STUDENT TRAINEE (FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CLERK)

Summary

The DoW College Acquisition Internship Program (DCAIP) is a paid, 10- to 12- week summer internship that provides students with real-world exposure to Department of War acquisition workforce career opportunities. The program targets full-time second and third year students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university.

Duties

As a STUDENT TRAINEE (FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CLERK), duties will depend on your major and the Program Office. The selected candidate(s) may be placed within one of the Program Offices based on the office's function and the student's major, skill sets and interest. Interns receive hands-on, practical experience in analysis, research, report writing, oral briefings, policy development, program analysis, and computer applications. Student interns gain experience in career fields available within the Acquisition workforce such as: Engineering, Contracting, Logistics, Business - Financial Management, Business - Cost Estimating, Information Technology, Test & Evaluation, Industrial Contract Property Management, Purchasing, Science and Technology, Production, Quality and Manufacturing, Facilities Engineering, and Program Management.

Qualifications and evaluation

IMPORTANT NOTE - YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT YOUR RATING. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements. Errors or omissions may affect your consideration for employment. Veterans' preference eligibility is treated as a positive factor when making a selection from external sources. It is applied when the organization makes a final selection from the candidates with substantially equal qualifications as described in the Best Meets Mission Requirements definition below. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must submit documents verifying your eligibility with your application package. Best Meets Mission Requirements definition: Applicant has the knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies to substantially exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. This equates to the best qualified assessment criteria established for the vacancy and based on overall demonstrated experience, education, training, appraisals/evaluations, job-related awards, certifications, honors and relevant outside activities. Criminal History Inquiries: If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency @ dfas.indianapolis-in.zh.mbx.ssc-cc@mail.mil.

Education

Due to the education requirement of this position, an official or unofficial transcript must be submitted at the time of application. If transcripts are not received, you will be rated as ineligible. Accreditation: Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/Standards/group-stds/gs-prof.asp and U.S. Department of Education website at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. If you fail to provide the required documentation, by the closing date of this announcement, you will not receive consideration. For further information, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin the application process. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. 2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. 3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 4. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. 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. You can preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13078278

Required documents

Applicants must provide a complete application package. Your name should be included on all documents. These include: Resume: A two-page maximum resume is required. Applicant guidance on the two page resume requirement may be found at: Learn more about the new resume requirements. Complete Initial Eligibility Questionnaire: Your resume must demonstrate the quality of your work as it relates to the experience requirements outlined in the job announcement. Current transcripts: Transcripts can be an official or unofficial copy at time of application. Proof of education enrollment: The enrollment documents should show student's name, academic institution, the degree or certificate program, and enrollment in at full-time status (as defined by the academic institution). Proof of enrollment can be one of the following: A screen shot of the semester class schedule, An official letter/acceptance letter of enrollment, or Listed on the official transcript Other Supporting Documents The following supporting documents are REQUIRED to verify your individual eligibility status. Not all will apply for each applicant. They MUST be received by the closing date of the announcement. If you claim Veteran's Preference:- You must submit a copy of your DD Form-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty", showing the dates of active duty service, type of discharge and the character of service. Alternatively, If you are a current military member in active duty service and do not have a copy of your DD Form-214, you must submit a written documentation (certification) from your branch of service certifying that you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application for this position. The certification should also include your rank, dates of active duty service and what they condition of discharge is thought to be.- If claiming 10-point preference and/or are a 30% or more Disabled Veteran, you must submit both a DD Form-214 or expected discharge documentation as described above AND a copy of a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or your branch of service certifying the presence of service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of disability- If you are claiming eligibility based on 10-point derived veterans' preference (i.e. a spouse, widow/widower, or parent of a veteran claiming veterans' preference when the veteran is unable to use it), you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15) "Application for 10-Point Veteran's Preference" and any required documents indicated on the SF-15 to substantiate the claimed preference. Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered and uploaded are received, legible, and accurate. Failure to submit a complete application package including all required documentation by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/02/2026 may result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. To verify your application is complete: log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status and More Information. The Details page will display the status of your application.

Additional information

The agency will close this announcement once 500 applicants have applied or the closing date occurs. This internship opportunity will not start until mid to late May/June 2027. The end date for this appointment will be specified in the Participant Agreement and is generally the intern's projected graduation date. This position may be non-competitively converted to a permanent employment upon completion of education. Accepting this position, you may be required to serve a trial period equivalent to the duration of the appointment during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If you are converted to a career-conditional appointment upon completion of your internship program, you will be required to serve an initial probationary period if one has not already been completed. Salary: The salaries noted in this announcement are the base salary and locality pay for the Rest of U.S. pay schedule at the GS-04, step 01 and step 10 levels. The General Schedule (GS) basic pay schedule varies by geographic locality. To view pay rates in a specific location visit the Office of Personnel Management pay tables at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/. All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-4434 for assistance.