KEY REQUIREMENTS



• Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking accredited program
• Background investigation will be conducted

• Analyze and manage large volumes of data related to energy trading using SAS
• Research the intracacies of physical energy markets, related financial products and the nexus between them
• Analyze energy trading in the context of market rules
• Present your work to the Division at the conclusion of the summer

You must be enrolled in an accredited university during the Fall 2013 semester for a minimum of 1/2 time (normally 6 credit hours) and remain in that status for the duration of the appointment   Your application will be considered incomplete if transcripts are not submitted.  If selected you must show proof of enrollment for the Summer or Fall 2013 semesters before your appointment begins.

To be eligible for internship positions:

GS-7: To qualify at the GS-7, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience that is equivalent at least to the GS-5 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as one year of GS-5 level experience using statistical software, such as SAS, STATA, SPSS. Education may be substituted to meet the specialized experience. Education which may be substituted to meet the requirements for the GS-7 is one full year of graduate level education or Superior Academic Achievement (bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.95 or above). Graduate Education is education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

 GS-9: To qualify for the GS-9, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience that is equivalent at least to the GS-7 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as one year of GS-7 level experience using statistical software, such as SAS, STATA, SPSS to perform quantitative analysis on large sets of data relevant to trading or energy markets. Education may be substituted to meet the specialized experience. Education which may be substituted to meet the requirements at the GS-9 is a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience for the grade in which you are applying for in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for this vacancy. If you are substituting education to meet the specialized experience, you MUST submit your transcript with your application prior to the closing of the announcement. An unofficial transcript is acceptable. Credit for Part-time work experience will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. For example, 20 hours of work per week for a 12-month period will be credited as 6 months of work experience. Documents submitted after the closing date will NOT be accepted.

You must possess excellent communication and analytic skills.  We value teamwork, leadership experience and attention to detail.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

We use a multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants:
Minimum Requirements: Your application must show that you meet all requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position.  You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we may rate you as ineligible.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Statistical Programming, Communication and Analysis Skills. Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates.  If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three categories, A, B or C, depending on your experience and education related to this position.  Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category.  Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration and possible interview.  If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (Clap)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)), you must be assigned the middle category or better to be rated as well qualified to receive special selection priority.

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies. The Occupational Questions are used to evaluate your relevant educational and work experience. The questions are related to competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities such as: 

• Knowledge of coding and programming in SAS or one of several other statistical programs.
• Knowledge of trading concepts and the energy industry.
• Ability to analyze and develop conclusions based on large volumes of data relative to energy trading and market rules.
• Ability to prepare analytical reports, presentations, and documents and present findings and recommendations both orally and in writing.

We offer a workplace that is respectful, fair, and values diversity.  Our comprehensive benefits are very generous - helping you to reach your personal goals by supporting your professional growth, health, well-being, and your family needs.  Our benefits package includes:

Challenging work and competitive salaries.
Flexible scheduling.
Based on your schedule and hours worked you may be eligible for up to ten paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 days of vacation time each year.
A transit subsidy that defrays or eliminates your commuting costs.

Learn more about Federal benefits programs by clicking here.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Veterans Preference--If you are entitled to veterans preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application, check the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire,. and submit the following required documents:

> Copy of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); office statement of service from your command if still on active duty, or other official documentation that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.

> If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a disabled veteran, the spouse or natural mother of a disabled veteran, you must submit a signed SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) and the required documents indicated on the reverse side of the SF-15 supporting your claim.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate.  Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly.  Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement:  The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a parent,genetic information, disability, age, membership or nonmembership in an employee organization or on the basis of personal favoritism.

You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.

Please click on the following link for detailed instructions on how to apply: How To Apply

Tips for Applying For example, if the specialized experience requires presenting information to a large audience, your resume might include speeches or presentations you've given.
-Verify your resume clearly indicates possession of the competencies and required specialized experience listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section of this announcement.
-Submit all requested documentation; e.g. transcripts, cover letter, etc.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

• Resume
• Copy of most recent transcripts indicating credit hours earned. (Unofficial copy is sufficient for initial screening).

VETERANS' PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION
If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge.  

10 point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form.  An SF-15 may be found at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.  For more information on veterans' preference, click here.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My Account" tab and clicking on "Application Status."  We also recommend you opt to receive status change emails through USAJOBS by logging into "Notification Settings."

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement.  Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate, or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.