Internships

The State of South Dakota Intern Program provides opportunities for students to gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of governmental processes through pre-professional work experiences in various occupational fields. The Intern Program offers internships for students in many areas, some of which include accounting, corrections, education, engineering, fisheries and wildlife, law, marketing, nursing, pharmacy, public relations, and technology-based.

The intern program consists of  three sessions. Positions for each session are announced separately. The positions offered in one session are not necessarily offered in another session.

  • Spring internships typically begin in January and end in May.
  • Summer internships typically begin in May and end in August.
  • Fall internships typically begin in September and end in December.

Internship opportunities with the South Dakota Legislature:

How to apply for an internship?
Applicants must register through our jobs page. You will then build your profile and attach a resume before completing the online application process. 

Search for internships:

    • Go to our Jobs Page.
    • Click All open positions.
    • Click on the Internship tab.
    • Click the Filter button on the far right to search for specific internships.

      Image showing the Internship Tab selected and pointing out the filter buttom on the far right side of the page.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a State of South Dakota Internship, students must:

  1. Attend an accredited college, university, or vocational-technical program in the United States. This includes students in undergraduate and graduate programs.
  2. Applicant must be a current part time or full-time student (minimum of 6 credit hours) in upcoming semester or in the immediately preceding semester.
  3. By the start of the internship, the student should have completed one year (nine months) of their chosen program.
    Please Note: All students are encouraged to apply, but preference may be given to applicants with a standing of junior/senior, South Dakota residents, and students of South Dakota institutions.

Compensation
All internships announced under the South Dakota Intern Program are paid. The hourly wage is indicated on each position announcement. All internships are full-time unless otherwise indicated on the position announcement.

Housing
The State of South Dakota does not provide housing to its interns, nor do we assume the responsibility for finding housing for interns.