Graduate Trainee Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This vacancy is for a Student Trainee (General Engineering) in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration within the Department of Commerce. The NTIA is seeking innovative Pathways Interns to work full-time or part-time (up to 20 hours per week) while attending school. The Pathways Internship Program provides students, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work and explore Federal careers while still in school and getting paid for work performed.
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Duties
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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is seeking bright, innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Pathways Internship Program (IP). Internships can be seasonal (spring, summer, fall) or year-round. Interns may work full-time while on academic breaks or part-time (up to 20 hours per week) while attending school. The Internship Program under the Pathways Program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in Federal agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and getting paid for work performed. At the successful conclusion of this program, you may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to a Federal career or career-conditional position.
This developmental position serves as a critical technical resource for enabling national and international spectrum strategies, protecting mission-critical federal systems, and supporting global U.S. leadership in wireless technology innovation. This includes applying RF engineering principles to ensure spectrum-dependent systems are planned, coordinated, and operated efficiently, without harmful interference. These principles may include the analysis of communications, radar, and radionavigation systems; computational simulation and modeling of RF systems and electromagnetic compatibility and interference scenarios; and the development, testing, and evaluation of RF sensors, and radionavigation systems, and defense systems.
NOTE: This position is with either the Office of Spectrum Management or Institute for Telecommunication Sciences.
As a Student Trainee (General Engineering), you will perform the following duties:

• Providing engineering support services to higher graded engineers;
• Assisting in the testing, installation, modification or maintenance of electronics systems and components;
• Performing basic engineering analyses and calculations;
• Planning work procedures and researching available references for technical problem solving;
• Preparing reports for technical review by the senior staff.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Student Trainee (General Engineering) GS-0899-5 FPL 9 positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student the duration of the appointment.
• You must successfully pass 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.
• A probationary period may be required.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
• 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.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Drug Test: NO
• License required: NO
• Pre-employment physical required: NO
• Bargaining Unit Position: NO
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): NO
• Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: WILL NOT be paid
• If selected, must sign Student Pathways Program Agreement and provide official transcript at the time of appointment and at the end of each academic term to ensure eligibility. Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. Official transcripts will be required before you can report to duty.

Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.
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.
To qualify, the candidate must:

• Be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment.
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student on at least a half-time schedule at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. Qualifying Educational Institutions are any of the following: 1) A public high school whose curriculum has been approved by a State or local governing body; 2) A private school that provides secondary education as determined under State law; 3) A home school that is allowed to operate in a State; 4) Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education: A technical or vocational school; a 2-year or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g. law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum.
• If selected, must sign Student Pathways Program Agreement and provide official transcript at the time of appointment and at the end of each academic term to ensure eligibility. Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. Official transcripts will be required before you can report to duty.

To qualify at the GS-05 grade level you must possess one of the following:EDUCATION: Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree in engineering or a related field.
OR
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

• Collecting engineering testing data; AND
• Developing basic functions in MATLAB or Python; AND
• Participating in research.

-OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Education
There is a positive education requirement for this position. Transcripts are required.
See Qualifications Above.
NOTE: Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
Additional information
Interns may be converted to a permanent (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the program. Program requirements for conversion include:

• Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program.
• Complete their degree or certificate requirements.
• Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted.
• Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant's Agreement.
• Perform their job successfully.

This appointment may continue until the selectee earns 640 work education hours AND education program requirements have been completed, at which time the individual may, at the agency's discretion, be converted to a term or permanent appointment. Pathways intern are not conferred any rights nor guarantee for conversion at the end of the appointment.
Additional Pathways Program Internship information can be found at www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets.
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.
Reasonable Accommodations (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.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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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.
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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.