Internships
Student Educational Employment Programs
The Student Educational Employment Program has two components; student temporary employment and student career experience. It is available to all levels of students: high school, vocational and technical, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, graduate degree, and professional degree students.
- Student Temporary Employment Component — The Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) allows students the opportunity to gain experience in a wide area of fields that do not have to be related to your field of study. Job opportunities under this component offer temporary employment ranging from summer positions to positions that the student may occupy as long as they are enrolled at least part-time in an accredited institution. These employment opportunities need not necessarily be related to your academic field of study.
- Student Career Experience Component — The Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) allows students the opportunity to gain experience directly related to your field of study. Under this program, the student is eligible for the full range of benefits e.g., health benefits, life insurance, retirement coverage and yearly within-grade increases. It provides formal periods of work and study while attending school. It requires a signed commitment by the student, the school, and the employing Federal agency. The student may be eligible for permanent employment under this component after successfully completing education and meeting work requirements.
Program Features Under Both Components:
- Flexible schedule of work assignments
- Open to all students…high school, under-graduate, graduate, and vocational/technical
- Students may be employed year round
Eligibility Requirements
You are eligible under the Student Educational Employment Program if you are:
- A student enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student (diploma, certificate, etc.)
- At least the minimum age of 16 years required by Federal, state or local laws and standards governing the employment of minors
- Taking at least half-time academic or vocational and technical course load in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, graduate or professional school, and a U.S. citizen or a national (resident of American Samoa or Swains Island). Non-citizens may be eligible for employment if:
- permitted by a Federal agency's appropriation act, and
- eligible to work under U.S. immigration laws. U.S. citizenship is required for conversion to permanent employment under the Student Career Experience Component.
Student Volunteer Program
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) employs undergraduate and high school students in the Student Volunteer Program. The program allows students to explore career options as well as develop personal and professional skills. Student volunteers are exposed to the Federal work environment and will learn about the missions and responsibilities of ATF. Student volunteers perform service without pay and may or may not be assigned duties which relate to their course of study. Student volunteers are not Federal Government employees however the volunteer service is documented. ATF offers unpaid training opportunities to students in high school or college.
Student Eligibility and Status — The minimum age is 18 however, when all regulatory conditions for volunteer service are met, the minimum age is 16. Nonetheless, any employment certificates or work permits required by the State or local authority must be obtained. Students must be in good standing academically, and eligible to continue as an enrolled student (i.e., enrolled at least half-time in an accredited high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable recognized educational institution) in their respective institutions.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Please note that all employment is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background investigation.
Supplemental Information
There are currently no available positions for the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) or the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). For hiring updates, please visit our Internship Career Opportunities page.