Student Cooperative for Research and Insights Solution Center Analytics & Data Operations (PAID)

Summary

The United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General's Research and Insights Solution Center (RISC) is seeking passionate, driven, and creative students enrolled in college/university programs to fill our paid Student Cooperative position located in Arlington, Virginia. The position is potentially ongoing until graduation, and the chosen candidate must come into the Arlington office at least twice per two-week pay period with other work performed remotely.

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.

Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. Citizens who are students currently enrolled full or part-time in an accredited college or university program, classified or academically ranked by semester hours as a Sophomore, Junior, Senior or Graduate student.

Videos

Duties

In-Office Requirement:

The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General values collaboration, teamwork, and effective communication to foster our dynamic working and learning environment. The position adheres to our agency's telework policy to facilitate this and requires an in-office presence of at least two days per pay period. Remote work is not available for this role.

As a student co-op, you'll be part of a high-performing team that's embracing the latest in computing technologies to unlock opportunities that help everyday people. Your main goal will be to solve complex data problems that enable meaningful insights, and you will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with industry leaders to achieve results and utilize hands-on learning and experience to leverage new technology to help drive business strategies while developing an analytical skill set.

You'll make valuable contributions from day one by continuously learning, engaging in diverse sets of experiences, and building close-knit relationships across the organization. RISC offers the opportunity to further development in many areas including research, analytics, business intelligence visualization, communication, and critical thinking to support investigators, auditors, and operational groups. Bring your skills and voice to our team!

The Student Cooperative Program is available for continuous employment throughout the year, while enrolled in school. This is not a summer job.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Explore structured and unstructured data within cloud-based tools and platforms using SQL and Python
• Integrate data from multiple sources, both internally and externally, to discover and implement actionable insights
• Design new analytical workflows and optimize existing workflows with the goal to automate reports and enable self-service analytics
• Summarize and present analysis results using data visualization tools like Power BI, Esri, and Shorthand
• Contribute to the design and development of websites and applications
• Design and develop a methodologies and tools to improve business operations
• Effectively communicate with peers and management, orally and in writing, the status of tools, projects, support requests, and other tasks, as assigned
• Cultivate relationships and foster networking opportunities across various levels of the organization

If you are a student who is self-motivated, detail-oriented, a fast learner, and passionate about learning new skills, then this job is right for you. RISC supports the agency in a wide range of analysis covering mail operations, narcotics, mail theft, healthcare, financial, and contracting program areas.

This opportunity is ideal for those looking to gain experience at a federal level, while continuing their studies and gaining practical knowledge and skills. You will be assigned a mentor who will help guide you throughout your work.

Students will enjoy a healthy work-school balance with the possibility of working 10-30 hours per week while in school, and up to 40 when school is not in session. Anticipated hours for this position will be 20 hours per week.

Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on 08/29/2024 will be considered.

This position is being advertised at the Administrative Band level. The base salary range for this position is $16.29 - $19.62/hour. Locality Pay is authorized.

Sophomore $21.71 per hour includes locality pay

Junior/Senior $23.07 per hour includes locality pay

Graduate or Law Student $26.15 per hour includes locality pay

Student Cooperatives are not eligible for USPS OIG Employee Benefits.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to pass a drug screening and medical assessment questionnaire.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) clearance
• Must be able to work a minimum of 10 hours per week

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

You must meet ALL of the minimum requirements.

• Students must be currently enrolled full or half-time in an accredited college or university program, classified or academically ranked by semester hours as a Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or Graduate student, not graduating prior to May 2025. (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPT STATING CURRENT ENROLLMENT STATUS, GPA, AND IN GOOD STANDING)

AND

• Must be in academic good standing as defined by the college or university, earning at least a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale

AND

• Must work from the USPS OIG Arlington, VA office at least twice per two-week pay period

AND

Must possess the following:

