Student Volunteer- Unclassified Duties (General Legal)

Unpaid internships with CFTC are offered year round and can last from 12 weeks to 12 months. Duties vary based on the department and/or office in which the intern is placed. CFTC's Internship Program offers valuable experience that contributes to educational and professional growth, and may be applied in any future employment endeavor, including federal, state and local governments or in the private sector. Apply now for an opportunity at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Duties

Position: Law students currently enrolled and in good standing as a J.D. or LL.M candidate in an ABA accredited law school.

The CFTC offers substantive work that gives interns an opportunity to demonstrate their skills through work experience. Interns assist the CFTC with tasks set out by various teams, such as research, data capturing and working closely with different team members to learn more about the Commission. Students will be assigned to work with CFTC staff members on projects and assignments that cover a broad range of the Commissions’ work.

The CFTC offers substantive legal work that provides interns an opportunity to demonstrate their writing, analytical, and advocacy skills.  Law students will be assigned to work with CFTC staff members on projects and assignments that cover a broad range of the Commissions’ work.

Interns may be assigned to one of the following Divisions or Offices:

Chairman/Commissioner's Office

Five Commissioners administer the CFTC, all Commissioners are appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairman. The Chairman and Commissioners sponsor advisory committees as well as provide market oversight. 

Duties of a legal intern may include:

• Researching and analyzing market issues
• Drafting memos summarizing research and briefing the Chairman or Commissioner
• Drafting public statements
• Attending meetings with market participants

Division of Enforcement (DOE)

DOE investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations by filing complaints in the U.S. District Court. The Division also provides expert help and technical assistance with case development and trials. 

Duties of a legal intern may include:

• Researching and writing legal memoranda, including pleadings and papers
• Reviewing and analyzing evidence in ongoing investigations
• Assisting attorneys in preparing investigative testimony, depositions, and discovery

Division of Market Oversight (DMO)

DMO fosters open, transparent, fair, competitive, and secure markets through oversight of derivatives platforms, specifically, designated contract markets (DCMs) and swap execution facilities (SEFs). 

Duties for the Compliance Branch law student intern include working under the supervision of a special counsel includes:

• Assist in examining and assessing the adequacy of DCM and SEF self-regulatory and rule enforcement programs.
• Help in reviewing and assessing DCM designation and SEF registration applications for demonstration of an applicant’s ability to comply with the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations.
• Review and analyze SEF Annual Compliance Reports and draft a summary memorandum.
• Review and analyze DCM and SEF rules as assigned.

Market Participants Division (MPD)

MPD provides oversight in derivatives market intermediaries, including commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors, futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, major swap participants, retail foreign exchange dealers, and swap dealers, as well as designated self-regulatory organizations. 

Duties of a legal intern may include:

• Assisting with technical analyses of intricate regulations and industry governing activities
• Preparing legal reports and analytical fact summaries
• Reviewing documents, and conducting background and factual research on swap dealers and futures market intermediaries

Office of International Affairs (OIA)

OIA is responsible for overseeing how the CFTC interacts with its foreign counterparts in multilateral and bilateral fora, assisting the Chairman, Commissioners and staff of the CFTC in analyzing the implications of regulatory policies, advising the CFTC on supervisory cooperation issues, and providing technical assistance to foreign authorities.  

Duties of a legal intern may include:

• Researching, analyzing, and monitoring relevant international standards as well as legislative proposals, statutes, regulatory requirements, advisories, guidance, and market developments
• Collaborating with OIA staff members in the preparation of briefing memoranda and presentation materials in connection with international meetings attended by the Chairman and senior CFTC staff
• Assisting and joining CFTC staff in meetings and discussions with external stakeholders and drafting related summaries and analysis

Salary

• $0

Conditions of Employment

• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by background investigation
• Actively enrolled(at least part-time)in an accredited college or university
• You must submit a law school transcript
• Must be in good standing-J.D or LL.M candidate an accredited ABA law school
• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt

To be eligible for this volunteer internship all of the following requirements must be met.

• You MUST submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the eligibility requirements. (Unofficial is acceptable)

If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete, and you will be ineligible. A completed application will only be accepted via USAJobs.  Applications will not be accepted via email.

The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.

Key Requirements:

1. Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
2. Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.

Qualifications

To meet the Student Volunteer requirements, you must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, degree) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled). 

All Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants may verify accreditation at the following website: Accreditation. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by OPM accordingly.

***All applications must be received via www.usajobs.gov***

Education Currently enrolled and in good standing as a J.D. or LL.M candidate in an ABA accredited law school. AND Completed at least one (1) year of law school by requested start date. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. U.S. EDUCATION: Institutions located within the United States that have attained accreditation are listed on the U.S. Department of Education's website. To verify your institution's accreditation, please access this website: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.aspx A complete listing of all institutions, including those located outside of U.S. territories, may be found in Accredited Institutions of Post-Secondary Education, a handbook published annually by the American Council on Education (ACE). SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Other Information

OTHER INFORMATION:
CFTC is seeking non-paid volunteers to encourage interest in public service careers and provide valuable work experience. As a non-paid volunteer, students will gain first-hand experience performing a variety of tasks related to supporting the activities of the Commission.

Student Volunteers may work during the school year and/or during summer or school vacation periods. The nature of the volunteer assignment as well as the work schedule will be established once on-board. * Students seeking course credit for externship positions are responsible for coordinating in advance with their education institution.

• All candidates will be considered without regard to any non-merit reasons such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, lawful political affiliation, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, protected genetic information, parental status, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.
• As required by hiring office, you may be required to: Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
• Successfully complete a background investigation.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• Maintain a student status throughout the internship (be actively enrolled at an accredited 4-year college or university)

*** If selected for this position, you will be required to report to a CFTC location for onboarding as well as returning equipment at the end of your internship. Per Agency's policy, you may have to follow reporting procedures***

Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note - If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete, and you will be ineligible.

You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, and grade (if applicable) from an accredited college or university verifying proof of enrollment.

Both official AND unofficial transcripts are acceptable as part of the application process. However, if you are selected, you will be required to provide an official transcript before you report to work.

You must be attending a school than is an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which these criteria, please refer to www.ed.gov.

If you are eligible based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency; more information may be found http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e4.asp#e4a. We recommend you get this process started as soon as possible to avoid delays in appointment if selected.

How to Apply

YOU MUST APPLY ONLINE:  Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. You must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at USAJOBS.GOV.  To begin, click the Apply Online button within the vacancy announcement and follow the prompts to create an account using LOGIN.GOV, if you have not done so already. LOGIN.GOV will walk you through each step of the account set-up and will automatically link your USAJOBS profile to LOGIN.GOV.  Once you have established an account using LOGIN.GOV, you will then go back to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV user name and password to answer the questions, and submit all required documents. If you already have established an LOGIN.GOV account or want to return to your saved application go to USAJOBS.GOV using your LOGIN.GOV user name and password to apply or view your profile. If you have problems completing your on-line application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by e-mail at mgshelp@monster.com or phone at 1-866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

The law prohibits public officials from appointing, promoting, or recommending their relatives. The law prohibits requesting, making, transmitting, accepting, or considering political recommendations for employment or other personnel actions for non-political positions. This includes recommendations from Members of Congress, Congressional employees, elected state or local officials, and political party officials and any recommendation based on party affiliation.

EEO Policy Statement. The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetic information, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CFTC directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Applications are accepted year-round based upon agency need.

This position is not in the Collective Bargaining Unit. 

Benefits

Volunteers are not eligible to receive agency benefits.