Author: USD of Edu. Staff      11/30/2022       USD of Edu.

HBCU Announcements

WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE ON ADVANCING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, EXCELLENCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH  HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Thank you for subscribing to the U.S. Department of Education, Initiative weekly newsletter. If you have questions about any of the opportunities listed or would like your organizations resources and events included in our next distribution, please email: HBCUnewsletter@ed.gov

UNCF HBCU Conference

Register Here!

A letter from the President. Thank you so much for your vote of confidence and faith in electing me as your 25th President. Over the last few months, the Board has been busy evaluating the organization and planning for the conference. We are excited to reveal all that is to come.

I am ecstatic to announce our Leadership Conference Registration is open! The conference will be in Birmingham, AL, from February 16-19, 2023. Our theme “Renaissance: A new HBCU conference experience “focuses on our alignment and investment into the arts of our culture. Our conference is the official rebirth of NAC and our support of UNCF. We are entering an Enlightenment period, and I hope to see you all there.

We have made strides to create a seamless process for our conference registration experience. Conference registration and awards are now able to be submitted online. This process is a major step forward in guiding NAC to the future. I look forward to a future that is bright as our historical past. More than ever, the world need us, our member institutions need us, and our students need us. Let us stand together in unity to ensure a legacy of service and achievement.

Register Here!

U.S. Department of Energy

On November 7, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the topics for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) funding programs for fiscal year 2023. The programs give U.S. small businesses an opportunity to conduct high-risk, innovative research and technology development with potential for commercialization, spurring innovation and job creation.

SBIR/STTR funding enables small businesses to achieve their goals in two phases: Phase I provides up to $200,000 to prove an idea’s feasibility. If successful, awardees can then receive up to $1.1 million in Phase II to develop a prototype.

The DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office is hosting an informational webinar on November 30, at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss the Phase I solar topics, listed below. Register for the webinar.

DOE plans to fund projects that advance a broad range of ideas in the following topic areas:

• Wide-Bandgap Power Electronics
• Photovoltaic Recycling
• Solar Systems Resilient to Weather-related or Cyber Threats
• Heliostat Components and Systems for Low-Cost, Autonomous, and High-Concentration Solar Collectors
• Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power (CSP) Technologies for Gen3 CSP or Industrial Decarbonization
• Solar Hardware and Software Technologies: Affordability, Reliability, Performance, and Manufacturing
• Transferring Novel Solar Technologies from Research Laboratories to the Market (open to STTR applications only)

Mandatory letters of intent are due in early January. Learn more about the solar topics, and look for the funding opportunity announcement in the coming weeks.

GSA Launches “Access for All” Student Design Competition

November 22, 2022. The student competition seeks to engage architecture and design students to discover innovative opportunities to create barrier-free federal spaces

WASHINGTON – Today, as part of their commitment to ensuring federal spaces are accessible, equitable, and inclusive, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and Challenge.Gov are launching Access for All, a student design competition for barrier-free spaces in federal buildings.

Federal facilities are typically designed with a compliance-based approach in mind. That can create barriers to common access and equal experience, which can impact individuals’ ability to fully participate in public life. As one example, restroom facilities follow and comply with all pertinent building codes but might not consider access for all. Other examples that could benefit from integrating universal design include using ramps versus elevators-only and innovative new options for low-light energy requirements that consider those with low-vision. These and other disparities can disproportionately burden members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities (short-term, long-term, visible or not visible, mobility), women, and parents or caretakers of dependents. Finding innovative solutions that reduce disparity for all communities is a goal for GSA’s Office of Design and Construction.

The Access for All design competition will support GSA’s commitment to advancing accessibility and providing an equitable experience in federal buildings owned and operated by GSA. The Challenge.Gov competition will stimulate innovation among America’s architecture students by rewarding universal design ideas that improve inclusivity for federal workers and members of the public, while optimizing government resources and adding value to taxpayers. These ideas could include a broad range of modification solutions, including design and configuration that support the broadest set of needs for users while creating accessible facilities.

This design competition will:

• Invest in a framework that will advance accessibility and improve inclusivity for federal employees and the general public.
• Engage students from across the academic spectrum to include community college architecture programs and professional schools.
• Engage students from architecture and interior design, construction science, and facilities management.
• Serve as a steppingstone to accommodate and include a more diverse federal workforce.

As the nation’s largest employer, the federal government – through the U.S. General Services Administration and the buildings it manages – is the public face for many government services. As such, the federal government strives to be a model of convenience, fairness, and safety for its workforce and for the people who are using their services. Through recent Presidential Executive Orders, achieving equitable outcomes for people from historically and socially underserved communities is a priority alongside ensuring that the federal government’s workforce and mission delivery reflects the diversity of the American people. This challenge facilitates and expands upon the model the federal government strives to maintain and enhance.

Upcoming Virtual Events!

                 US. Department of Labor

Open Opportunities at OSHA! The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces.

