DHS Office of Public Affairs (OPA) Spring 2021 Internship

https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/public-affairs

Office of Public Affairs Internship Opportunities

The DHS Office of Public Affairs (OPA) is seeking applicants for the Office of Public Affairs Internship Program.

The Office of Public Affairs is responsible for managing external and internal communications. OPA responds to national media inquiries, maintains and updates the department's website (DHS.gov), writes speeches for principals and coordinates speaking events for department officials. We foster strategic communication throughout the department and with external stakeholders. We manage the department's organizational identity program, which includes use of the DHS seal and related guidelines. OPA oversees the department's employee communication activities, which includes town hall meetings between management and employees, and an intranet site. Our incident communications program guides overall federal incident communication activity and coordinates with state, local, and international partners to ensure accurate and timely distribution of information to the public during a crisis.

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About the Public Affairs Internship Program

The Office of Public Affairs Internship Program provides students the opportunity to work at DHS in unpaid, volunteer positions in the Office of Public Affairs at DHS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Interns work on assignments that offer both valuable experience and substantial individual responsibility. OPA volunteers may also have the opportunity to visit one or more DHS operational sites in the Washington, D.C. area.

Office of Public Affairs Interns are assigned to work in one of the following divisions:

·         Incident Communications

·         Internal Communications

·         Office of the Press Secretary

·         Photography

·         Speechwriting

·         Strategic Communications

·         Web Operations & Communications

Applicant preferences will be considered when determining assignments, but assignments will be primarily based on resource needs.

The internship is full-time with flexible hours and the office (located near American University) is Metro accessible.  Internships are unpaid and housing assistance is not provided.

Eligibility

Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment in OPA's Internship Program (no dual citizenship). In addition, they must also be enrolled and in good standing in a College or University during the term for which they are applying. 

Candidates should also possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, and basic computer proficiency. OPA is a fast paced office and interns are expected to be flexible and efficient.

Prior to participating in the program, the applicant will be required to undergo a suitability determination and background check conducted by the DHS Security Office.  Failure to obtain a security clearance will preclude candidates from obtaining an internship.

Application Process and Deadlines

We are currently considering applications for Fall 2020 to Spring 2021.  Click here to download the application form.

To be considered, applicants should submit the following to the Internship Coordinator via email at OPA.Internships@hq.dhs.gov by August 31, 2020:

·         Cover letter

·         Resume

·         Unofficial transcript

·         Completed application (PDF)

Due to the large number of applications received, we are unable to respond to all of the applicants individually.  Only those candidates under consideration will be contacted, and only email applications will be considered.