Summary The Office of Inspector General (OIG), works within the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to promote efficiency and effectiveness, and prevent or stop waste, fraud and abuse in departmental programs. We do this through audits and investigations. OIG also consults with the Congress about programs in progress and proposed new laws and regulations. Responsibilities The incumbent will be an entry-level analyst and work with an audit team in a developmental capacity to conduct reviews of the efficiency and effectiveness of Department of Transportation programs. The incumbent makes key contributions to a variety of possible products, including audit reports, briefings to DOT leadership or congressional stakeholders, and management advisories. The incumbent conducts all assigned phases of the audit in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS). The incumbent will be responsible for assisting with: preparing a comprehensive plan to guide the work, including the methodology for examining and testing (such as using statistical and/or judgmental sampling) of records and internal controls to determine the degree of efficiency and effectiveness of programs; researching pertinent laws, legislative history, regulations, contracts, and internal controls to ascertain the purpose, scope, and objectives of the assigned program or function; the manner in which the program or function is conducted; and the nature and extent of management authority and responsibility for the program or function; conducting site visits at field locations to gather evidence, based on the approved work plan; conducting interviews with program officials at Headquarters and/or in the field; analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative evidence gathered to identify potential findings; writing sections of the debriefs to senior OIG management and drafting written products summarizing the results of the review, including potential findings and recommendations for program improvements; preparing work papers that provide support for key findings and potential recommendations; conducting entrance and exit conferences with the audited agency and conducting follow-up inquiries to evaluate the adequacy of corrective actions taken on prior audit findings; and, supporting the team in issuing final written products that adhere to high quality standards and reflect internal OIG management review and comments received from the audited agency. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship Enrolled at least half time at a qualifying educational Institution Plan to not graduate before Fall 2025 (December 2025) semester Must sign a Pathways Student Agreement Cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher This position is subject to a background investigation Submit complete application online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date Males Born after 12-31-1959 must be registered for Selective Service This position may be subject to drug testing. PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY - To be eligible for appointment to a position in the DOT-OIG Internship Program, throughout the duration of the appointment, an individual must: Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution); OR Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential (such as a Registered Apprenticeship Program or Job Corps). Be seeking a degree that is relevant to this position. Meet all necessary qualifications as stated in the announcement. If selected, must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement; must maintain status as a current student; must maintain good academic standing, at least a 2.7 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale; must provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term must not plan to graduate prior to Fall 2025, December 2025 in order to be considered for this position. For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Program-Fact-Sheets The agency may non competitively convert a Pathways Intern to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service, as long as the Intern meets the following: 1. U.S. Citizenship; 2. Successful Completion of academic course of study, degree, diploma or certificate related to the position; 3. Completion of a minimum of 480 hours of work experience under the Internship Program; 4. Meet the OPM Qualification requirements for the position the intern may be converted to; and 5. Maintain acceptable performance. Qualifications Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Additional qualifications information can be found here. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS for GS-07: In addition to the specialized experience, your application will be evaluated based on the following competencies: Teamwork Attention to Detail Written Communication Oral Communication Problem Solving Interpersonal Skills Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the federal service. Specialized experience includes Ability to research, analyze, and interpret findings. Ability to obtain and analyze information and data from various sources and develop conclusions and recommendations. Providing assistance to higher-level staff with researching laws, regulations, guidelines, and procedures. OR Education: Completed one full academic year of graduate education (Master's level) (18 credits) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position such as public policy, law, political science, business administration, finance, or public administration. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants that possess a percentage of the required specialized experience and a percentage of the required graduate level education such that, when the percentages of the required graduate education and specialized experience are added together, they equal 100%. (Only graduate education and only professional experience equivalent to the GS-5 or higher is creditable.) OR Superior Academic Achievement: You possess a BACHELOR'S DEGREE that is qualifying for this position that meets the criteria for eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement provision through one of the following methods. No more than 10% of academic credit can be based on pass/fail or similar non-traditional grading systems. TO CLAIM SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A): YOU MUST HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. THE DEGREE MUST BE CONFERRED. YOU CAN NOT CLAIM S.A.A WHILE STILL PURSUING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE UNLESS YOU HAVE OBTAINED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE ALREADY. THEREFORE, TO CLAIM S.A.A AND ALSO BE A PATHWAYS ELIGIBLE, YOU MUST HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE WITH A 3.0 GPA OR HIGHER CONFERRED AND PURSUING A POST-GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OR ANOTHER DEGREE SUCH AS AN ASSOCIATE'S, BACHELOR'S, MASTER'S OR DOCTORATE. * 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum * 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. (Grade-point averages will be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9) * Upper 1/3 ranking in graduating class (you must submit proof with your application) * National Scholastic Honor Society. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. (You must submit proof with your application) Please click the link for more information on Pathways educational qualifications: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 NOTE: ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETE COPY OF THEIR TRANSCRIPTS. IF SELECTED, AN OFFICIAL/SEALED TRANSCRIPT WILL BE REQUIRED PRIOR TO AN APPOINTMENT DATE BEING ESTABLISHED. IF YOU HAVE EARNED A DEGREE FROM A FOREIGN INSTITUTION YOU MUST SUBMIT WITH YOUR APPLICATION EVIDENCE THAT ANY EDUCATION COMPLETED IN A FOREIGN INSTITUTION WAS APPROPRIATELY ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING BODY RECOGNIZED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS EQUIVALENT TO U.S. STANDARDS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, REFER TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEB SITE AT https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ . Education If you graduate before December 2025, you will not be eligible for this Pathways Internship Program Internship, unless you are pursuing further education in which you will need to provide proof of enrollment or acceptance into a degree or certificate seeking program with your application. If you are not a student enrolled in the current semester, you must submit proof of enrollment in the upcoming semester (i.e., letter from the registrar’s office or acceptance letter from an accredited educational institution). If you are a student who is enrolled in the current semester and your transcript does not show current enrollment or if you have completed the semester and your transcript does not show enrollment for the upcoming semester, you must submit proof of continued enrollment (i.e., letter from the registrar’s office or course enrollment print out, etc.). Your transcript or registrar’s letter must document the educational requirements for this position. Additional Information APPLICANTS MUST MEET QUALIFICATIONS BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL LIKE VACANCIES IN THE ANNOUNCED DUTY LOCATION. If you served on active duty in the U.S. Military and were separated under honorable conditions, you may be eligible for veteran's preference. More information on veterans' is available in the VetGuide that may be found on the United States Office of Personnel Management website at www.opm.gov. If you are entitled to veteran preference, you should indicate the type of veteran preference you are claiming on your resume/application. In order to verify your veteran preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member 4 copy of 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 shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a purple heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the natural mother of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a standard Form (SF) 15, “Application for 10 point veteran preference” and the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your claim. Veteran preference eligibles will be listed ahead of non-veterans. Relocation expenses will not be paid. This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. Candidates will be asked to fill out a Declaration for Federal Employment (Optional Form 306). Individuals selected for positions will be required to certify that their application materials are accurate when they enter on duty.