Student Trainee (Personnel Research Psychologist)
Summary
Are you a graduate student interested in working with industrial/organizational psychologists to deliver employment and organizational assessment services to Federal agencies? As an intern, you may assist with any or all of the following: develop, implement, and evaluate assessment tools for selection or promotion; develop and administer surveys; analyze data (e.g. SPSS, R, Python); write technical reports; conduct job analysis/competency modeling or gap analysis and/or program evaluation.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Positions will be filled as Temporary Pathways Internships.
Duties
If selected, you will work under the direction of Industrial/Organizational psychologists and project managers. Typical duties will include the following:
- Assist with developing, implementing, and evaluating assessment tools that may be used for selection, promotion, development, or organizational evaluation. Assessment tools may include biodata, accomplishment record, cognitive ability, job knowledge, personality, situational judgment, structured interview, and training and experience. Assessment tools also may include work samples, multi-source feedback, leadership assessments, and organizational surveys.
- Assist with occupational analysis/competency modeling, including developing task and competency lists, conducting subject matter expert (SME) panels, conducting job analysis surveys, and analyzing job analysis survey data.
- Contribute to writing technical reports, which could include drafting one or more sections of a report.
- Analyze data using SPSS, R, and/or Python.
RequirementsConditions of Employment
Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
Selective Service: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Age: You must be at least 16 years of age
Background Investigation: Must be suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
Student Status: Applicants must have at least 1 academic year (Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 sessions) remaining in their studies before they complete their current degree requirements.
Graduation Status: Applicants that graduate prior to May 2026 will not be considered for this position unless you have been accepted into a follow-on degree or certificate program and provide verification of future enrollment status prior to start date.
Pathways Agreement: If selected, you will be required to sign a Pathways Agreement which specifies the conditions of your employment as we've indicated in this job announcement. You must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of your appointment. To verify that you do, we will require proof of your continued enrollment and good standing each semester or grading period throughout your internship. Failure to do so will result in termination of your internship and employment.
Trial Period: Selectee must complete a trial period while on the Pathways internship appointment.
Bargaining Unit: Depending on the duty location selected for, the position may be eligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit.
- If the duty station is finalized outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area, this position will not be represented by a bargaining unit.
- if the duty station is finalized in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, employees in this position will be represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 32.
Qualifications
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited or pre-accredited academic institution leading to a bachelor's or higher degree with a major or equivalent in psychology to receive further consideration.
Related Degrees:
The curriculum of related degrees should include coursework such as research methods, statistical methods, and core industrial and organizational domains, including: measurement of individual differences; criterion theory and development; job and task analysis; employee selection, placement, and classification; performance appraisal and feedback; training theory, program design, and evaluation; work motivation; attitude theory; small group theory and process; leadership theory; organizational theory; and organizational development.
To qualify for the GS-09 grade level: In addition to the basic education requirement, you MUST meet onerequirement below:
A. Education: 2 or more academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology or related field (e.g., organizational development; applied, social, or applied social psychology) but not completed the degree requirements (1 year of full-time graduate education equals the number of credit hours the school determines represents 1 year of full-time study. If the information cannot be determined from the school, 18 semester hours equals 1 year of full-time study); OR
B. Education: Completed all requirements for a Master's degree (or equivalent) in I/O Psychology or related field; OR
C. Education: Completed all requirements for a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in I/O Psychology or related field; OR
D. Experience: Completed 1 year (52 weeks) or more of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the Federal GS-07 grade or pay band performing I/O Psychology duties (e.g., conducting literature searches; performing statistical analyses; identifying job requirements or analyzing job analysis data; administering routine assessments or organizational surveys; maintaining the integrity of data and performing quality assurance controls on data); OR
E. Combination of Education and Experience: Less than the 2 academic years of graduate education in "A" and less than the experience in "D," but have a combination of the type of education in "A" and type of experience in "D" totaling 100% of the required qualifications. To determine the combination, compute experience as a percentage of experience in "D"; compute education as a percentage of education in "A"; add the 2 percentages. Total percentages must equal at least 100%. Only graduate education exceeding 1 year (i.e., 18 semester hours) may be combined with experience.
