Student Trainee/Intern (Mathematical Statistician/Data Scientist)
Are you a student who is passionate about data science? Want to make a difference in protecting public health? Join the Food Safety and Inspection Service as a Mathematical Statistician Student Trainee/Intern! Two openings. Salary: $50,643-$65,831/year. Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National and meet all educational and program requirements in the announcement to apply. Closes 3/21/22 or when 100 applications have been received.
**** NO applications will be accepted via Handshake. You must apply via USAJobs via this link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/638255000 ****
Agency contact information
Kyesha Lewis
Phone: 612-659-8636
Fax: 1-833-840-9219
Email: kyesha.lewis@usda.gov
About the Internship
The internship is designed to provide students with opportunities to work in and explore careers while still in school and while getting paid for the work performed. To qualify for this announcement applicants must have completed 4 years of post-high school education leading to a bachelor's degree and be currently enrolled, or accepted for enrollment in a graduate program. Students must be enrolled on at least a half-time basis at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. Student Interns must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of the appointment. Incumbents will be required to provide proof of continued enrollment and good standing as defined by their educational institution, each semester or grading period throughout the internship program. Failure to do so will result in termination of the appointment.
To qualify for this position, you must meet BOTH the Pathway Internship Eligibility requirements as well as the minimum qualifications for the position. Carefully read the full announcement for full details, qualifications and required documents.
Promotion Potential
This is an Excepted Service Appointment for an initial period expected to last for more than 1-year. The student intern may be converted, without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment upon graduation, to a position that has a career ladder targeted up to the GS-12, provided they are a US Citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and receive a favorable recommendation from the supervisor for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship. The selectee is on a trial period while on a Pathways Internship appointment. This Student Trainee position has a promotion potential of GS-07. Upon conversion, permanent position has a promotion potential of GS-12.
Duties
This position is in the Office of Planning, Analysis and Risk Management (OPARM). OPARM leads FSIS efforts related to strategic planning and evaluation, data analysis and advanced analytics, data science and enterprise risk management, and internal controls. As a Student Trainee (Mathematical Statistician), your duties will include, but are not limited to the following:
- Using statistical (including data science), data visualization and other software applications or tools to query and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations with respect to existing policies and planned initiatives.
- Expressing ideas and concepts orally and in writing, and by numeric and graphic means, to support the coordination and tracking of data analysis activities.
- Reviewing, analyzing, monitoring, visualizing, and interpreting public health and operational data.
- Performing quality checks to assess consistency of data reporting across program areas.
- Tracking project activities, tasks, and status to ensure data and performance-related deliverables are properly monitored, completed, and communicated.
- Performing other duties as assigned.
Student Interns must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of the appointment. Incumbents will be required to provide proof of continued enrollment and good standing as defined by their educational institution, each semester or grading period throughout the internship program. Failure to do so will result in termination of the appointment.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, you must meet BOTH the Pathway Internship Eligibility requirements as well as the minimum qualifications for the position:
To Be Eligible For An Appointment Under The Internship Program You Must Meet The Following Requirement: Student applicants must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, *certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled. Student Trainees must be in good academic standing, as defined by the institution they are attending. Generally, at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) for undergraduate programs (cumulative; no rounding) and a 3.0 GPA for advanced degree programs. Individuals must meet the definition of a student throughout the duration of their internship appointment.
(*NOTE: Certificate Program: This term is defined, in 5 CFR 362.102, and means postsecondary education in a qualifying educational institution equivalent to at least 1 academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum.)
This position has an education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to a final offer of employment.
To Qualify at the GS-07 Grade Level: Successful completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education OR Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) after completing a bachelor's degree. S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
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.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.). Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
a. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better)as recorded on their 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 course completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies: https://www.achshonor.org/. Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.
PROGRAM COMPLETION:
This is an indefinite appointment. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be non-competitively converted to a term or career or career-conditional appointment, upon conversion this position has a full performance level of GS-12. Service in the Pathways Program confers no right to further employment in either the competitive or excepted service. An agency wishing to convert a student must therefore execute the required action to do so within 120 days of successful completion of the degree and program requirements.
If this position is eligible for conversion, the anticipated position for conversion would be into the following occupations: GS-1529/1550-09.11.12 Interdisciplinary. The anticipated position may change based on the needs of the organization. Interns must qualify and meet the individual occupational requirements for the position.
A student performing work in anyone of the following areas, will have to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for that particular series.
CONVERSION FROM STUDENT TRAINEE:
Prior to conversion to a term or career or career conditional appointment, Student Trainees must satisfactorily complete all training, program, and educational requirements.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Successfully complete academic course of study.
- Complete a minimum of 640 hours of work experience under the Internship Program.
- Complete 40 hours of mandatory AgLearn Training.
- Meet the OPM Qualification Standard for the position the Intern may be converted to.
- Maintain acceptable performance under the agency's approved performance management system.
- Receive favorable recommendation for conversion from supervisor.
Education
If Using Education to Qualify: To use your education as a basis for meeting the Minimum Qualification Requirements (MQR) for this position, you MUST submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements. If specific course work is required to fulfill the MQR, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken to receive credit for that course work. See the "Qualifications" section of this announcement for more details.
You must be a student currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited college or university:
- Enrollment must be at least half-time course load as defined by the education institution (typically six hours or equivalent for undergraduate and three hours or equivalent for graduate).
- Maintain good academic standing, generally, at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA for undergraduate programs and a 3.0 GPA for graduate programs, on a 4.0 grading scale.
For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: Pathways Program Fact Sheets
COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS:
You MUST submit a copy of your college transcripts which show:
- Your Field of Study
- School Name
- Student's Name
- Current GPA or Academic Standing
- Past and Current Course Work
- Degree Program
- Major/Concentration
An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, if selected, an official college transcript will be required prior to entering on duty.
SPECIFIC COURSE WORK:
To be eligible and to qualify for a conversion to a term or career or career-conditional appointment, Student Trainees must meet the following academic degrees and course requirements for that particular series.
Mathematical Statistics Series, 1529
Degree: that included 24 semester hours of mathematics and statistics, of which at least 12 semester hours were in mathematics and 6 semester hours were in statistics.
Evaluation of Education: Courses acceptable toward meeting the mathematics course requirement above must have included at least four of the following: differential calculus, integral calculus, advanced calculus, theory of equations, vector analysis, advanced algebra, linear algebra, mathematical logic, differential equations, or any other advanced course in mathematics for which one of these was a prerequisite. Courses in mathematical statistics or probability theory with a prerequisite of elementary calculus or more advanced courses will be accepted toward meeting the mathematics requirements, with the provision that the same course cannot be counted toward both the mathematics and the statistics requirement.
Computer Science Series, 1550
Degree: Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.
Evaluation of Education: Applicants should have sufficient knowledge to understand the fundamental concepts and techniques of computer science. Courses designed to provide an introduction to computer science techniques and methodologies, to problems of system design, and to other specialized fields are acceptable. Courses or experience in teaching elementary, business, or shop mathematics are not acceptable.
If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information or you will be ineligible for further consideration.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent to which they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:
- Accountability
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Learning
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
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.
Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Non-Competitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities need to meet minimum qualifications to be referred.
NOTE: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
Selecting the link below will present a preview of the application form, i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.
To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11382163
Conditions of Employment
Read the entire vacancy announcement on USAJobs (https://www.usajobs.gov/job/638255000) for the full list of Conditions of Employment, but include the following:
- Accepted for or currently enrolled in a qualified educational institution.
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
- Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
Current COVID Telework/Remote Posture
Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to work remotely or telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency's telework policy.