HOW TO APPLY - Program Overview
 
 
 

United States Department of Agriculture

USDA Career Intern Program
 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Career Intern Program will prepare exceptional men and women who have diverse professional experiences, academic training, and competencies for careers in public service. Interns will participate in a 2-year program, that is designed to fine tune their skills and abilities. 
 

USDA is a nationwide and world employer. It has employees located in 58 states and territories, and 57 foreign countries.
 

USDA 's Two Career Intern Programs:
 

• Sciences Intern Program will include two levels: professional and technician

 
• Administrative/Professional Intern Program will include administrative and professional careers 


Professional Development: 
 

• Two years participation in a formal training program to provide the skills needed for careers in the sciences and in administration

 
• Structured on-the-job training to learn to handle the everyday situations of a career at USDA

Rotational Training:
 

• Rotational assignments to expose scientific interns to challenging assignments in regional offices, the Nation's Capital, or throughout the United States

 
• Rotational assignments to expose Administrative/Professional interns to challenging assignments in areas such as human resources, finance, procurement, budgeting, property management, and information technology

 

Purpose
 

The purpose of the USDA Career Intern Program is to:

• Provide USDA with a cadre of skilled individuals to fill more responsible positions in the sciences and in administration/professional areas at the end of the internships

 
General Eligibility
• U.S. citizenship

 
• Bachelor's or Graduate Degree with an overall college GPA of 3.0 or better and/or 

 
• Diverse professional experiences training, and competencies for individuals applying based on experience

 
• Demonstrate leadership potential, and community service

 
What Kind of Education or Experience Do I Need?
 

Sciences Intern Program

Education or experience that would prepare you for positions such as those related to the following disciplines:
 

• Biological Sciences 
• Agriculture
• Natural Resources Management
• Chemistry
• Forestry
• Entomology
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Botany
• Zoology
• Agronomy
• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Soil Conservation 
• Nutrition
• Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Scientist
• Computer Science Specialist
• Statistics
• Mathematics

 
Administrative/Professional Intern Program

Education or experience that would prepare you for positions such as those related to the following disciplines:

• Computer Specialist
• Information Technology Specialist 
• Human Resources
• Administrative Officer
• Finance
• Compliance Officer
• Civil Rights 
• Program/Management Analyst
• Policy Analyst
• Public Affairs
• Journalism
• Investigation
• Political Science
• Public Administration
• Accounting
• Auditing 
• Contracting
• Budget
• Economics
• Research Economics
• Agricultural Marketing/Business
• Telecommunications
• Social Science
• Loan Specialist
• Other Appropriate Administrative/Professional Occupations



Salary Level

Sciences

Professional pay will be at the GS-5, 7, and 9 levels. The technician pay will be 

at the GS-5, and 7 levels. 

Administrative/Professional

Administrative/Professional pay will be at the GS-5, 7, and 9 levels. 
 

Nationwide pay charts are available on the Internet at www.opm.gov. January 2002 starting pay rate ranges are:

GS-5 $24,701 - $27,066

GS-7 $30,597 - $33,526

GS-9 $37,428 - $41,010
 

Benefits
 

Benefits consist of:
 

• Vacation and Sick Leave

 
• Health Insurance

 
• Life Insurance

 
• Federal Employees Retirement System

 
• Investment and Savings Plan

 
• Promotion

 
• Flexible Work Hours

 
• Family Leave

 
• Family Friendly Programs

 

How to Apply
 

Submit the U.S. Department of Agriculture Career Intern Program Application with a copy of your resume to USDA's Mission Area/Agency Career Intern Program Coordinators who are posted on the Internet at http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/intern.htm. Applications may also be submitted at outreach activities such as career days, and job fairs.
 

Selection and Appointment Process

Selections will be made year-round. Career Interns will be appointed or converted, in the case of internal candidates, to the Excepted Service, Schedule B appointments, and in accordance with part 302 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
 

Internship Availability
 

• The number of internships filled each year will depend on the needs of USDA.



How Do I Find Out About Opportunities?
 

• Information on opportunities will be available from USDA Recruiters who are at events such as career fairs, and job fairs.

 
• Information on opportunities will also be available from USDA's Mission Area/Agency Career Intern Program Coordinators who are posted on the Internet at http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/intern.htm. 

 
• Positions will also be posted on the Internet at http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/CareerInternPositions.htm 



Additional Information
 

Additional information can be obtained from USDA's Mission Area/Agency Career Intern Program Coordinators as indicated above. 
 

Equal Opportunity Statement
 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large printing, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).