To qualify for the GS-11 grade level: In addition to the basic education requirement, you MUST meet one requirement below:
A. Education: Completed all requirements for a Master's degree (or equivalent) in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology or related field (e.g., applied, social, or applied social psychology, or organizational development); OR
B. Education: Completed all requirements for a Ph.D (or equivalent) in I/O Psychology or related field; OR
C. Experience: Completed 1 full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the Federal GS-09 grade or pay band in the Federal service performing I/O Psychology duties (e.g., developing and implementing research plans; conducting complex statistical analyses; assisting with developing assessments and organizational surveys; assisting with focus groups and surveys to collect job analysis data; carrying out project activities to develop tests consistent with professional and legal requirements (e.g., the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures), including item development or review; and documenting research results);OR
D. Combination of Education and Experience: Less than the graduate education described in "A" or "B" and less than the experience described in "C", but have a combination of the type of education in "A" or "B" and type of experience in "C" totaling 100% of the required qualifications. To determine the combination, compute experience as a percentage of experience in "C"; determine education as a percentage of education in "A" or "B"; add the 2 percentages. Total percentages must equal at least 100%. Only graduate education exceeding 1 year (i.e., 18 semester hours) may be combined with experience.
If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of your transcript(s) to verify eligibility.
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).
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 all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is the President's agent and advisor for the Government's human resources management systems. Our key responsibility is to ensure these systems support agencies in recruiting, hiring and retaining a merit-based, high-quality, diverse workforce necessary to meet the needs of the American people.
This Intern position is part of the Pathways Internship Program within the Office of Personnel Management, Human Resources Solutions (HRS), HR Strategy & Evaluation Solutions, Center for Assessment & Evaluation (CAE). HRS provides exceptional human resources products and services to meet the dynamic needs of the Federal Government by offering customer focused, optimal solutions in staff acquisition, personnel and organizational assessment, HR strategy, leadership training, workforce planning and much more. The Center for Assessment & Evaluation (CAE) includes approximately 45 industrial-organizational psychologists who deliver high quality employment and organizational assessment services to client agencies and provide cutting-edge HR management services by conducting basic, applied, and innovative research encompassing the full gamut of human capital management, with a specific focus on individual, organizational, and outcome assessment.
Education
Additional information
We will be offering an informational webinar during the week of January 6 about the work of OPM CAE. If you are interested in attending, please contact Selection_Assessment@opm.gov prior to January 6.
Relocation expenses will not be paid. Current OPM employees may qualify as an exception.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across OPM.
CONVERSION ELIGIBILITY:
Interns may be non-competitively converted, without a break in service, to a term, or permanent career or career conditional appointment upon completion of program requirements.
To be eligible for conversion, Interns must:
- Be a United States citizen
- Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program while enrolled as a half- or full-time degree- or certificate-seeking student
- Complete their degree or certificate requirements, within the preceding 180-day period
- Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted
- Meet agency-specific requirements, as specified in the Participant's Agreement
- Perform their job successfully
Agencies may waive up to 320 of the required 640 hours of work for Interns who demonstrate high potential as evidenced by outstanding academic achievement and exceptional job performance.
In addition, students working in agencies through third-party intern providers may count up to 320 of the hours they work toward the 640 hour requirement.
Time spent under previous Internship Program appointments may count towards required work.
If converted to a permanent or term appointment, the anticipated target position will be GS-9 or GS-11 with full performance level of GS-13; however, the target position and full performance level may change based on the need of the organization at that time. Interns must meet the qualification requirements for the position to which converted.
Extensions: This appointment may be extended without further competition based on the need of the organization for the work and funding availability. You must continue to meet the eligibility requirements under the Pathways Internship Program .
For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit: Pathways Program Fact Sheets