Student Trainee (Administrative Support)

Full Job Description

The Small Business Administration (SBA) invites students to apply to our Intern positions.

The ideal candidates are current Certificate Program, Undergraduate or Graduate students who demonstrate innovation and self-initiative.

You will have an opportunity to train and develop your skills in a variety of career fields and have a positive impact on the people and communities that SBA serves.

To meet the Intern Eligibility requirements, you must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which you are enrolled).

Certificate programs must be at least one-year duration of full-time academic study in post-secondary education.

Accepted for Enrollment: If you have been accepted for enrollment in an institution or career or technical education program, but have not yet begun coursework, you must submit an Acceptance Letter from the institution and your most recent academic transcript from your previous program.

NOTE: You will NOT be considered under Pathways unless you provide supporting information from your school.

Documentation may be provided in letter format from your academic advisor, school counselor, admission office, etc.

to prove enrollment OR it may be provided in the form of several official documents from your school such as a copy of your official transcripts and a copy of your class schedule for next semester.

Copies of documents from your school website are acceptable if they contain all relevant information as listed above. Letters from advisors or other school officials must be on school letterhead.

Official transcripts will be required prior to final offer of employment. You must meet the experience or education requirements detailed below by the close of the vacancy.

GS-7: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector, which includes: 1.) Assisting in examining program data and records to draw conclusions; 2.) Assisting higher level employees in support of various administrative programs; and 3.) Supporting an organization's administrative functions.

These qualifications must be fully supported in your resume. OR Education: Completion of 1 full year of graduate-level education from an accredited college or university.

Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work; OR Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement: SAA is defined as (1) cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 years of undergraduate study; (2) GPA of 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years; (3) Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision; or (4) Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies).

OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond 4 years of undergraduate level education earned).

NOTE: Only graduate level education (beyond 4 years of under-graduate level education earned) is creditable.

If you do not meet the specialized experience requirements, you may also qualify with education.

You MUST submit transcripts (official or unofficial) with this application if you wish to qualify based on education.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions.

It is available for your review on OPM's Qualifications web site: Pathways Internship Positions - Student Trainee 0399 Series 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. All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on 04/24/2026. Major Duties:

As a Student Trainee, you will actively engage in the following duties: Receives telephone calls and visitors; using tact, diplomacy, and judgment, ascertains the nature of the calls or business of the visitors.

Answers phones and transfers calls to appropriate individuals. Logs trouble calls and ensures appropriate department is notified.

Proactively and professionally facilitates the setup, coordination and scheduling of office meetings and teleconferences with internal and external organizations.

Reviews incoming correspondence and distributes correspondence to staff members and prepares replies to general inquiries and routine actions.

Maintains office files and ensures they are compliant with applicable regulatory guidance and that confidential material is properly protected.

Uses office automation systems and various software packages to accomplish work.

Under supervision, assignments include preparing correspondence, reports, records, statistical and narrative material, and messages in final format.

Uses databases or spreadsheet applications to enter, revise, sort and retrieve data for reports and correspondence. This is a temporary position not to exceed 90 days.

Extensions: If hired on a temporary appointment, it may be extended without further competition based on the need of the organization for the work to continue and provided the individual continues to meet the eligibility requirements.