Digital Modernization & Data Volunteer

This vacancy announcement will be open from May 15, 2026 to May 21, 2026 or when 25 applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same.

Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages. Project Description: The Belarus Affairs Unit (BAU) seeks a Semester of Service (SoS) Student Volunteer Program volunteer to assist in the development of data-driven frameworks and AI-integrated products to support public messaging and policy analysis. The volunteer will focus on leveraging AI and emerging technologies to enhance the BAU's ability to process large volumes of open-source data on Belarus public messaging and policy developments.

Key responsibilities will include: Modernization Research: Researching and prototyping AI-driven tools for data visualization and automated sentiment analysis of Belarusian public statements and media reports. Data Aggregation and Analysis: Building structured datasets from disparate public information sources to identify trends in entity behavior and increase domain awareness. Workflow Optimization: Developing “best practice” guides for integrating data-driven insights into messaging development.

Strategic Mapping: Assisting in the mapping of complex networks using data science techniques to strengthen reporting and analysis.

Conditions of employment To participate in this Program, you must: Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National studying in the U.S. Students studying abroad are ineligible for application. All remote work must be completed domestic within the United States. Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Commit to volunteering 8 – 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.

Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Federal agency and your academic institution. Agree to volunteer.

This position is unpaid. No compensation, stipends, or hiring preference will be granted from this work.

You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for. Agree to understanding volunteers are not Federal employees. Must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 scale.

To qualify, you must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. You also must be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Attach a copy of your transcripts to your application package for verification.

Academic Background: Prefer students be currently enrolled in a graduate or advanced undergraduate program in Computer Science, Data Science, International Relations, Political Science, History, Eastern European/Eurasian Studies, Russian, or a related interdisciplinary field. The ideal candidate will have a dual focus or major/minor in both a technical and a humanities field. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 scale.

Students studying abroad are ineligible for application. All remote work must be completed domestic within the United States.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated by Department of State personnel to determine your eligibility for the position and your application will be forwarded to the project manager for review.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. • To begin, click Apply to access the online application.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package.

You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted.

Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position.

Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes: 1.

Your resume (two or fewer pages) showing: • Your work experience to include start and end dates. • Education information, such as the name of your school and dates of attendance. • Any knowledge, skills or abilities youʼve gained through education that relate to the project.

1. Proof of current enrollment not less than half-time in a trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution.