The Recent Graduates Program provides an entry-level developmental experience designed to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government after successfully completing 1 year under the Program, unless the training requirements of the position warrant a longer and more structured training program. Employment under the Recent Graduates Program may not exceed 2 years plus any agency approved extension of up to an additional 120 days. Individuals appointed under this authority are referred to as Recent Graduates. An agency wishing to participate in the Recent Graduates Program must:

(a) Identify in its Pathways Policy the duration of its Recent Graduates Program, including any criteria used to determine the need for a longer and more structured training program that exceeds 1 year;

(b) Ensure, within 90 days of appointment, that each Recent Graduate is assigned a mentor who is an employee outside the Recent Graduates' chain of command;

(c) Ensure, within 45 days of appointment, that each Recent Graduate has an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that is approved by his or her supervisor; and

(d) Provide at least 40 hours of formal interactive training per year that advances the goals and competencies outlined in each Recent Graduate's IDP. Mandatory annual training, such as information security and ethics training, does not count towards the 40-hour requirement.

(a) A Recent Graduate is an individual who obtained a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational, technical degree or a certificate from a qualifying educational institution or completed a qualifying career or technical education program within the previous 2 years or other applicable period provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, an individual may apply for a position in the Recent Graduates Program only if the individual's application is received not later than 2 years after the date the individual completed all requirements of an academic course of study leading to a qualifying associate, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or completed a qualifying career or technical education program.

(2) A veteran, as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2108,who,due,was. In no event, however, may the individual's eligibility period extend beyond 6 years from the date on which the individual completed the requirements of an academic course of study or a qualifying career or technical education program.

(a) Announcement—(1) Public notification requirement. An agency must adhere to merit system principles and thus must provide public notification in a manner designed to recruit qualified individuals from appropriate sources in an endeavor to draw from all segments of society. For the purposes of this paragraph (a), agency means an Executive agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105 and the Government Publishing Office. An Executive department may treat each of its bureaus or components (i.e., the first major subdivision that is separately organized and clearly distinguished from other bureaus or components in work function and operation) as a separate agency or as part of one agency but must do so consistent with its Delegated Examining Agreement.

(2) Meeting the public notification requirement. An agency may use any of the following options for meeting the public notification requirement:

(i) Posting a searchable announcement on www.USAJOBS.gov; or

(ii) Posting job information with a link to a USAJOBS custom job announcement on the agency's public facing career or job information web page. This custom posting must provide applicants with information about how to apply or seek additional information about the position(s) being filled, while also providing information regarding that job announcement to OPM.

(iii) The agency may also consider whether additional recruitment and advertisement activities to supplement paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section, such as posting on third-party websites, are necessary or appropriate to further support merit system principles.

(3) Contents of announcements. Announcements used to meet the public notification requirement must include:

(i) Position information. Position title, series, and grade;

(ii) Position location. Geographic location where the position will be filled;

(iii) Salary information. The starting salary of the position;

(iv) Qualifications information. The minimum qualifications of the position;

(v) Promotion potential. Whether the individual in the position will be eligible for promotion to higher grade levels;

(vi) Conversion information. The potential for conversion to the agency's permanent workforce;

(vii) How to apply. A public source (e.g., a link to the location on the agency's website with information on how to apply) for interested individuals to seek further information about how to apply for Recent Graduate opportunities; and

(viii) Equal employment information. Equal employment opportunity statement (agencies may use the recommended equal employment opportunity statement located on OPM's USAJOBS website);

(ix) Reasonable accommodation information. Reasonable accommodation statement;

(x) Other relevant information. Any other relevant information about the position such as telework opportunities, recruitment incentives, etc.; and

(xi) Other requirements. Any other information OPM considers appropriate.

(4) Other Information. OPM will publish information on Pathways Recent Graduate opportunities in such form as the Director may determine.

(b) Appointments. (1) An agency may make appointments to the Recent Graduates Program pursuant to its Pathways Policy under Schedule D of the excepted service in accordance with part 302 of this chapter.

(2) An agency must appoint a Recent Graduate using the excepted service appointing authority provided by § 213.3402(b) of this chapter.

