Duties

See the list of available internships here: https://www.volpe.dot.gov/about-us/careers/2022-volpe-pathways-internship-positions-available

As a student intern you will work as a member of one of Volpe’s organizational teams. Project work varies by division, to learn more visit: https://www.volpe.dot.gov/our-work. You will carry out specific assignments in accordance with defined work procedures outlined by your supervisor. Complexity of duties increases with experience.

Major duties may include:

• Performing a variety of assignments selected to broaden skills and provide practical experience aimed at developing the employee’s skills and knowledge to perform progressively complex assignments.
• Assignments at this level are designed to orient, train, and increase the student’s knowledge in his/her perspective area of study.
• Assisting specialists/analysts in developing material for briefings, reports, presentations and conference materials needed by supervisor and executive management.
• Developing documents, such as research based papers, graphs, charts, and other data to be used by transportation officials in defining transportation challenges and recommending options and potential solutions.
• Assisting management in collecting, organizing and maintaining program and/or functional documentation and materials.
• Performing a variety of program support functions, such as inputting, assigning, maintaining, monitoring, or updating work status and records as well as administering and performing other support activities.
• Participating in meetings, events, and briefings.
• Preparing a variety of correspondence, memoranda, and information as requested.
• Traveling to field sites for testing or assignments and performing other related duties, as appropriate.

The ideal candidates are Undergraduate and Graduate students who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and self-initiative. This is a great opportunity for current students with an interest in transportation, majoring in science, engineering, technology, administration, finance, mathematics, business, economics, legal, program support, policy analysis, planning, operations research, computer science/IT, cybersecurity and research based majors.

Flexibility, creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to take initiative will help you to find—or to create—the projects that interest you the most. Good social skills will allow you to establish a close rapport with our clients both over the phone and in the field. Here is your opportunity to study trains, planes, automobiles, boats, buses, bicycles, traffic lights, pipelines, sidewalks, unmanned and autonomous systems, or hyperloops—yes, even hyperloops. To learn more about the work we do, please visit our website: www.volpe.dot.gov/our-work.

This is a temporary internship to complete project work that is temporary in nature. The appointment is not-to-exceed September 24, 2022, and can be extended without further competition to a new temporary appointment at management’s discretion based on the need of the organization for the work to continue and provided the employee remains eligible for employment in the Pathways Intern Program. Internships are expected to begin in May 2022, however, applications will be accepted for a limited number of positions available as early as January 2022.

Volpe is committed to fostering an all-inclusive diverse workforce where employees feel valued for their unique backgrounds and qualities and have a sense of belonging and engagement in helping to advance transportation for the public good.

Volpe’s Pathways Internship Program is designed to provide interns an opportunity to broaden their perspectives on issues facing government. Interns will work throughout the Volpe Center and support higher-level employees in coordinating, facilitating, and implementing activities within the division or office to which they are assigned; and be exposed to and participate in activities, innovations, and challenges facing the Transportation Industry.

Upon graduation and completion of program requirements you may be non-competitively converted, without a break in service, to a term (time-limited), career, or career conditional (permanent) appointment in the federal government with a GS-12 full performance level. Grade level upon conversion will be determined by management and neither conversion nor promotion under this Program is guaranteed.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must meet the qualification standards of the position
• You must be at least 16 years of age
• You must complete a background investigation
• Review Required Documents section as documents are required by closing date
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date

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.
• INTERNSHIP: Must meet the requirements for the Internship Program.
• PROOF OF ENROLLMENT: Must be enrolled at least half time at a qualifying educational institution* pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate and provide proof of enrollment.
• 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.
• STUDENT STATUS: You must maintain status as a current student while on this appointment.
• DEGREE: Must be related to the position.
• WORK SCHEDULE: Interns may work full-time during the summer and a flexible part-time work schedule during the school year (based on agency needs) while continuing their education.
• PHYSICAL LOCATION: Location negotiable after selection.
• TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment.
• TRAVEL: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• Relocation expenses are not approved.
• This is position is eligible for telework.

• For the definition of a qualifying educational institution, please use the following link: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/What_is_a_qualifying_educational_institution/program%3F

You must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement; furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• 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.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  A USAJobs built resume is required to apply

  ALL Applicants must provide a resume that fully supports the required specialized experience and was created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and respond to the vacancy questions by the closing date of the vacancy. Formatted resumes can be uploaded when you arrive at the DOT application system. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

  The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying. Please review each of the following sections to determine which, if any, additional documents you need to provide with your application.
  
  
  Current Resume: Needs to be created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and required from all applicants.

  Completed Questionnaire.

  College Transcripts: Copies of your transcripts which includes courses currently in progress. “Unofficial” transcripts are acceptable. (Prior to appointment, an official transcript will be required.) Required from all applicants who are currently enrolled. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Acceptance Letter of Enrollment: A letter from the educational institution that confirms the following: The degree/diploma program in which you have been accepted and that you will be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Required from all applicants who have been accepted for enrollment.

  Department of Defense Form DD-214: Official document verifying creditable military service (if applicable).

  Standard Form 15: Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, to adjudicate individuals' claims for veterans' preference (if applicable).

  VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility. It need not be official.

  • If you are applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
  • If you are claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
  • If you are applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

  Veterans Administration Letter: Official document verifying total compensable disability based on military service (if applicable).

  Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

  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

  You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.

  • 
    To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
  • Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
  • You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.

  If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at Transjobs@dot.gov.
  

  Agency contact information

  Automated Staffing Office

  Phone

  000-000-0000

  Fax

  000-000-0000

  Email

  TRANSJOBS@dot.gov

  Address

  DOT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
  1200 New Jersey Ave., SE / HAHR-50
  Washington, District of Columbia 20590
  United States

  Next steps

  Once the application process is completed in its entirety, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the basic qualifications. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews.

  If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.

  
  
  

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. This position is part of the Pathways Program and is open to current students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a qualifying educational institution and enrolled at least half-time. Additional information can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets