This is a Summer Research Trainee Program for Summer 2025. The ORD-sponsored Summer Research Trainee Program is vital within the facilities where research programs are conducted, and the student trainee is a key step in developing the next generation of VA researchers and clinician investigators who will contribute to innovations in healthcare for our Nation's Veterans. More information about the Summer Research Trainee program may be found at: https://www.research.va.gov/programs/dei/srp.cfm

Duties

This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program. The program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school. The Internship provides managers a ready source of student employees and potential permanent employees upon completion of the program requirements. It also provides the student with work experience directly related to the curriculum studies or career goals while offering eligibility for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment upon completion. For more information on Internship opportunities within the Department of Veterans Affairs, please visit: https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/pathways-internship-program/. Major Duties: Assist with performing data entry for biomedical and clinical experiments. Assist with data analysis for biomedical or clinical research. Assist in or conduct basic science experiments. Maintain research records. Assist in basic laboratory maintenance such as ordering supplies, maintaining inventories and service and usage logs for scientific instrumentation. Participate in research group meetings, brainstorming sessions and relevant workshops and presentations. Assist in preparation of figures and methods sections for research presentations nd scientific journal articles. May participate in animal research. Other duties as assigned. NOTE: Certain sites have are able to offer housing and reimbursement for travel to the site (for out-of-state students). This may be discussed during the interview/selection/onboarding process. Work Schedule: Varies Position Description Title/PD#: Student Trainee (Biological Sciences)/ 99449-T, 99448-T, 99447-T, 99446-T, 99445-T Compressed/Flexible Schedules: Authorized Telework: Not Eligible Remote: Not Eligible Position requires filing a Financial Disclosure report: No Physical Requirements: The work is not always sedentary due to the regular laboratory work where lifting, walking, standing, sitting, manual dexterity and a large degree of mental concentration are required. These will be above the average demands and levels of sedentary work.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/20/2024. Internship Program: To be eligible, applicants must be accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis as defined by the institution in which you are enrolled, or enrolled in a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential (such as a Registered Apprenticeship Program or Job Corps); and in good academic standing, at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale. You may qualify based on education and/or experience as described below: To qualify for a Pathways Internship as a GS-03, students must have completed one (1) full academic year of post-high school study. To qualify for a Pathways Internship as a GS-04, students must have completed two (2) full academic years of post-high school study or have an associate's degree. To qualify for a Pathways Internship as a GS-05, students must have completed four (4) four years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. To qualify for a Pathways Internship as a GS-07, students must have completed one (1) full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree. ****NOTE: One full academic year of undergraduate; graduate; vocational; trades; technical or high school education is the number of credit hours determined by the college, university or school to represent 1 year of full-time study. The high school curriculum must be approved by a State or local governing body. All education beyond high school must be accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Superior Academic Achievement Provisions include the below: A Bachelor's degree in any field, plus at least one of the following superior academic achievement provisions: A grade-point average (GPA) of B (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for all completed undergraduate courses, or courses completed in the last two years of undergraduate curriculum; -or- A grade-point average (GPA) of B+ (3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for the required courses in your major field of study, or required courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study; -or- Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study; -or- Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society, other than freshman honor societies. Honor societies that have been approved are listed in the American College of Honor Societies. Booklet of Information (1992-95) and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1991). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Research Computer Skills Accountability Interpersonal Skills Oral Communication Written Communication Life Sciences Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Requirements: The work is not always sedentary due to the regular laboratory work where lifting, walking, standing, sitting, manual dexterity and a large degree of mental concentration are required. These will be above he average demands and levels of sedentary work.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Charleston ORD VISN 7 109 Bee Street Charleston, SC 29401 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]