Summer Internship (Laborer or Gardener Aide)

The AOC has unique and exciting opportunities to serve as a Laborer or Gardener Aide in the AOC's Summer Internship Program. This program offers hands on professional experience, networking, training, and most of all, exposure to careers in public service, on Capitol Hill.

Duties

Laborer Aide

In this role students will assist with various duties and projects throughout the Capitol campus which may consist of loading and unloading materials; moving office furniture, boxes, equipment, and supplies by hand or with various moving devices (e.g., dollies and/or hand trucks); mowing lawns and trimming shrubs. Student employees may work in several buildings on the Capitol complex throughout the Summer Intern Program. In addition, student employees may assist with collecting trash, recycling bottles or cans. These duties can be performed indoors or outdoors.

Gardener Aide

This position consists of assisting with growing and tending to lawns, flowers, shrubs, and trees. The Aide will perform general basic outdoor tasks such as mowing lawns, trimming shrubs, fertilizing plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Salary

• $17/hour

Conditions of Employment

• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
• You must meet the requirements for the summer internship.

To be eligible, you must be a current student who meets the following requirements:

Applications will be accepted from students who are at least sixteen (16) years of age by June 30, 2026, AND currently attending a high school, college or university.

Note: Participation in the Summer Intern Employment Program is limited to a total of three years. Candidates are eligible to participate no more than three years, collectively or consecutively, in the Summer Intern Employment Program. Candidates who have reached the three years in the program will be deemed ineligible to participate this calendar year.

Qualifications

All students MUST be U.S. Citizens or a person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B).

Applications will be accepted from students who are at least sixteen (16) years of age by June 30, 2026, AND currently attending a high school, college or university.

Note: Participation in the Summer Intern Employment Program is limited to a total of three years. Candidates are eligible to participate no more than three years, collectively or consecutively, in the Summer Intern Employment Program. Candidates who have reached the three years in the program will be deemed ineligible to participate this calendar year.

Education To be eligible, you must be a current student who meets the following requirements: Applications will be accepted from students who are at least sixteen (16) years of age by June 30, 2026, AND currently attending a high school, college or university. Other Information Applicants must be a United States Citizen or a person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B). This is an Excepted Service Position in the Architect of the Capitol, a Legislative Branch agency of the Federal government. The position does not require or confer civil service Competitive Status. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. This position is NOT in the Bargaining Unit. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. Background Investigation - The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. Federal Law requires DHS to use the E-VERIFY system to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires, and obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system as a condition of continued employment. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation, and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. Required Documents

Required Documents for Summer Internship Positions

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for Summer Internship positions, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, any relevant training, skills and work experience to include job titles, employment dates and job duties. Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC’s Human Capital Management Division.

When asked to provide proof of enrollment in high school, trade school or college, students selected for a position need only provide one (1) of the following acceptable documents:

• A copy of your current class schedule
• A copy of your current school report card
• A copy of your current college transcript - unofficial transcripts downloaded from your school website are acceptable
• College acceptance letter if you are not yet enrolled
• Letter from your advisor or registrar’s office indicating that you are a current student

Failure to provide the required document will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.

How to Apply

You MUST apply online.  If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement. 

If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site, you must register in USAJOBS. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.
 
NEED HELP?
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available!  If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times. 

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature.
If you are unable to apply on-line, you may call our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application at (202) 226-7000. 

Benefits This is a Summer Internship position. Students will not receive benefits such as paid leave, retirement, or health benefits. Students may register for the Transit Subsidy benefit that is offered by the agency.