Student Trainee (Intelligence)

About the role

These positions are located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Intelligence and Analysis (l&A). The Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) leads DHS in the business of intelligence. We offer undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to hone their skills to prepare for careers as intelligence professionals.

Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

What you will do

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and may be amended to extend the deadline or close early without prior notice at the discretion of the agency.
• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and positions will be filled when the need arises or as vacancies occur to meet immediate and future hiring needs.
• The initial cut-off date will be 30 days after the announcement has been opened with subsequent cut-off dates every 30 days.
• As a Student Trainee (Intelligence), GS-0199-3/4/5/7/9, you may be teamed with an intelligence analyst to learn tradecraft and research, write and present finished intelligence products on terrorism, cyber or economic security issues.
• An intern in our IT mission area may assist in developing databases or working on IT tools to enhance analysis.
• Other intern positions support field operations, analyze performance measurement and organizational development, or aid in human resources, or budget and financial operations.
• Interns work alongside I&A employees and support their mission activities.
• We need students in the following areas: Intelligence Analysis: Includes analysis of issues related to terrorism, cybersecurity, border security, transnational crimes and counterintelligence.
• Intelligence Operations: Includes open-source collection, document and media exploitation, counterintelligence operations and coordination of information sharing activities.
• Mission Readiness: Includes budget and finance, human resources, program management, security, strategic planning and policy development.
• Information Technology and Data Science: Includes information assurance/IT security, IT engineering, data science and visualization, and programming and development.
• View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Education

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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail, Computer Skills, Creative Thinking, Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Problem Solving, Research, Self-Management, Technology Application, and Writing 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 USA Hire 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.

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories: Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.

Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis. If you are amongst the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

To preview the job questionnaire and application, click*** Interviews are required for this position.

Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

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. Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience.

Veterans Preference: Veterans preference does not apply under Title 50 appointment authority.

Documents you must provide

• Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
• The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• For what to include in the resume, click on the link: USAJOBS Help Center Your responses to the job questionnaire. *** Are you qualifying based on education?
• Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution.
• Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript.
• Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States.
• For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university.
• It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application.
• See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
• Proof of enrollment on a half-time to full-time basis as defined by the institution in which you are enrolled or acceptance of enrollment at the time of application in a qualifying educational institution.
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee?
• Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), Agency, and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
• You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
• Are you an IC CAE Scholar?
• Information on the IC CAE program can be found at *** To verify you are a IC CAE Scholar, you must submit a copy of your transcript that shows you are current student at an active or legacy IC CAE institution, or an individual who has graduated from such an institution, who has successfully completed at least one course in IC CAE study areas, such as Intelligence, National Security, Critical Technologies, STEM, languages, or other areas of study as determined by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to meet Intelligence Community needs.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews.

We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer with 60 days after the deadline for applications.

If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment. Note: If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner.

Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed. This position may be filled at the GS-3 through GS-9 level. If selection is made at the GS-3 level, promotion to the GS-9 level may occur without further competition.

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. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.

S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U. S.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change. Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Additional information

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: *** The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707.

Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.

To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of 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. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.

To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Top-Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information as a condition of placement in this Special Sensitive position.

This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. This is a permanent appointment in the Excepted Service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis.

Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment may be required to serve a two (2) year trial period. This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.