Pathways Intern

Performs research or other professional and subordinate technical work, or related clerical work.

Performs assignments designed to provide experience and gain knowledge in the functions of the assigned component.

Work consists of performing a full range of standard clerical assignments and resolving recurring problems.

Work consists of related steps, processes, or methods that require the employee to identify and recognize differences among a variety of recurring situations.

Actions to be taken or responses to be made differ in nature and sequence because of differences in the particular characteristics of each case or transaction.

Assisting permanent professional or technical staff in their regular assignment or work as a team member on projects.

Current college students interested in press and media for an internship opportunity in the agency’s press office.

Interns will address press inquiries through research, compiling supporting materials, drafting communications addressing media inquiries, and providing administrative assistance.

Proof of education and current enrollment must be submitted with your application package and received by the closing date of the announcement.

You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail.

Note: See Required Documents section to ensure you provide the correct documentation. Applicants selected for the position must provide an official transcript(s) prior to being appointed. Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to acquire U.S. Certification and provide it at the time of application. For a list of Credential Evaluation Services, log on to: Credential Evaluation Services.

The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position. These competencies include: Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation.

The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12938081 Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of two categories: 1 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. 2 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.

Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category. 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. 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 and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request an 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. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement. This is a non-bargaining unit position. Salary reflected above is the pay scale for Rest of United States (RUS).

Salary will be set in accordance with applicable Locality Pay. Participants serving on appointments for less than 90 days will be ineligible for coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. Program participants serving on appointments for 1 year or less are generally ineligible for coverage under the Federal Employees Retirement System and unable to participate in the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program, and the Thrift Savings Program.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Your Resume Transcript(s) The Occupational Questionnaire Additional Required Documents, if applicable (see Required Documents section) The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (ET) on 04/26/2026 To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.

If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.

You may check Computer System Requirements here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements.

Note: Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account.

On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you.

The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact Careers at SSA at [email protected] or 000-000-0000.

Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process.

Resumes exceeding two pages in length will not be considered, please visit the new resume guidance for more information.

You must submit supporting documentation by the closing date of the vacancy announcement to qualify for the Internship Program and claim certain types of preference.

Note: Failure to provide required documents may result in non-consideration for the posted position(s). RESUME: You must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position being filled, including any positive education requirements and/or selective placement factors. All applicants must submit a resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.

Your resume must provide specific details as to how your experience meets the qualifications for the posted position(s). When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific; we will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee) and month, day, and year that you began and ended each position held.

Without this information, the experience gained while in that position may not be credited toward meeting the qualifications requirements. The resume should indicate if the work is full-time or part-time. Part-time work is prorated (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period, you will be credited with 6 months of experience).Experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

You resume must provide context and sufficient detail of your experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. PROOF OF EDUCATION: Please see Qualifications and Education sections for details.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15) and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15.

Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received.

Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.

For more information visit the Vet Guide.