1DOT Internship Program (Pathways)

1DOT Internship Program (Pathways)

Department: Department of Transportation

Location(s): Kings Point, New York

Salary Range: $38223 - $77306 Per Year

Job Summary: The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is seeking student leaders interested in strategic communications and majoring in public relations, marketing, business, or advertising. This appointment is not-to-exceed September 19, 2026, and may be extended without further competition to a new temporary appointment at management's discretion and provided the employee remains eligible for employment in the Pathways Intern Program. Internships are expected to begin in June 2026.

Major Duties:

• USMMA is hiring interns who will be responsible for: Brainstorming ideas for the Academy's external communications content calendar. Capturing video and photographic content for the Academy's social media platforms. Editing photos and videos using Adobe products, Canva, etc. Drafting external communication for the Academy website. Tracking mentions of the Academy in local and national news. The ideal candidate is a creative storyteller and proactive communicator who possesses a strong foundation in modern digital marketing and public relations. We are seeking a student leader who not only has experience in content creation using tools like Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, but also is a strong writer. Successfulcandidates will demonstrate an ability to translate the Academy's unique mission into compelling social media and web content that will help recruit midshipmen and educate the American public on the vital role of USMMA. They should be detail-oriented, creative and a self-starter. Candidates must also be committed to representing the Merchant Marine Academy with professionalism and integrity. 1DOT Internship Program is designed to provide interns an opportunity to broaden their perspectives on issues facing government. Interns will work within the United States Merchant Marine (Academy) and support higher- level management in coordinating, facilitating, and implementing activities within the office to which they are assigned; and be exposed to and participate in activities, innovations, and challenges facing the Transportation Industry. The individual series are listed below for your reference and information to include the applicable qualification standard: 1099 - Information and Arts, Public Affairs, Writer/Editor, Social Media, Communications, and Visual Information. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-TECH=&url=List-by-Occupational-Series

Qualifications: To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration by the closing date of this announcement. You must be continuing your education during the entire course of the internship program. GS-3 - Completion of 1 academic year of post-high school study. GS-4 - Completion of 2 academic years of post-high school study or an associate's degree. GS-5 - Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. GS-7 - Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education; or Eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement Provision and completion of a bachelor's degree. *Superior Academic Achievement - In the upper one-third of graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0, as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0, based on average of required courses completed in major or required courses in major completed the final 2 years of curriculum. This Internship has an education requirement. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required prior to a final offer of employment. You may use 2026 in-progress semester/quarter hours to qualify for a higher grade level. Qualifications will be determined based on completed and in-progress hours stated on your unofficial transcript submitted at the time of application and verified upon receipt of your official transcript before your onboarding date. You must provide updated transcripts that show any/all degrees conferred, current grades and registration with cumulative GPA to support your educational claims (acceptance letter is also required if applicable to current academic status). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education - https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - click here. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. 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: Knowledge of subject area typically provided by college-level courses sufficient to perform a variety of assignments to broaden skills and gain practical experience. Ability to assist higher graded teammates in developing material for briefings, reports, presentations and conference materials. Ability to participate in meetings, events, and briefings. Skill in oral and written communication. 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.

How to Apply: You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting. Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire. You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/ If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at Transjobs@dot.gov.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-15