December 29, 2003
Dear Readers:
The United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) invites currently enrolled
college
students who are pursuing further education to apply for our Summer
Intern
Program (SIP). Enclosed is a list of
interesting and challenging positions that may be available during
Summer
2004. Application instructions and
information concerning the positions are included.
Additionally, since USDA consists of different mission areas,
the
mission areas are identified in the Table of Contents.
The mission statements for the agencies
participating in the 2004 SIP, and their internships are included in
the booklet.
SIP provides
an opportunity for students to work as assistants to scientific,
professional,
and technical employees. These
positions provide students a paid, summer intern experience and
information
about career opportunities and future employment prospects at USDA. They also provide students an opportunity to
demonstrate their creativity.
We have
increased our efforts in the SIP to attract as many students as
possible. By doing so we hope to interest
students in
applying for full-time employment that would enhance the diversity of
our work
force. In connection with our increased
efforts to attract as many students as possible to the SIP, we are
including
SIP support for the Work Force Recruitment Program for College Students
with
Disabilities. Information about this
program is also enclosed.
USDA is an
Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes all students, including
students
with disabilities, to apply for a summer position with one of our
agencies. You are encouraged to apply
for most
positions as soon as possible because agencies like to make their
selections
early. The announcements have
different closing dates and you will need to read each one carefully. Additional positions may be announced
throughout the summer. For information
about these positions, please contact USDA’s Student Educational
Employment
Program Managers who are listed on the Internet at: http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/2003StudentProgramManagers.htm.
Have a good
year!
Sincerely,
Marilyn
Jenkins
Departmental
Student Program Manager
Enclosures
WORK
FORCE RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
Employment
Opportunities
The Work Force Recruitment Program for College Students
with Disabilities (WRP) is designed to assist students with disabilities gain
employment with Federal agencies. This program is coordinated by the Office
of Disability Employment Policy and the Department of Defense, with a consortium
of 16 other Federal agencies participating. In
addition to summer opportunities, this program also provides opportunities
for college students with disabilities to explore permanent Federal job options.
Accommodations
All
students
hired under WRP are provided the necessary workplace accommodations
such as
sign language interpreting services, assistive technology, and
telecommunication devices for the deaf.
In order to successfully perform essential job functions, the
Department
of Defense lends equipment to the employing agency for the duration of
the WRP
student's employment.
Housing
Assistance
is
coordinated by the WRP for students who accept employment outside of
the local
commuting area. Housing arrangements
are made with local colleges, universities and private facilities to
identify
discounted rates. The cost is borne by
the student.
Networking
Activities
may
be sponsored by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the
Department
of Defense for students to meet each other, attend a Congressional
hearing and
meet their State representatives, as well as other activities.
For
Information
Please
contact
Samantha Schmucker, USDA WRP Coordinator at (202) 720-3263 voice, or
(202)
720-7850 (fax), or samantha.schmucker@usda.gov
(e-mail), or mail to Samantha
Schmucker, Department of Agriculture, Office of Human Resources
Management,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250.
Any
student
who:
Is
a U.S. citizen;
Is
currently enrolled in a college or university; and
Is
planning to continue their education in the Fall of 2004.
You
may apply for most jobs with a resume, the Optional Application for
Federal
Employment (OF-612), or any other written format you choose. You must submit a separate application,
Resume Cover Sheet, and a current copy of your transcript of courses
for each
position for which you apply. A
copy of the OF-612 and the Resume Cover Sheet are included herein.
Submit
your
APPLICATION, RESUME COVER SHEET and TRANSCRIPT to the appropriate
MAILING
ADDRESS by the deadline listed on the announcement. If selected, you should receive a job offer by
May 31, 2004 or earlier. Due to the
volume of applications, only applicants who are selected for
participation in
the SIP will be notified.
Students must be enrolled in a
qualified education program. The
following are generally the qualification requirements for the GS-3,
-4, -5 and
-7 grade levels:
|
GRADE |
EXPERIENCE |
OR
EDUCATION |
|
|
GENERAL |
*SPECIALIZED |
|
|
GS-3 |
6 Months |
None |
1 year above high school with courses
related to the occupation, if required. (30 semester hours or 45
quarter hours = 1 year) |
|
GS-4 |
6 Months |
6 Months |
2 years above high school with courses
related to the occupation, if required. (60
semester hours or 90 quarter hours = 2 years) |
|
|
None |
1
year at least equivalent to GS-4 |
4 year course of study above high school
leading to a bachelor=s degree with courses related to the occupation,
if required. (120 semester hours or 180
quarter hours = 4 years) |
|
GS-7 |
None |
1
year at least equivalent to GS-5 |
1 full year of graduate education directly
related to the work to be performed. (18
semester hours or 27 quarter hours = 1 year) |
* Specialized
Experience may be defined
as experience being directly related to the responsibilities of the
advertised
position.
NOTE: Equivalent
combinations of education and
experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education
and
experience are acceptable. Specific
course work for some positions may be required.
Transportation
and housing subsidies may be provided to the selected
interns
depending on available funding and need.
Individual interns will be notified by the selecting official if
they
are to receive subsidies.