The executive branch
recess appointment
A temporary appointment the President can make without Senate confirmation while the Senate is in recess; it expires at the end of the next session.
In full
Article II lets the President fill vacancies 'during the Recess of the Senate.' The Supreme Court (NLRB v. Noel Canning, 2014) held the recess must be of substantial length, ten days or more as a practical rule, which is why the Senate now holds brief pro forma sessions through breaks specifically to block the maneuver.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.