The APHIS Career Experience (ACE) program is a year-round internship and cohort program that prepares students to develop themselves into collaborative and skilled professionals. Career opportunities await outstanding interns who complete the program requirements. Become the next generation of diverse and talented leaders for APHIS! This internship will prepare you for a career in the Biological Sciences - Plant Protection field.

Duties

The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity. The duties may include, but are not limited to: Participating in developmental and training webinars as part of the ACE Student Cohort Program. Designing and presenting group and individual learning projects to supervisors and program/agency leadership. Engaging in shadowing and mentoring opportunities with agency leadership and staff. Conducting and completing day-to-day responsibilities to prepare for a career in the Biological Sciences field. Additional duties and responsibilities may be dependent on program or duty station requirements. Performs duties and receives on the job training in an assigned specialty or group of specialties related to biology and plant health.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Must be in good academic standing as defined by their academic institution.
• Complete at least 640 hrs of work experience prior to completion of degree.
• Enrolled at least half-time at a qualifying educational institution; must be continuing enrollment through Spring 2026 in a qualifying degree/certificate program.
• A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty.
• Satisfactory Background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of two-year trial period.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Be available to work a regular schedule at the assigned duty station throughout the internship, even when classes are in session. Schedules are full time in the summer and at least 16 hours a week during the school year.
• Selectees must be able to start work on either May 18 or June 1, 2025.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Attend the in-person cohort session from June 23-27, 2025 in Riverdale, Maryland (cost covered by the agency).

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. ELIGIBILITY: Students who are currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis at a qualifying educational institution in a certificate, degree, or diploma program. Applicants need to be on an academic track that would lead to a degree mentioned in the education section below at time of potential conversion Applicants can qualify for conversion by meeting the EDUCATION requirements specified below by entry-on-duty date. EDUCATION: GS-4: Completion of 2 full academic years (60 semester or 90 quarter hours) of post-high school study or an associate's degree. Students must have completed at least 48 credits by the time the announcement closes on October 16, 2024 and will be required to show proof of 60 completed credits prior to entry-on-duty. An academic year of undergraduate education is defined as a minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours at an accredited college or university unless determined otherwise by the educational institution. IF SPRING OR FALL 2025 IS YOUR FINAL SEMESTER of completing your degree/certificate requirements, you must show proof of acceptance to a continuing degree/certificate program. This may be documented by an acceptance letter for future enrollment in a degree/certificate program. If you do not provide proof of continuing education, you will be disqualified from further consideration. Students graduating without further enrollment prior to spring 2026 are not eligible for this position due to the one-year developmental program that accompanies this internship.

Education

This position requires certain educational requirements for conversion to a term or permanent position after graduation. For this position, those requirements include:

Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position

OR

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Contacts

• Address Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA APHIS MRPBS 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401 US
• Name: MRP Human Resources
• Phone: 612-336-3227
• Email: [email protected]