FAQs
It varies. Most fellows qualify for the 0401 series. Please consult with HR to determine classification, especially for those series with specific semester hour requirements (e.g., 0482, 0485, 0486, etc.).
Grade is generally based on education. OPM’s qualifications for using education to qualify for professional and scientific positions are:
- Undergraduate Degree: GS-05 or GS-07 if superior academic achievement
- Master’s Degree: GS-09
- Doctoral Degree: GS-11
There are several options if you cannot locate an Intern in the Portal, 1) the fellow may not be eligible* for placement yet, or 2) the profile is removed and archived once they start a permanent position or their DHA expires. *Eligibility requires that they finish their summer fellowship, return to school and complete their degree(s), and submit official transcripts.
Regularly. Fellows (candidates) are added to the portal as they become eligible, and jobs (placement opportunities) can be added at any time. You can search the candidate database by ‘date posted’. Our administrative support screens and updates the new information regularly. Interns are marked accordingly when placement is pending.
The Service has eight different geographic regions with our headquarters located in Washington, D.C. But no matter the location, each region is dedicated to conserving the nation’s fish and wildlife resources and fostering an environmental stewardship ethic based on ecological principles, scientifc knowledge of fish and wildlife and a sense of moral responsibility.
Fellows become eligible to be converted into a permanent position when all of the following actions are completed 1) completion of their degree requirements at the institution of learning; 2) successfully completed the DFP Fellowship Program; 3) meeting the agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant’s Agreement; 4) performing their job successfully.
The Direct Hire Authority (DHA) may ONLY be used to appoint eligible DFP Fellows to a permanent, competitive service position. DFP Fellows who are employed in a term or temporary position in any agency in the Federal government will not lose their DHA eligibility within the 2-year period.
Please refer to your DFP Closeout email for post-fellowship instructions. Fellows who have completed degree requirements are expected to send conferred, official transcripts and an updated resume to hr_dfp@fws.gov.
Once you have identified a fellow or they have expressed interest in a job posting, the hiring manager should contact the HR at hr_dfp@fws.gov. We ask the hiring manager to provide the name(s) of the fellow(s) and a classified PD. Click this link to access the OPM’s Guidance document for more information!
Please contact the Human Resources Support for the DFP Program: (hr_dfp@fws.gov)
Eligibility for a direct hire appointment expires 2 years from the date the DFP Fellow completed their degree and cannot be extended. The date the Fellows complete their degree requirements starts the clock running on their eligibility. Fellows who chose to continue on with further school once the eligibility clock starts running can impact the potential to utilize their eligibility for placement timeline ends.