2027 Spring - Student Intern (Volunteer)

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  Job Title:

2027 Spring - Student Intern (Volunteer)

Appointment Type:

Temporary Assignment – 16 weeks
January 25 - May 14, 2027
Part- Time and Full-Time opportunities are available:

• Full-Time: 35-40 hours/per week
• Part-time: 15-34 hours/per week

Announcement OPENING Date:

Monday, October 5, 2026

Announcement CLOSING Date:

Friday, October 16, 2026
(or as soon as 100 applications are received)

Pay and Benefit Details:

No pay or benefits for interns. Interns are eligible to receive Transportation Subsidy benefits.

Location:

Washington, DC.

SUMMARY:

The intern program at USTR offers unpaid volunteer opportunities for students, recent graduates, and veterans to gain knowledge and hands-on experience in U.S. trade policy. Intern responsibilities may include conducting research and analysis, compiling statistics, preparing reports and briefing materials, assisting with meeting and conference planning, drafting correspondence, and attending meetings, hearings, or legislative markup sessions. 
Full-time and part-time internship opportunities are available within the following participating offices.  Click here to see an overview of their functional responsibilities. 

Office of the Ambassador
Office of Economic Affairs
Office of the General Counsel
Office of Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Engagement
Office of Japan, Korea, and APEC Affairs 
Office of Trade Policy Coordination
Office of Western Hemisphere
Office of WTO and Multilateral Affairs

WHO WE (USTR) ARE:

Begin a challenging and exciting career with the  Executive Office of the President (EOP). The EOP is comprised of offices, components and councils that directly support the President. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is a component within the EOP established to develop and coordinate U.S. international trade policy.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries. We also consult with other government agencies, legislators, business organizations, and public interest groups to discuss the President’s trade policy agenda and gather input on trade related issues. The head of USTR is the U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet member who serves as the president’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an agency of more than 200 committed professionals with decades of specialized experience in trade issues and regions of the world.

Please carefully read the announcement qualifications to determine if you meet the criteria to apply.

DUTIES:

As an intern, your typical work assignments may include the following:

• Assisting in the preparation of briefing materials, correspondence, reports, presentations, or other documents related to trade policy issues. 
• Researching, collecting, and summarizing information on trade, economic, or policy issues to support organization's goals.
• Providing administrative support and supporting office operations.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT/QUALIFICATIONS:

Program participants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years or older before the first day of the program, and meet at least one of the three following criteria: 

1. Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution).
2. Graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution) no more than two years prior to the first day of the EOP Internship Program.
3. A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time, no more than two years prior to the first day of the EOP Internship Program.

Note: If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions. 

Internships will be hosted in person on the White House campus, located in Washington, D.C. Selected Interns will be expected to complete the entire 16-week term and must participate fully in all mandatory on-boarding/off-boarding activities.  Please note that living accommodations and relocation support will not be provided.  

All participants in the USTR Internship Program must undergo a rigorous security review and drug testing prior to the start of the program.

All participants must sign an USTR Internship Program Participant Agreement Form.
The USTR Internship Program supports academic credit requests.  While we do not arrange academic credit for you, if your academic institution hosts an academic credit program, we can work with you and your institution to accommodate these actions.  
Demonstrated interest and a commitment to public service through schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and previous work or internship experience are beneficial to applicants. 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

You must submit a complete application package which includes:

1. Your  resume showing dates of employment and duties performed.
A COMPLETE RESUME IS REQUIRED. Your resume must show relevant experience where you worked, job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), and hours per week. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, please ensure you provide the pay plan, series and grade level, i.e., GS-0201-09. 
Note: If you upload more than one resume, the last resume received will be the one utilized for consideration.
2. Other supporting documents (must meet at least one of the three following criteria):

1. Currently enrolled in accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college community college, or university (two- to four-year institution):
   • A copy of a current official transcript must be submitted with your application to verify your qualifications.
2. Graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program no more than two years prior to the first day of the EOP Internship Program . ***Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed six years from the date on which the degree or certification was completed.
   • A copy of a qualifying degree to include an Associates, Bachelor's, Master's, Professional, Doctorate, OR obtained a Vocational, Technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous two years.  
3. A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time,  no more than two years prior to the first day of the EOP Internship Program :
   • A copy of your DD-214 and SF-15 forms are required .

Complete application packages must be submitted within this portal by the deadline.