Opportunities for Students and Recent Graduates
Are you a student or a recent alumni interested in a career with EPA?
EPA internships, fellowships, and recent graduate positions provide a great introduction to our work and may lead to permanent employment. These opportunities are available at our Washington D.C. headquarters, in our ten regional offices, and at our labs and research centers throughout the nation.
The Pathways Program
EPA utilizes the Pathways Program, which allows students or recent graduates like you to gain paid experience in the Federal government.
Pathways has three components:
- Internship Program: These positions are also referred to as "Student Trainee" positions and are paid internships for students currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program at an accredited school, typically at the post-secondary or graduate level. These internships are either indefinite while the intern is enrolled or for a defined term, such as the summer. Offices sometimes have the option to convert student interns to permanent employees. All internships paid by EPA are advertised on USAJobs.gov.
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EPA hires student interns for administrative/clerical positions as well as technical positions in areas such as life sciences, program or policy analysis, and engineering.
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Most positions have salaries ranging from the GS-2 to GS-07 level.
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You can start your search on the USAJobs.gov Pathways for Students page.
- You can also filter your "hiring path" on USAJOBS to "Students" to see all current openings.
- Note that some positions have an application limit, so act fast!
- Locations are all over the nation; check specific listings for location(s).
- Read the entire announcement before you apply to ensure that you meet all requirements.
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**Generally, EPA internships, whether paid or unpaid, are limited to U.S. citizens only. Pathways Programs participant must be a U.S. citizen or national, or be lawfully permitted to the U.S. as a permanent resident or otherwise authorized to be employed.**
- Recent Graduates Program: These positions are dynamic, two-year career development program for recent graduates who completed a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate within the last two years. Veterans whose military service obligations prevent them from applying within this period have up to six years after degree or certificate completion to apply. Recent Graduate positions are often converted to permanent employment.
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EPA hires Recent Graduates for entry level positions in almost any field, including human resources, life sciences, physical science, IT, engineer, program or policy analysis, administration, and more.
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Most positions have salaries ranging from the GS-05 to the GS-11 level.
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You can start your search on the USAJobs.gov Pathways for Recent Graduates page.
- You can also filter your "hiring path" on USAJOBS to "Recent Graduates" to see all current openings.
- Note that some positions have an application limit, so act fast!
- Locations are all over the nation; check specific listings for location(s).
- Read the entire announcement before you apply to ensure that you meet all requirements.
- Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program: This is a premier two-year leadership training program for students who have completed an advanced degree program.
- Learn about the PMF program through the Office of Personnel Management's page here.
- Find out how EPA utilizes the PMF Program by clicking here.
Other Internships
Internships Paid by Organizations Other than EPA
Certain academic institutions and non-profits sponsor and pay for internships, where each intern is assigned to an office in federal government and/or industry. In some instances, the cost is covered by the tuition you have already paid to your college or university. EPA has agreements with the organizations listed below. Note that not all of these organizations place interns with EPA every year:
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU): Home page | Internships home page
- National Congress of American Indians (NCAI): Home page | Internships home page
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) internships: see information on the EPA Fellowships page
- The Washington Center (TWC): Home page | Internships home page
- Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP): Home page
Other Student Opportunities
- Fellowships, scholarships and post-doctoral opportunities
- Student contracting
- Internships and fellowships for law students and recent law school grads
- Federal internships through the NSF INTERN Program
Unpaid (Volunteer) Internships
- Virtual Student Federal Service
- The EPA partners with the U.S. Department of State to provide virtual volunteer work for students interested in learning more about EPA. Click the link to learn more.