16 U.S.C. § 1725a — Direct hire authority

(1) During fiscal year 2012 and thereafter, the Secretary (as defined in section 1722 of this title ) may appoint, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such title, a qualified candidate described in paragraph (2) directly to a position for which the candidate meets Office of Personnel Management qualification standards. (2) Paragraph (1) applies with respect to a former resource assistant (as defined in section 1722 of this title ) who— (A) completed a rigorous undergraduate or graduate summer internship with the Secretary (as so defined), such as the National Park Service Business Plan Internship; (B) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the internship program; and (C) subsequently earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education. (3) The direct hire authority under this section may not be exercised with respect to a specific qualified candidate after the end of the two-year period beginning on the date on which the candidate completed the undergraduate or graduate degree, as the case may be.