• Technology - Knowledge of data query or programming languages such as SQL, Python, R, etc.
• Creativity - You will be asked to bring your unique perspective to the table.
• Initiative - You will develop your entrepreneurial spirit and get excited about pushing new solutions or reinventing current ones.
• Independence - Ability to work independently and as part of a team - We thrive in a collaborative team environment, but also expect you to perform well independently.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Interest in the application of data science and data analytics
• Experience using Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience using Microsoft Power Platform applications like Power Apps
• Knowledge of creating visualizations or analytical models using Power BI or other business intelligence software, whether in a work, school, or other environment
• Knowledge of analytic techniques including statistics, trends, predictions, and performance analysis sufficient to work independently using conventional procedures and practices
• Knowledge in building and maintaining data pipelines in cloud-based tools such as Azure Databricks, Azure Data Lake, or similar platforms
• Demonstrated experience in researching, tracking, and analyzing data using database applications, whether in a work, school, or other environment
• Knowledge of developing and maintaining web services and interfaces

EVALUATION FACTORS

Failure to demonstrate that you meet all of the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0); an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration. Include your major accomplishments relevant to the evaluation factors in your resume.

• Basic knowledge of data extraction, scripting, or programming languages such as SQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, R, etc.
• Basic knowledge of data analysis and visualization tools and techniques such as Excel, Tableau, or Power BI
• Basic knowledge of qualitative and quantitative analytical methods to assess and validate data and develop conclusions
• Exposure to and/or interest in basic data science or data analytics
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills

Education

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation here: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred. Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education: Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities. For further information visit:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Student Cooperatives are not eligible for USPS OIG Employee Benefits.

This agency provides Reasonable Accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please send an email to jobs@uspsoig.gov. The decision on granting an accommodation request will be made on a case by case basis.

• 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.
  
  Review our 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.

The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position. You will no longer be considered for this position if you: receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor; fail to attach all required documentation; if your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position; or if you fail to qualify on the interview. Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.

• 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.
  
  Review our 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.
  
  You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement 2024-48-12514286-PC, by closing date 08/29/2024.
  
  1. RESUME. When completing your online application or uploading your resume, you must categorize it as a "Resume" document).
  
  2. TRANSCRIPTS from an accredited college or university. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable and should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, GPA, date and type of Bachelor's Degree issued. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Attach document verifying that it has been deemed equivalent. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. (Required: Upload and save as "Transcript" document.)
  
  3. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
  
  • Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Other" document.
  • Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility including your VA letter, form SF-15 (www.opm.gov/forms) and all required documents related to your SF-15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, and can download a copy of their VA letter from https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. (If applicable to you, you are required to upload each veterans' preference document and categorize as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document")
  • Reasonable Accommodation Documentation. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at http://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire .
  • SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
  
  
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
  schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• How to Apply
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 08/29/2024, to receive consideration .To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
  
  • You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
  • You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
  • You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login , select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
  
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Vacancy Inquiries
  
  Email
  
  jobs@uspsoig.gov
  
  Address
  
  AIG Research Insight Solution Center
  
  1735 North Lynn Street
  
  Arlington, VA 22209
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement 2024-48-12514286-PC, by closing date 08/29/2024.

1. RESUME. When completing your online application or uploading your resume, you must categorize it as a "Resume" document).

2. TRANSCRIPTS from an accredited college or university. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable and should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, GPA, date and type of Bachelor's Degree issued. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Attach document verifying that it has been deemed equivalent. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. (Required: Upload and save as "Transcript" document.)

3. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:

• Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Other" document.
• Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility including your VA letter, form SF-15 (www.opm.gov/forms) and all required documents related to your SF-15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, and can download a copy of their VA letter from https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. (If applicable to you, you are required to upload each veterans' preference document and categorize as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document")
• Reasonable Accommodation Documentation. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at http://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire .
• SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 08/29/2024, to receive consideration .To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.

• You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
• You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
• You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
• To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login , select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.

Agency contact information

Vacancy Inquiries

Email

jobs@uspsoig.gov

Address

AIG Research Insight Solution Center

1735 North Lynn Street

Arlington, VA 22209

US

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request