Use the image displayed and scan the QRL code to receive more information and to registeand join the U.S. Department of Labor’s virtual event on November 30, 2022. The following will be addressed during the event.

• Agency Information & Position Information
• Federal Application Process
• Pathways Program & Federal Benefits

U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

On December 8, 2022, USWCC is pleased to co-host WOSB Pathway to Federal Contracting in conjunction with USAID. This event will bring together acquisition professionals from USAID missions around the globe and provide agency-specific education and matchmaking. Additionally, other federal agencies along with prime contractors will be participating.

Don’t miss this year’s final opportunity to get connected – Registration is open.

NIH Virtual Workshops Available!

See upcoming workshops below.

• Pathways to Prevention (P2P) Program: Identifying Risks and Intervention to Optimize Postpartum Health. Three-day virtual workshops hosted by the NIH. November 29 – December 1, at 11:00 a.m. ET. Register
• Human Subjects Research: Policies, Clinical Trials, & Inclusion. Virtual conference hosted by NIH December 6-7, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Register
• 2022 UnidosUS Latinx Health Equity Summit: Advancing Our Community’s Health. Summit hosted by UnidosUS. December 6-8, in Phoenix, AZ.  Register
• 2022 Global Health Landscape Symposium. Symposium discussing equity in global health hosted by the Global Health Council. December 7-8, in Washington, DC. Register
• Applying SMARTIE Principles to Objectives Aligned with Healthy People. Virtual meeting hosted by OMH in partnership with the National Association of State Offices of Minority Health and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. December 15, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Register via Email

Student Opportunities !

White House Summer Internship Opportunity!

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces the Application Period for Summer Session of the White House Internship Program | The White House

 North Carolina Department of Transportation

The NCDOT’s HBCU/MSI Transportation Scholarship is accepting applications through December 21, 2022. Scholarships in the amount of $1500 will be awarded for the spring 2023 semester to students currently enrolled at a North Carolina HBCU or MSI. You can access the application portal here: www.ncdot.gov/hbcu

For additional information, please reach out to Ashley Houston at aahouston@ncdot.gov.

General Services Administration

We are excited to announce that the GSA Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) is accepting applications for the 2023 Fellowship. All fellowship positions will be remote and location flexible within the United States. Fellows will serve at least a one-year term, with availability to serve additional years preferred.

OES is a team of interdisciplinary experts that works across the federal government to help agencies build and use evidence. We partner with federal agencies to answer priority questions with rigorous evaluation methods and administrative data. We design and conduct impact evaluations of programs and evidence-based program changes. To date, OES has completed nearly 100 impact evaluations with dozens of agency partners.

Our evaluations, in collaboration with agency partners, span areas such as increasing environmental protection, supporting equitable delivery of the American Rescue Plan, improving public health outcomes, and increasing educational opportunity. Join the OES team if you are interested in working closely with key decision makers in government and evaluating promising interventions at a national scale!

Learn more about the OES Fellowship here.

• Annual Fellowship Federal Details
• Team members work alongside agency collaborators to make concrete
•  recommendations on how to improve government and evaluate impact using administrative data.
• Deadline: Wednesday, January 11, 2023. 

U.S. Department of Energy

Technology Commercialization Internship Now Accepting Applications. The Office of Technology Transitions Technology Commercialization Internship is a unique paid opportunity for undergraduate STEM and business students to explore and contribute to advances at the intersection of business and innovative clean energy technologies. Interns undergo intensive training as they join the world-class National Laboratory sys. tem, boost entrepreneurial thinking, and explore market opportunities.

This internship focuses on the business side of technology commercialization where interns will learn skills such as customer discovery, value propositions development, and market sizing. Students will be paired with cutting edge technologies at National Labs in fields spanning machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, biofuels, and more.

Apply before Jan. 16, 2023

Request for Information: Accelerating Innovations in Emerging Technologies. The Office of Science invites interested parties to provide input relevant to developing approaches for:

• Accelerating innovations in emerging technologies to drive scientific discovery to sustainable production of new technologies across the innovation continuum
• Training a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce to support 21st century industries
• Meeting the nation’s needs for abundant clean energy, a sustainable environment, and national security.

Respond by Dec. 23, 2022.

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of Energy’s Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship
Audience: Undergraduate and Graduate Students Who Are U.S. Citizens
Application Deadline: Jan. 16, 2023

Application Link: www.energy.gov/fe/mlef
Contact: mlef@hq.doe.gov

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Program is currently accepting applications for their Summer 2023 program. This 10-week summer research fellowship is for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM majors seeking to gain experience in energy research. Participants complete a cutting edge research project at one of DOE’s national laboratories or at DOE headquarters under the mentorship of our scientists and engineers. Stipend provided. Participants may be eligible to receive travel and housing assistance.

Employment Opportunities!

U.S. Department of Transportation

Don’t Delay – Start Your Career with FHWA Today! Turning a unique summer work experience into a career with the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). APPLY today (applications accepted through 01/31/2023).

