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Student Trainee (Data Analysis)

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
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Student Trainee (Data Analysis)

Fort Collins, CO

Washington, DC

Ames, Iowa

Manhattan, KS

Riverdale, MD

Raleigh, NC

This position is open to students who have been accepted for enrollment or who are enrolled at least half-time in an accredited high school, college, professional, technical, vocational, or trade school pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate. Students need to have completed at least 48 collegiate level credits or equivalent at time of application.

The APHIS Career Experience (ACE) program is a year-round internship and cohort program that prepares students to develop themselves into collaborative and skilled professionals. Career opportunities await outstanding interns who complete the program requirements. Become the next generation of diverse and talented leaders for APHIS!

This internship will prepare you for a career in the Data Science and Data Analysis field.

Duties

  • The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Participating in developmental and training webinars as part of the ACE Student Cohort Program.
  • Designing and presenting group and individual learning projects to supervisors and program/agency leadership.
  • Engaging in shadowing and mentoring opportunities with agency leadership and staff.
  • Conducting and completing day-to-day responsibilities to prepare for a career in the data science and data analysis career fields.
  • Additional duties and responsibilities may be dependent on program or duty station requirements.
  • Uses basic analytical techniques to provide preliminary recommendations for procedural improvements.

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Must be in good academic standing as defined by their academic institution.
  • Complete at least 640 hrs of work experience prior to completion of degree.
  • Enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution; must be continuing enrollment through Spring 2026 in a qualifying degree/certificate program.
  • A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways.
  • Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of two-year trial period.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • 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/
  • Be available to work a regular schedule at the assigned duty station throughout the internship, even when classes are in session. Schedules are full time in the summer and at least 16 hours a week during the school year.
  • Selectees must be able to start work on either May 18 or June 1, 2025.
  • All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
  • Attend the in-person cohort session from June 23-27, 2025 in Riverdale, Maryland (cost covered by the agency).
  • This position may be represented by a collective bargaining unit if post-graduation conversion is offered.
  • Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.

Qualifications

 

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

ELIGIBILITY: Students who are currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. Applicants need to be on an academic track that would lead to a degree mentioned in the education section below at time of potential conversion

Applicants can qualify by meeting the EDUCATION requirements specified below by entry-on-duty date.

EDUCATION: GS-4: Completion of 2 full academic years (60 semester or 90 quarter hours) of post-high school study or an associate's degree.

Students must have completed at least 48 credits by the time the announcement closes on October 16, 2024 and will be required to show proof of 60 completed credits prior to entry-on-duty.

  • An academic year of undergraduate education is defined as a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours at an accredited college or university unless determined otherwise by the educational institution.

IF SPRING OR FALL 2025 IS YOUR FINAL SEMESTER of completing your degree/certificate requirements, you must show proof of acceptance to a continuing degree/certificate program. This may be documented by an acceptance letter for future enrollment in a degree/certificate program. If you do not provide proof of continuing education, you will be disqualified from further consideration.

Students graduating without further enrollment prior to spring 2026 are not eligible for this position due to the one-year developmental program that accompanies this internship.

Education

 

This position requires certain educational requirements for conversion to a term or permanent position after graduation. For this position, those requirements include:

Degree: Data science, computer science, Mathematics, statistics, or actuarial science as appropriate to the target position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position. Certain numbers of credits in qualifying areas may be needed depending on the target position.

OR

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

Additional information

 

 

The APHIS Career Experience (ACE) program is a unique and exciting internship experience, designed to foster and develop interns for permanent positions within the agency after graduation. The program is designed to provide a cohort experience with peers across academic and career tracks and throughout APHIS programs. In addition to technical, on-the-job training and job duties, ACE participants will be part of a formal, one year development program to enhance leadership and professional skills and competencies. The ACE Program follows the regulations and requirements of the Pathways Internship program as determined by the Office of Personnel Management and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Promotion Potential: As an ACE intern, you may be eligible for non-competitive promotion to the GS-5 while still in your internship if you complete eligibility requirements and if recommended by management. If converted to a permanent position after graduation, you may be placed under a career development plan for further non-competitive promotion opportunities.

The required hours are at least 16 hours per week during the school year and 40 hours per week during the summer.

There will be a one week in-person engagement and development opportunity for selectees from June 23-27 in Riverdale, Maryland. ACE interns with an official duty station outside the local commuting area will have lodging and travel expenses for this trip fully covered.

Summer/school year housing and travel expenses for travel to and from the duty station for the internship will not be paid.

This Internship confers eligibility for a noncompetitive conversion to a permanent or term position in the competitive service contingent upon meeting all applicable Internship Program requirements and the needs of the agency. You will be considered for conversion to a permanent or term position upon the successful completion of your Internship. However, please note that eligibility for conversion does not guarantee the agency will opt for conversion. The target position for this internship is a position in the 1500 job family with a full performance level of at least a GS-9.

If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty. Proof of enrollment or acceptance for the upcoming academic term or semester will also be required.

A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty.

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 each semester or grading period throughout the internship program. Failure to do so will result in termination of the appointment.

Worksite Information: This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Additional information regarding ad hoc, occasional, or reoccurring telework may be obtained at a later time from the hiring manager or program during the hiring process.

The worksite for the internship may not be the worksite for the position offered post-graduation.
 

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 they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:

 

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork



In order 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. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

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. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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. 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.