) position under the Pathways Internship Program. The intern will work under the supervision of experienced Specialists. The intern will perform a variety of tasks: Receive on-the-job training to develop knowledge and skills relevant to a career in one or more highway transportation programs. Assist Division program managers with various financial and process reviews for various programs, and assist higher graded specialist in providing leadership, interpretation, guidance, and training related to state department of transportation and local agency transportation projects and programs. Participate in meetings with state and local partners, attend conferences, peer exchanges, and workshops related to transportation, and attends project site meetings to learn more about project construction. Work with higher graded program managers on administration of grant projects and assists with a wide variety of program tasks. The goal for the intern is to develop progressive proficiency in Federal-aid program management and technical expertise in functional areas normally performed in a division office. Specific emphasis will be placed upon the policies and procedures that ensure full consideration of Federal-aid highway and transportation projects. The ideal candidate is a college student with a strong interest in highway transportation programs, including areas such as finance, engineering, planning, environmental issues, civil rights, safety, operations, and realty. They are a team player who works well with others. They possess attention to detail, are well-organized, and have good communication skills. They are adaptable and capable of managing changing priorities. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet the requirements of the program. You must be at least 16 years of age Required documents must be submitted by the closing date. Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY - To be eligible for appointment to a position in the DOT Internship Program, throughout the duration of the appointment, an individual must: Be accepted for enrollment or 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). Be seeking a degree that is relevant to this position. Be able to work at least 16 hours per week, depending on your academic schedule, and preferably full-time during the summer. Grade qualifications must be met prior to start date. If selected you: must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement; may be employed throughout the academic year; must maintain status as a current student; must maintain good academic standing, at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale. must furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and must provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term. For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP: Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Must complete a background investigation. DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment. GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only. PHYSICAL LOCATION: Intern will be required to work onsite. TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment. WORK SCHEDULE: Pathways intern hours worked cannot interfere with academic studies. Interns may work either full-time or part-time hours. This position may be telework eligible, as determined by office policy. There is a requirement to report to the office location each pay period while in a work status. Qualifications Please be sure that you have read and meet the Pathways program requirements under the Requirements section. Then, to further meet the minimum qualifications for this position, review the following grade specific education requirements to determine full eligibility before applying. To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirements for each grade which you are requesting consideration for: GS-04: Completion of two academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree. GS-05: Completion of four academic years of post-high school study leading to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree. GS-07: Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree OR Superior Academic Achievement: In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on: (1) Class Standing - Applicants must be 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; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your 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 (b) 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; OR (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/). GS-09: Completion of two academic years of graduate level education (above a bachelor's degree), or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree. Academic year clarification: At the undergraduate level, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. When academic credit is expressed in 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 institution. At the graduate level (above a Bachelor's degree), one year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full time study requirement for GS-07. When academic credit is expressed in 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 institution. You may use 2024/2025 in-progress semester/quarter hours to qualify for a higher grade level. Qualifications will be determined based on completed and in-progress hours stated on your unofficial transcript submitted at the time of application. To be qualifying, you must successfully complete and receive credit for the courses and provide an updated official transcript before you enter on duty. Note that if you are graduating at the end of this current semester, and not continuing your education, you are not eligible for this internship. You must be enrolled as a student while employed as an intern. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. 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. For additional information about applying to Federal Pathways Internship Positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the start of the internship. Education Refer to the Qualifications and Requirements section for information pertaining to the Pathways Internship Program. Additional Information PLEASE NOTE: This is an Excepted Service Appointment for an initial period expected to last for more than 1-year. As a part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee's projected graduation date, plus 180 days. Upon graduation, depending on the qualifications and the Agency’s need the student intern may be converted without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment, to a position that has a career ladder target up to the GS-12, provided they are a US citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and has received a favorable recommendation from the supervisor for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship. Selectee is on a trial period while on a Pathways Internship appointment. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.