(3)(i) An agency may make an initial appointment of a Recent Graduate to any position filled under the authority in this section for which the Recent Graduate qualifies, up to the GS-11 level (or equivalent under another pay and classification system, such as the Federal Wage System), except as provided in paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) through (iv) of this section.

(ii) Initial appointments to positions for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) occupations may be made at the GS-11 level, if the candidate possesses a Ph.D. or equivalent degree directly related to the STEM position the agency is seeking to fill.

(iii) Initial appointments to scientific and professional research positions at the GS-11 level for which the classification and qualification criteria for research positions apply, if the candidate possesses a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree directly related to the position the agency is seeking to fill.

(iv) Initial appointments to scientific and professional research positions at the GS-12 level for which the classification and qualification criteria for research positions apply, if the candidate possesses a Ph.D. or equivalent degree directly related to the position the agency is seeking to fill.

(v) Positions must have progressively more responsible duties that provide career advancement opportunities (i.e., positions must provide for career ladder advancement).

(c) Extensions. An agency may extend the Program period for up to an additional 120 days to cover rare or unusual circumstances or situations. The agency's Pathways MOU must identify criteria for approving extensions.

(d) Qualifications. An agency must evaluate candidates using OPM Qualification Standards for the occupation and grade level of the position being filled.

(e) Promotions. An agency may promote any Recent Graduate who meets the qualification requirements for the position. This provision does not confer entitlement to promotion.

(f) Trial period. The duration of the Recent Graduates appointment in the excepted service is a trial period.

(a) A Recent Graduate may apply for and accept a new Recent Graduates appointment with another agency covered by this part, as long as the agency meets all the requirements for participating in the Recent Graduates Program.

(b) To move to the new agency, the Recent Graduate must separate from the current employing agency.

(c) The new employing agency must appoint the Recent Graduate without a break in service.

(d) Time served under the previous agency's Recent Graduates Program is credited toward the Program requirements for noncompetitive conversion eligibility to the competitive service. Because there is no break in service, the Recent Graduate does not begin a new period in the Program upon moving to the new agency.

(e) The new employing agency's plan must identify requirements for Program completion and eligibility for noncompetitive conversion.

(a) An agency may noncompetitively convert a Recent Graduate who is a U.S. citizen to a competitive service term or permanent position when the Recent Graduate has:

(1) Successfully completed at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all the requirements of the Recent Graduates Program;

(2) Demonstrated successful job performance consistent with the applicable performance appraisal program established under the agency's approved performance appraisal system that results in a rating of record (or summary rating) of at least Fully Successful or equivalent and a recommendation for conversion by the first-level supervisor; and

(3) Met the OPM Qualification Standard for the competitive service position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

(b) An agency must make the noncompetitive conversion effective on the date the service requirement is met, or at the end of an agency-approved extension, if applicable.

(c) A Recent Graduate may be converted to a permanent or term position at a different agency when the following conditions are met:

(1) The employing (or losing) agency is unable to convert the Recent Graduate to a term or permanent position in the competitive service in the current organizational unit of the employing agency or another component within the same Department or agency. The reasons for conversion at another agency may include unforeseen budgetary constraints; reorganizations; abolishment of positions; completion of cohort-based Pathways programs; or other appropriate reasons. Such a conversion to another agency may not be due to issues related to misconduct, poor performance, or suitability;

(2) Conversion must occur on or before the end of the agency prescribed Program period, plus any agency-approved extension; and

(3) The position at the new agency must have a full performance level that is equivalent or less than the position they would have been converted to at the prior agency.

(a) Reduction in force. Recent Graduates are in excepted service Tenure Group II for purposes of § 351.502 of this chapter. Expiration of the Recent Graduates appointment is not otherwise subject to part 351 of this chapter.

(b) Terminations. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, as a condition of employment, a Recent Graduate appointment expires at the end of the agency prescribed Program period, plus any agency-approved extension, unless the Participant is selected for noncompetitive conversion under § 362.306.

(2) A Recent Graduate who held a career-conditional or career appointment in an agency immediately before entering the Program, and fails to complete the Program for reasons that are not related to misconduct, poor performance, or suitability, may, at the agency's discretion, be placed in a permanent competitive service position, as appropriate, in the employing agency.