FAQs for DFC Careers

Please visit DFC Careers to learn more about employees benefits at DFC.

Yes, DFC offers professional development opportunities to include formal classroom training, web-based training, rotational assignments, on-the-job training, self-study programs, professional conferences/seminars, and mentoring.

To get technical assistance with searching or applying for jobs on USAJOBS.gov, you can review the USAJOBS Help Center or contact the USAJOBS Help Desk.

How an employee's rate of basic pay will be set depends on which pay plan the employee will serve under.

General Schedule (GS): The GS contains 15 grade levels (GS-1 through GS-15) and each grade levels contains a series of 10 steps. GS rates of pay include a locality rate to account for the cost of living in specific regions and will therefore vary based on an employee's duty location. The grade level of a position is established (classified) based on the level of difficulty, responsibility, and qualifications required for a specific position. New employees are usually hired at Step 1 of whatever GS grade they applied for. However, in special circumstances, a higher step rate may be authorized based on a special need of the agency or superior qualifications of the employee. Please note, current and former federal employees are subject to different pay-setting rules upon reappointment to and/or transfer to a new GS position.

Administratively Determined (AD): The AD pay plan allows DFC to set the rate of pay for new employees based on the agency's unique statutory authority. How pay will be set under this pay plan differs based on the position being filled, special need(s) of the agency, and experience and/or qualifications of the employee.

Senior Level (SL): DFC is not covered by the Senior Executive Service and therefore utilizes the SL pay plan for positions that are classified above the GS-15 grade level. Pay may be set at any rate within an applicable range specified and authorized by federal statute. When setting pay under the SL, the nature and quality of the employee's experience, qualifications, and accomplishments as they relate to the requirements of the position and its impact on the agency's performance will be taken into consideration.

GS, AD, and SL signify different pay plans. A pay plan is a two-digit alphabetical code used to identify important information about an employee's pay system and the authority governing the pay of an employee's position. For example, a pay plan may help identify whether any employee is in an executive or managerial position or a staff-level position. To learn more about how pay is set under each pay plan, see How will DFC set my annual salary if I am selected?

The closing date listed on a JOA is the last day an applicant can apply for a job. Applicants cannot submit applications, submit required supporting documents, and/or make any updates to their application after 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date.

Please note, some JOAs close when a certain number of applications have been received. If an applicant "cut-off" is used, the JOA will contain a note specifying this information under the "Open & Closing" date field. If the cut-off number is reached during the day, the JOA will usually close that night at 11:59 p.m. ET.

A bargaining unit position is a job that is represented by a labor union. This means the union negotiates the conditions of employment for these jobs with management.

The DFC bargaining unit is represented by the American Federation of Government Employees.

If a job has a promotion potential that is higher than the advertised grade level, it means the selected employee may be promoted up to that grade level without having to recompete. Positions with a promotion potential higher than the advertised grade level are referred to as career ladder positions.

DFC employees are subject to conflict-of-interest restrictions and may be required to file either a public (OGE Form 278e) or confidential (OGE Form 450) financial disclosure report. These reports are among the primary tools used by ethics personnel to determine whether employees are in compliance with the ethics and standards of conduct provisions covering a particular position.

Compliance with financial disclosure requirements is a condition of employment. Employees who are required to file and fail to do so in a timely manner may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including removal from service. An employee who willfully falsifies the information on his or her report, willfully omits information, or willfully fails to file his or her report may be subject to civil penalties and/or criminal prosecution by the Department of Justice.

The length of a probationary period depends on the type of appointment and the type of service.

Competitive Service: If you applied and competed for the position through the competitive hiring process, this places you in the competitive service and typically requires a one-year probationary period.

Excepted Service: If you applied and/or were appointed to a position through a process excepted from the competitive hiring process (e.g., Schedule A, Attorneys), this places you in the excepted service. Probationary periods in the excepted service typically vary but are often one or two years.

Supervisors or Managers: New supervisors or managers are required to complete a one-year probationary period.

Delegated Examining (DE): DE (external, public announcements) is a hiring authority used to fill competitive service jobs with:

• Applicants applying from outside the federal workforce.
• Federal employees who do not have competitive service status.
• Federal employees with competitive service status.

DE authority applies only to competitive service positions and not to merit promotion, excepted service, or non-competitive service positions.

Merit Promotion (MP): MP announcements, or those open to "status" candidates, typically target current or former federal civilian employees who hold or previously held a non-temporary appointment:

• In the competitive service.
• In an excepted service position covered by an interchange agreement.
• Persons eligible for reinstatement.
• Veterans eligible for veterans' preference or any veteran separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions after substantially completing three or more years of continuous service may also apply under the provisions of the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act.
• Persons with non-competitive appointment eligibility.

DFC offers a variety of opportunities for students and recent graduates through the following programs:

Pathways Programs: The Pathways Programs are a series of programs managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) designed to provide students and recent graduates with the opportunity for paid internships and structured developmental experiences.

College Graduate Hiring Authority: This authority allows federal agencies to use strategic recruiting to hire recent college graduates into permanent professional and administrative positions at the GS-11 level and below.

Student Volunteer Experience Program: This program offers unpaid, professional training opportunities to undergraduate and graduate college students. These opportunities provide students with 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.

Participants in the Pathways Programs have access to a variety of training opportunities designed to enhance their professional development and prepare them for a successful career in the federal government. The types of training available may include:

• Orientation Sessions: Introducing new Pathways participants to the structure, mission, and values of the hosting federal agency.
• Mentorship Programs: Pairing participants with experienced employees to provide guidance, knowledge sharing, and career advice.
• Formal Training Programs: Structured courses related to the participant's field of work or interest, which may include classroom training, online courses, and seminars.
• On-the-Job Training: Hands-on training that allows participants to learn by doing, gaining practical experience in their chosen field.
• Professional Development Workshops: Workshops focusing on skills such as public speaking, writing, leadership, and project management.
• Rotational Assignments: Opportunities to work in different departments or functions within the agency to gain a broader understanding of agency operations.
• Career Planning and Counseling: Services to help participants set career goals and create plans to achieve them.

Each federal agency has its own unique set of training and development offerings for Pathways participants. These training opportunities are designed to build both the technical skills required for the job and the soft skills necessary for professional growth within the federal service.

Internships under the Internship Program at DFC are generally not to exceed three months but can be extended if required.

DFC generally announces internship opportunities under the Pathways Program at the beginning of the calendar year but can announce them at any time throughout the year. We recommend you set up a saved job search on USAJOBS so you can be notified when these opportunities become available.

The Recent Graduates Program is a one-year developmental program. Successful participants may be converted to a federal position, but conversion is not guaranteed.

DFC does not currently appoint recent graduates on a cyclical basis, which means opportunities will be announced on a case-by-case basis. We recommend you set up a saved job search on USAJOBS so you can be notified when these opportunities become available.

Eligibility requirements differ based on the opportunity. Please review the "Requirements" section of the announcement you are applying to for specific eligibility and qualification requirements.

No, DFC does not currently offer internships for high school students. Generally, students must be enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate degree program in an applicable field of study.

Internships appointed under the Pathways Program and Student Volunteer Experience Program are generally not to exceed three months but can be extended if required.