Summary
This is a student position that is open to current law degree-seeking students accepted and/or enrolled in an accredited institution as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Student Legal Intern will be selected to work at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) during the summer of 2024. The selectee will be placed in one of the legal divisions throughout STB.
This job is open to
- Students
Current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Includes internships, pathways and other student programs.
Duties
The legal interns will be assigned to work with STB staff members on projects and assignments that cover a range of the Board’s work. Assignments are expected to include assisting with legal research and drafting, participation in staff team discussions of matters before the Board, and other support functions as assigned.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- 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 http://www.sss.gov/
- All qualification requirements must be met by your start date to qualify for respective grade levels.
- Your application package will not receive consideration if it lacks any of the required documents under the “Requirement Documents” tab.
- Employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a Federal suitability clearance.
- You must be at least 16 years of age to work for the federal government.
- Direct Deposit is required.
Qualifications
The grade of the internship will be determined by the level of education as described below. Qualification requirements are as follows:
- To be considered for the GS-05 grade level, you must have completed a 4-year degree and currently be accepted and/or enrolled in a program study towards a law degree.
- To be considered for the GS-07 grade level, you must have completed a 4-year degree and completed 1 year of study in a degree-seeking program towards pursuing a law degree -OR- you must have a bachelor’s degree and 1 year of experience at the GS-5 level completing legal work.
- To be considered for the GS-09 grade level, you must be a degree-seeking student in the field of Law and have completed at least two years of study toward a law degree – OR – you must possess a master’s degree in a related course field.
All candidates must:
- have achieved credits from a school that has been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education;
- be enrolled at least half-time as defined by your school;
- be in good academic standing;
- provide a cover letter describing their interest in the position;
- be a US Citizen, or if you are not a citizen you must meet one of the following criteria: 1. owe permanent allegiance to the United States (for example, natives of American Samoa and Swains Island); 2. be a lawfully admitted for permanent residence and seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); or 3. be admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or have been granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and have filed a declaration of intention to become lawful permanent resident and then citizen when eligible.
Education
The selectee will be appointed under the Pathways Program, which requires you to use education to qualify. Therefore, You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Transcripts may be unofficial copies, but they must come from an accredited college or university, and they must include the course names and number of credit hours. To search the database of accredited institutions, visit: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx
If selected for this position, official transcripts will be required.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at U.S. accredited college or university. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
Additional information
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 designed to make your federal career very rewarding. In addition, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has work/life-balance flexibilities that may be right for you.
We offer:
- Flexible Work Schedule Options: Two flexible work schedules, the Flexitour Option, and the Compressed Work Schedule. Employees on Flexitour may schedule fixed arrival and departure times around established core hours and work 8 hours plus a 30-minute unpaid lunch period. Employees on the Compressed Work Schedule may work 8 9-hour work days and one 8-hour day (plus the 30-minute unpaid lunch period) in each biweekly pay period and receive one scheduled day off, OR may work 4 10-hour days (plus the 30-minute unpaid lunch period) with one weekday off each week;
- Limited Telework opportunities upon supervisor approval and in accordance with the Employee Work Schedule policy;
- Fitness Center: STB employees, at no cost, have access to the fitness center conveniently located in the building; and,
- A monthly transit subsidy for a portion of your commuting costs to help defray the commuting costs of employees who use mass transportation, including commuter bus, Metrorail or Metrobus, or commuter rail systems.
- Benefits
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.
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Selections will be made based on many elements of a candidate’s background, including academic achievement, leadership, law review or moot court experience, past employment or volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, and other special qualifications (such as another advanced degree, foreign language skills) or life experience.All qualified candidates who apply by the closing date of this announcement and have submitted all required documentation as described in the “Required Documents” section, will be considered for evaluation. Traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply to this vacancy. Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications described above.
The STB considers veterans’ preference as a positive factor. Applicants who have veterans’ preference are encouraged to include their information in their cover letters or resumes and attach supporting documentation to substantiate their preference.
Excepted service positions are not covered by regular civil service hiring procedures.
Preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12113474
- Benefits
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.
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.
- Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.
A complete application package will contain all of the following:
- Proof of Enrollment
- Resume
- Transcript
- How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the “Required Documents” section above. The complete application package must be submitted before the announcement closes on 11/16/2023. The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement’s closing date.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the “Required Documents” section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/16/2023 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Create USAjobs and a Login.gov Account
- Follow the prompts in USAJOBS to take the online questionnaire and submit the required documents.
- Click the “Submit Application” button prior to 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
- To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
- You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12090099
If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation for the application process, please include the accommodation request with your Schedule A letter. Reasonable accommodation requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Agency contact information
Jennifer Miles
Phone
202-245-0347
Email
Jennifer.Miles@stb.gov
Address
Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20423 US
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. All applicants that meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and a possible interview. All applicants will be notified of their status by email throughout the process.
- Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.
A complete application package will contain all of the following:
- Proof of Enrollment
- Resume
- Transcript
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the “Required Documents” section above. The complete application package must be submitted before the announcement closes on 11/16/2023. The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement’s closing date.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the “Required Documents” section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/16/2023 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Create USAjobs and a Login.gov Account
- Follow the prompts in USAJOBS to take the online questionnaire and submit the required documents.
- Click the “Submit Application” button prior to 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
- To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
- You may preview the assessment questionnaire by clicking here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12090099
If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation for the application process, please include the accommodation request with your Schedule A letter. Reasonable accommodation requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Agency contact information
Jennifer Miles
Phone
202-245-0347
Jennifer.Miles@stb.gov
Address
Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20423 US
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. All applicants that meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and a possible interview. All applicants will be notified of their status by email throughout the process.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Financial suitability
- Selective Service
- New employee probationary period
- Signature and false statements
- Privacy Act
- Social security number request