Grade: 7-9
Applications close 2027-09-30
Summary
The PALACE Acquire Program offers you a permanent position upon completion of your formal training plan. As a Palace Acquire Intern you will experience both personal and professional growth while dealing effectively and ethically with change, complexity, and problem solving. The program offers a 3-year formal training plan with yearly salary increases. Promotions and salary increases are based upon your successful performance and supervisory approval.
Duties
- GS-07 Performs developmental assignments in the application of professional principles, techniques, methods, and procedures relating to the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, molecular structure, and properties of substances. Performs recurring assignments. Independently performs recurring assignments of limited, but gradually increasing, difficulty and complexity as directed by the supervisor or team lead. Participates in special initiatives, studies, and projects. Works with other specialists to plan, perform research, and conduct special initiatives, studies, and projects. Prepares written correspondence and other documentation. Drafts or prepares a variety of documents to include responses to routine inquiries, reports, letters, and other related material.
- GS-09 Performs developmental assignments in the application of professional principles, techniques, methods, and procedures relating to the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, molecular structure, and properties of substances, the transformations which they undergo, and the amounts of matter and energy included in these transformations. Performs recurring assignments. Incumbent determines the practices and procedures to use in accomplishing conventional tasks, and interprets and adapts guidelines in order to resolve procedural or factual issues Carries out special projects and participates in special initiatives and studies. Works with other specialists in planning and conducting studies. Prepares written correspondence and other documentation. Drafts or prepares a variety of documents to include newsletter items, responses to routine inquiries, reports, letters, and other related documents.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics. You may qualify if you meet one of the following:
1. GS-7: You must have completed or will complete a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's from an accredited institution AND must have documented Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the undergraduate level in the following: a) Grade Point Average 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum.
2. GS-9: You must have completed 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree: a) Grade Point Average - 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum.
If more than 10 percent of total undergraduate credit hours are non-graded, i.e. pass/fail, CLEP, CCAF, DANTES, military credit, etc. you cannot qualify based on GPA.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Professional knowledge of the concepts, theories, principles, and standard practices of Chemistry, methods, and techniques of the occupation sufficient to perform assignments.
- Skill in applying the principles, concepts, and practices of the occupation to perform assignments.
- Knowledge of the occupation to perform studies and prepare reports, documentation, and correspondence to communicate factual and procedural information clearly.
- Ability to communicate information clearly, both orally and in writing, as well as work in a professional manner with peers and management.
- Ability to plan/organize work, consult effectively with coworkers and apply analytical investigative techniques to accomplish work in the subject-matter field.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency of the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency if the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period, your employment will be terminated unless youreceive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
This position has an education requirement. You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html Please submit copies of all transcripts to include transferred hours- Official copies are not required at time of application. If selected, you will be required to provide official copies of all transcripts. *NOTE* Degree Audits are not accepted.
If you qualify based on undergraduate education and you have not graduated prior to applying to this position, you may be offered a position contingent upon your final grade point average or class ranking.
IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. PLEASE SUBMIT COPIES OF ALL TRANSCRIPTS TO INCLUDE TRANSFERRED HOURS - OFFICIAL COPIES ARE NOT REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION. IF SELECTED, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL COPIES OF ALL TRANSCRIPTS. *NOTE* Degree Audits are not accepted.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
How to apply
To receive further consideration, YOU MUST log in to https://airforceciviliancareers.hirevue.com/signup/JHKjDpf5LXwh5aTSfppL9E/
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2027.
To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13078090
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp. Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here. For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume.
2. A complete Application Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.
4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.
