Summary If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, Justice leads the Nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens. Responsibilities This position is located in Hammond, Indiana. Hammond, Indiana is located in the Northwest Indiana region. With a thriving population and minutes away from Chicago, Northwest Indiana offers low-cost, high-quality living while offering highly competitive salaries at the Chicago locality rate. The proximity of Chicago also offers its art and cultural institutions, world-class entertainment, and dining. The area boasts a variety of living options - from urban living and suburbs to small towns and rural communities. Northwest Indiana is also home to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park and the Indiana Dunes State Park - both offering trails, camping and beaches along Lake Michigan. For more information about the area, visit www.nwiforum.org For more information about the state of Indiana, visit www.visitindiana.com. The office is soliciting applications for a Student Trainee (Clerk) within the Pathways Program to support the Civil Division. If selected, you will provide office clerical and automation support to the Financial Litigation Unit in the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana. Automated support may include use of one or more of the following software applications: word processing, electronic spreadsheets, database management, customer service, project management, calendar, and electronic mail. You will receive formal and/or on-the-job training. Duties include: Producing a variety of documents using varied and advanced word processing software functions Sort, calculate, and retrieve data from electronic databases or spreadsheets to produce reports, charts, and graphs. Obtain and analyze financial information on debtors. Communicate with debtor to assure successful collection of debts. Processes monies received by debtors. Review and reconcile computerized debt collection records. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Conditions of Appointment: Pathways Participant Agreement: All interns are required to sign the Participant Agreement and meet the requirements of the Pathways Program throughout their appointment. Duration of Appointment: This is NOT intended to be a short-term position. The selected candidate will be expected to work year-round on a flexible schedule, which will accommodate class schedules during the school session. The ideal candidate will serve a minimum one (1) year appointment. Work Schedule: The work schedule for this position may be either Full-Time or Part-Time. Part-Time hours worked must be a minimum of 16 hours per week, but no more than 32 hours per week. Full-Time hours worked must be at least 40 hours per week. Work Location: If selected, you will be expected to work at the location designated in this vacancy announcement. This is NOT a remote-work position. Telework may be permitted on a limited basis as authorized by the agency. Conversion: Interns may be non-competitively converted to a term, career-conditional or career appointment within 120 days following successful completion of all of their educational and work experience requirements in accordance with 5 CFR 362.204. Promotion Requirements: The advancement of Interns to higher-graded positions, prior to conversion, is strictly at the agency's discretion. To qualify for promotions, the Interns must have the same level and type of experience and/or education usually required for an initial appointment. Requirements Conditions of Employment To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements: U.S. Citizenship: You must be a United States Citizen or National. Student Interns must be United States citizens or owe permanent allegiance to the United States. (Currently, natives of American Samoa, Swains Island and certain inhabitants of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are the only groups that owe permanent allegiance to the United States.) Minimum Age: You must be at least 16 years of age or older. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov for additional information. Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Student Status Requirements: Definition of a student - applicant must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school, two-year or four-year college or university, graduate/professional school, or certificate program equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study (go to http://www.ed.gov/accreditation to verify accreditation status) pursuant to 5 CFR 362. You must be considered in good academic standings by the school. Individuals must be taking at least a half-time academic, vocational, or technical course load leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. "Half-time" is defined by the school in which the student is enrolled. Grade-Point-Average (GPA) Requirement: You must have at least a 2.5 GPA. Proof of Enrollment: You must submit an academic transcript or proof of enrollment with your application to verify that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements. You must apply online and submit a complete application by the closing date of this announcement in order to be considered for this position. (See Required Documents section of this announcement) All applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. (See Qualifications section of this announcement) As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the experience/education requirements as described below: GS-5 Grade Level Qualification Requirements To be eligible at the GS-5 level you must meet at least one of the following conditions below: Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience providing routine office automation support. Examples of specialized experience may include the following: performing data entry into automated systems, maintaining files and/or records management systems, and producing a variety of written documents and/or materials utilizing office software applications ensuring proper format, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. -OR- Education: Completion of at least four (4) years of education above the high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. -OR- Combining experience and education: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this position. Successfully completed post-high school education may be used to meet the total one year of specialized experience requirement equivalent to the GS-04 grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hour) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. -AND- Typing Proficiency Requirement In addition to the qualification requirements for each grade level identified above, you must type at least 40 words per minute based on a 5-minute sample with three or fewer errors. (A typing test may later be required.) The complete Qualification Standards used for this position may be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Group-Standards Pathways Internship Positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP Education All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov. Foreign Education Note: You may use foreign education to meet qualification requirements if you send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency in with your transcript. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Additional Information Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees http://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits Veterans' Preference: If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming by checking the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference and submit the documentation as specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation 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 non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. Diversity Statement: As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.