Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) - OBO Mexico City NEC project
Become a Virtual Intern with the U.S. Department of State and the OBO (Overseas Building Operations)
The Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) is the largest virtual internship in the United States for undergraduate and graduate students, who are U.S. citizens, to contribute to making a difference in our society. You can use your copy editing, coding, writing, and website design skills, to name a few, in this premier virtual internship program that helps to advance the work of the U.S. Government (USG).
VSFS is a U.S. Department of State-run program that is part of a growing effort to harness digital technologies and a commitment to global service among young people to facilitate new forms of engagement. Working from college and university campuses in the United States and throughout the world, U.S. citizen virtual interns are partnered with our U.S. diplomatic posts overseas and other domestic USG offices to conduct digital diplomacy that reflects the realities of our networked world.
Virtual interns work on unclassified projects for up to 10 hours per week during the academic year and can work for agencies such as the U.S. Department of State, USAID, NASA, the Smithsonian, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Intelligence Community, and the Indian Health Service, all of which have specific projects for which they need your expertise.
Students apply to VSFS July 1-31 on USAJOBS. Once they have selected the VSFS vacancy announcement, they are allowed to bid on three projects. Mentors will review applications in August and may contact VSFS candidates for a virtual interview. As part of the interview, candidates may be asked to show examples of their expertise and work. All candidates will learn by early September if they have been offered a position.
Visit careers.state.gov for more information and check out the FAQ section if you have specific questions. If you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, reach out to the VSFS Team at VSFS@state.gov. Lorri Olan, olanl@wlu.edu, is also available to answer questions. Do NOT wait until the last minute to review the internship postings, create your USA jobs profile or begin writing your application. This will all take time.
U.S. citizenship is required. An equal opportunity employer.
The OBO VSFS Opportunity - Project Code: STATE-MEX-11
Project Description
Our Program
Assist Embassy Mexico City's office of Overseas Buildings Operations to review complex schedules (9,900+ activities) to more accurately assess the project's schedule performance. Over the course of this two-semester effort students will work in a team of interns across the United States to analyze historical and proposed schedules, compile key data points, and present results to senior OBO staff members. Additionally analyze current project against historic schedule data from completed projects. Duties will include:
- Review extensive (but non-sensitive) schedule data via PDF, or if available, Primavera P3 or P6 software.
- Conduct bi-weekly intern team meetings and coordination meetings with OBO Mexico City staff.
- Collaborate with fellow interns to develop a team product.
- Assist with other schedule analysis as requested by OBO Mexico City team leads.
- Compile results of research into "final product" schedule analysis in document and Powerpoint formats.
- Review non-sensitive scheduling data to use predictive metrics regarding project schedule performance and completion. Student participants will be required to sign non-disclosure agreements for handing of non-sensitive official Department data.
- Preference will be given to students studying architecture, engineering, construction, or project management who have been at their institutions for a minimum of two years, preferably three.