Student Trainee (Business Operations Assistant)

Summary

This is a paid internship opportunity under the Pathways Internship Program, providing students opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers.

At the U.S. National Science Foundation, you get the chance to become part of cutting-edge innovation and discovery that is changing the world. You will gain real-life experiences while expanding the frontiers of Science.

This announcement will close on 06/15/2026 or once 100 applications are received, whichever occurs first.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

This is an opportunity under the Pathways Internship Program. The Internship Program provides students enrolled in high schools, colleges, trade schools, and other qualifying educational institutions with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while completing their education. Veterans' Preference is applied.

As a Student Trainee (Business Operations Assistant) , you will perform the following duties:

• Administrative Support: Provide operational support to management and staff, including correspondence handling, document creation, and maintaining organizational records.
• Visitor and Communication Management: Manage organizational calendars, coordinate schedules, receive visitors, and direct calls to appropriate staff while tracking key activities such as panels, site visits, and staff absences.
• Meeting Coordination: Plan and coordinate meetings, including notifying participants, reserving space, preparing materials, assisting with presentations, taking minutes, and following up.
• Proposal and Award Processing: Support proposal processing, including data entry, managing records, coordinating reviews, and ensuring compliance with NSF policies.
• Financial and Budget Management: Monitor proposal expenditures, identify budget issues, and provide necessary information for award processing while ensuring compliance with financial regulations.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

1. Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
2. Selectee will be required to sign an agreement that outlines the parameters of the Pathways Internship Program.
3. Selectee will be required to submit updated transcripts and proof of enrollment upon selection and during the duration of the Internship.
4. Selectee may be required to serve a 2-year trial period.
5. Selectee may be required to complete a background investigation prior to onboarding.
6. Selectee must be at least 16 years of age.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the Pathways Internship Program, the individual must:

• Have been accepted for enrollment or be enrolled in and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) at a qualifying educational institution or qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential on a full- or half-time basis.
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• External applicants must have at least one year remaining in their program.
• Internal NSF applicants, with satisfactory performance records, may have less than one year remaining in their program to be eligible.
• Interns must complete courses within the designated academic term to maintain Pathways eligibility.

Students are not required to enroll over the summer unless they need additional hours to meet the half-time credit requirement.

Additional Requirements:

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

Qualifications

Positions are open to current students pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate in an accredited high school, college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges); professional, technical, vocational, and trade school; advanced degree programs; or other qualifying educational institution on at least a half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled). Short-term training programs (e.g., several two-week programs completed) are not considered an academic course of study.

Applicants must have a 2.5 GPA or higher to be eligible for a Pathways Internship Appointment.

Internship selection will be made at the GS-05, 06, 07 level.

In addition to the above appointment requirements, see below qualification requirements:

To qualify at the GS-5 level , you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 Level in the federal government performing administrative or clerical activities in support of business operations.

OR have successfully completed four full years of education above high school level;

OR have a combination of post-high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

Examples of specialized experience for the GS-5 level include screening incoming correspondence, calls, and visitors; arranging meetings; creating, filing, and preparing travel authorizations and vouchers.

To qualify at the GS-6 level , you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the federal service performing administrative or operational assistance activities in support of business operations.

Examples of specialized experience at the GS-6 level include handling incoming correspondence, answering telephone calls, and greeting visitors to the office; managing the calendar; creating and maintaining office files; drafting and assembling outgoing material; and preparing travel authorizations.

To qualify at the GS-7 level , you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in federal service performing a variety of administrative, technical, and operational support functions to sustain business operations.

OR possess one full year of graduate-level education.

OR have a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (as evidenced by class standing in the upper third of the graduating class; 3.0-grade point average on a 4.0 scale for all academic work; grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the major field of study; or election to membership in a national honor scholastic society).

OR have a combination of post-high school education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

Examples of specialized experience at the GS-7 level include receiving, managing, and assigning visitors and correspondence; managing organizational calendars; assisting in planning and arranging meetings, panels, and travel; serving as a timekeeper; preparing and ordering supplies and equipment; and monitoring budget and expenditures.

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, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills & can provide valuable training and experience that translates to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Education may be substituted for experience as described in "Qualifications."

If qualifying based on education, you MUST submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.

All education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants may verify accreditation at the following website: Accreditation.

PLEASE NOTE: A certificate program is defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution equal to at least one academic year of full-time study that's part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum.

Additional information

Relocation Expenses will not be paid.

Students may be hired for Internship positions at any time during the year and may work full-time or part-time based on office needs.

An appointment under a Pathways Internship is intended to continue through completion of education and work requirements.

The Pathways Internship Program allows students an opportunity to be converted non-competitively to a career-conditional or term position once the student completes all requirements of the Pathways Internship Program. Non-competitive conversion to a permanent or term position is NOT guaranteed. The Intern's eligibility for conversion does not guarantee that the agency will opt for conversion.

It is NSF policy that personnel employed at, or Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) individuals detailed to, NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General.

Veterans' Preference:

If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

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.