Help make the U.S. home to the safest, most efficient and convenient transportation system in the world! The Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG) internship program is a unique opportunity for undergraduate, graduate and law students like you to get hands-on experience in public service while learning more about transportation challenges and advancements throughout the United States.

In partnership with the USDOT, this program is a critical part of the agency’s employee recruitment efforts. Build your network, develop skills and learn about open position! And if you love your internship experience, consider applying at USAjobs.gov to pursue a career.

Students from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. STIPDG 2023 will be held in-person at the USDOT offices in Washington (DC) and across the country. If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about this program, please contact dotstipdg@twc.edu.

Register for one of our live upcoming virtual info sessions or application tips and support webinars.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Are you a student or alumnus interested in a career with a federal contractor?

Join the HBCU Hires Webinars to learn how! Click on the displayed image for more details.

General Services Administration

Are you an experienced technology attorney looking for an opportunity to support transformative change across the Federal Government as agencies modernize and secure Federal IT and Federal networks? GSA’s technology offices are leading the digital ecosystem in the Federal Government. GSA is transforming how the Government uses technology and developing more effective digital services to improve the lives of the American people. The new Associate General Counsel for Technology Law for GSA will be at the forefront of this transformative change. Please see the vacancy announcement on USAJobs to apply by December 9, 2022.

If you want to learn more information about this exciting job opportunity from GSA’s General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel, please register for one of our upcoming information sessions:

Info Session #2 – 12/1/2022 3:00pm (invite) 

If you are interested in joining GSA’s Technology Law Division but have less experience, GSA is also looking for more junior attorneys to join the team. Vacancy announcements for the Assistant General Counsel position (GS-13 and GS-14) close on December 9, 2022. Attorneys of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply but should have an interest in learning about and working with new technologies and areas of the law.

U.S. Department of Transportation

Don’t Delay – Start Your Career with FHWA Today!

The Office of Operations is hiring a Transportation Specialist (GS-2101-15) in Washington, DC. To apply, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/686848800 (open to U.S. Citizens) and select “Washington, District of Columbia” for the location while also indicating GS-15. Alternatively, send your resume directly to Valerie.Briggs@dot.gov with “Attention: Transportation Specialist” in the subject line. This announcement closes on 11/28/2022.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides stewardship over the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges, and tunnels. FHWA also conducts research and provides technical assistance to state and local agencies to improve safety, mobility, and encourage innovation.

Join FHWA and lead a new team within the Office of Operations focused on implementing operations programs through discretionary grants. This team is responsible for administering Federal aid discretionary grants and delivering other initiatives that implement transportation operations programs. Its mission is to advance the state of practice and transfer knowledge related to safe and effective transportation systems management and operations through the administration of grants and other initiatives. In addition, this team works with FHWA Federal-aid Highway Division offices and external stakeholders.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Office of Research and Development Position Summary

The Principal Investigator Engineering position will be in the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response which provides research-based solutions and technical support to assist customers with regulatory, policy and guidance decisions and to help customers solve environmental problems in the built environment. Research and support include safeguarding public water systems; remediating contaminated soil, sediments, urban areas, and groundwater; providing emergency responders with tools to decontaminate built infrastructure and the natural environment; and advancing approaches and guidance for sustainable materials management.

The salary range for this position at EPA is between $68,915 – $107,385. Link: RTP-NF-ODH-2023-0001: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/690434600

For additional information about EPA Careers please visit: https://www.epa.gov/careers. If you are interested in receiving updates on this position, please send your contact information to: Jonathan Pressman – (pressman.jonathan@epa.gov).

Social Scientist for Research at EPA’s Office of Research and Development

8 Positions | Multiple Locations

• Lead collaborative and inclusive teams for evidence-building that can be utilized by various EPA programs, policies, and regulations
• Design and execute studies and/or projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods for scientific, behavioral, or econometric topics
• Protect human health and the environment for future generations

For more information, go to the USA Jobs posting: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/690428300#

Application Deadline: 12/05/2022   U.S. EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

U.S. Department of Labor

Opportunities are open at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and are waiting for you!  As we face the new challenges of the 21st-century, we need your talent, imagination, and dedication to public service to continue our tradition of excellence in serving the American people.

We’re seeking applicants to join our team from all backgrounds!  DOL is committed to hiring a highly talented and diverse workforce to include veterans, individuals with disabilities, students and recent graduates, retirees, and those from the corporate world.  Our positions offer valuable experience, training opportunities, excellent benefits, and opportunities for advancement.

DOL posts all job opportunities on USAJOBS, the official website for searching for and applying to the federal government. View all DOL Jobs Opportunities Open Now

Here are some tips for getting started with USAJOBS as well as tips for writing a federal resume!

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) announced an opportunity for non-federal public and private sector entities to co-sponsor OASH-supported grants workshops (OASH Grants Workshops). The OASH Grants Workshops aim to build capacity among potential grant applicants and grant recipients in related areas such as applying for and managing grants and cooperative agreements awarded under OASH programs.