You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Pathways Student Trainee (Administrative Support Assistant)

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Email

Duties

Under the Pathways Internship Program, you must meet the definition of a student during the duration of your internship as follows:

An individual accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a qualifying degree or certificate from one of the following:

  • High school; OR
  • College/university; OR
  • Professional, technical, vocational, or trade school; OR
  • Advanced degree program; OR
  • Certificate in a qualifying and accredited educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled), including awardees of the Harry S. Truman Foundation Scholarship Program under Public Law 93-842.

Students need not be in actual physical attendance, so long as all other requirements are being met. An individual who needs to complete less than the equivalent of a half-time an academic/vocational or technical course load immediately prior to graduating is still considered a student for purposes of this program.

Typical work assignments include:

  • Work with clients and customers to assess their needs by providing information or assistance with ongoing administrative matters. Maintain awareness of division products and services.
  • Prepare clear, convincing, and concise documents for an intended audience.
  • Plan, coordinate, and perform business functions to execute organizational services and goals.
  • Assist program analyst, senior specialists and supervisor in conducting program functions.
  • Utilize computer software applications to assist staff with updating databases, creating or editing reports, or creating and maintaining spreadsheets.

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT:
This is a temporary appointment not-to-exceed one year but may be extended in increments of up to one year without further competition, if you continue to meet the eligibility requirements under the Pathways Internship program and funding is available.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION:
Pathways Interns may be converted to a permanent position (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the internship program. Eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that CISA will offer conversion.

To be eligible for conversion, Interns must:

  • Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program.
  • Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted.
  • Have completed the degree program with at least a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale throughout the entire internship appointment if enrolled as an undergraduate or at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale throughout the entire internship appointment if enrolled in a Master's/Professional program.
  • Perform their job successfully.
  • Agencies may waive up to 320 of the required 640 hours of work for Interns who demonstrate high potential as evidenced by outstanding academic achievement and exceptional job performance.
  • In addition, students working in agencies through third-party intern providers may count up to 320 of the hours they work toward the 640-hour requirement.
  • Time spent under previous Internship Program appointments may count towards required work experience hours.

 

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen.
  • You must be at least 16 years of age.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required.
  • Selective Service - Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service see http://www.sss.gov/
  • All Federal employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
  • DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
  • The duration of a Pathways appointment is a trial period.
  • This position requires a pre-employment drug test. All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a drug test to screen for illicit/illegal drug use prior to receiving a final offer of employment. A final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result.

 

Qualifications

BASIC ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must:

  • Remain in good academic standing as defined by the school, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate programs;
  • Remain in good academic standing as defined by the school, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for Master's/Professional programs;
  • Maintain enrollment, on at least a half-time schedule as a student at an accredited college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges); professional, technical, vocational, or trade school; advanced degree programs (e.g., graduate school, law school); or other qualifying educational institution pursuing a degree or certificate for the duration of the internship, if selected;
  • Sign a Pathways Internship Participant Agreement on an annual basis, if selected and,
  • Meet the DHS developed qualifications standards prior to appointment and any physical, suitability, security requirements and if applicable medical clearance.

Note: Certificate programs must be one academic year in duration.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC ELIGIBILITY ABOVE, YOU MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required education for the respective grade level in which you are applying.

You qualify for the GS-03 grade level, if you have:
EDUCATION: Completion of one (1) full academic year of post-high school study from an accredited institution.

You qualify for the GS-04 grade level, if you have:
EDUCATION: Completion of two (2) full academic years of post-high school study or an associate degree from an accredited institution.

You qualify for the GS-05 grade level, if you have:
EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-04 grade level (or equivalent) performing two (2) of the following duties:

  1. Assisting with administrative duties for an organization (e.g. reviewing documents, writing/editing documents);
  2. Using office automation software (such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and/or Outlook) to update, maintain, and track information; and
  3. Responding to inquiries in a timely manner.

OR

EDUCATION: Completion of four (4) academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree from an accredited institution.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: To combine education and experience, determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage by dividing your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your total number of completed undergraduate semester hours by 120 (quarter hours by 180). Finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify at this grade level.


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.

Special Provisions/or Interns with Previous Related Education: Previous education may be evaluated to determine the highest grade level for which you are qualified.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

 

Education

This position has an education requirement. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent (e.g., letter from the registrar, acceptance letter, unofficial transcripts) showing eligibility for the educational requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Updated enrollment verification documentation will be required if you are selected.

Education must be from an accredited 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.

Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the qualification requirements. You must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.

Additional information

  • Other incentives may be authorized.
  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
  • This position has been designated excluded from bargaining unit representation under the national security provision of 5 U.S.C. 7112(B)(6).
  • Selected Interns are not eligible for a promotion while serving on a not-to-exceed appointment.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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.

Shared Certificate: When CISA completes their selections, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with other DHS Component agencies who are hiring for similar positions. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application materials, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with other DHS Component agencies. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.