The IRC’s US offices offer a variety of unpaid internship opportunities throughout the year.Prospectiveinterns should be currently enrolled in an educational institution or within 6 months of graduation and are required to submit an application and resume.

Internships at the International Rescue Committee in Tucson provide college students and recent graduates with opportunities to gain professional experiences and exposure to different fields. Interns learn to work in a multi-cultural environment, build professional networks within the community, and cultivate adaptability and creativity in a dynamic world. 

Please note that most of our internships are in person. There may be some exceptions for specific positions.

On this Page:

Internship Process

Internship Positions

Application Steps:

This is an unpaid internship but course credit is often available.

  1. Get to know the IRC in Tucson and learn more about how you can be involved. To see a list of current internship openings, please see the position descriptions below. For specific questions, email us at [email protected]  
  2. Apply online. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
  3. Interview with the Volunteer Coordinator and Department Supervisor
  4. Receive offer and accept--conditional on background and reference checks
  5. Clearance checks and criminal history disclosures
  6. Apply for a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card
  7. Volunteer Coordinator will work with you and the supervisor to schedule your first day.
  8. Attend an orientation and training session to learn about office policies, confidentiality, and communication guidelines. You are also expected to make all efforts to participate in ongoing training opportunities.

Commitment

The IRC expects all interns to work 20-25 hrs/wk for 10 weeks during Summer, and 10-15 hrs/wk for 14 weeks during Fall/Spring (when classes are in-session). All internships take place during business hours (8 am to 5pm Mon-Fri) unless otherwise noted on the position description.More stringent requirements for availability or commitment may be additionally listed for certain roles. Examples: 3 full days, must be available Mondays and Fridays from 10am-3pm. 

Interns must be at least 18 years of age, be able to pass a criminal history check, and have authorization to work.

Intern Application Deadlines

  1. Summer Interns: April 15th
  2. Fall Interns: Open until positions are full
  3. Spring Interns: Open until positions are full

Additional applications for some positions are accepted on a rolling basis. 

Students seeking to receive college course credit for their internship are advised to apply earlier.

REMOTE WORK TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:

Interns will be required to use their own technology tools to work on virtual opportunities. IRC is not responsible for any personal device expenses such as personal smartphones, tablets, hotspots, data charges, etc.

All personal devices must:

  1. Be kept current with all operating system updates and security patches,
  2. Use a password or PIN with a minimum of 4 characters to log onto smartphones and tablets and 8 alpha and numeric characters for a Laptop.
  3. Have lock screen set to 10 minutes or less with a password required to unlock the device
  4. Configurations must be set to delete all data or lock after 10 unsuccessful attempts to enter a password or PIN. Lockout period must be no less than 30 minutes.

Additional policy details will be discussed during orientation and training.

Internship Positions

Employment and Economic Empowerment Intern

OVERVIEW:

The Employment and Economic Empowerment Intern supports Staff in assisting refugee clients secure their first jobs in the United States and guiding them towards successful integration into the American workplace. Interns will gain familiarity in cross-cultural training techniques, skills development and hiring procedures of area businesses.

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Katrina Martinez

Apply Here.

Public Benefits Intern

OVERVIEW:

The Public Benefits intern will support the Cash Assistance Coordinator to ensure that clients are accessing appropriate benefits available to them in a timely manner. Public benefits managed by the Cash Assistance team include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) programs. This position allows interns to work closely with refugee clients as they navigate the Department of Economic Security in Arizona. This is an ideal internship for those who are interested in public policy or related humanity fields.

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Dax Shtraus

Apply Here.

Small Business Development  Intern

OVERVIEW:

The Small Business Development Intern will assist the business counselor in developing marketing and teaching materials for the program by translating them into key client languages. The intern will also conduct community outreach, establish connections with refugee-owned businesses and international markets to promote the Small Business Program, and recruit business owners for coaching and client education. The Small Business Development Intern will learn about different local business community resources, work with the greater business community, learn how to plan business workshops, and develop written and spoken language skills (Dari, Spanish or Arabic). 

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Hannah Johnson

Apply Here.

Operations and Supply Chain Intern

OVERVIEW:

The Operations and Supply Chain Intern supports Staff in managing inventory and logistics, as well as administrative duties as assigned. Interns will gain familiarity with organizing, collecting, tracking, and disbursing purchased and in-kind resources to refugee and immigrant populations resettled by the IRC. They will assist Staff in maintaining storage space, support procurement efforts, and satisfy recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Operations Supervisor and the Supply Chain Assistant

Apply Here.

New Roots Agriculture Intern 

OVERVIEW:

The New Roots program at IRC is an initiative to support gardening, food security, nutrition, enterprise, and production within the US network of IRC offices. New Roots Tucson supports refugee food security and aids in their transition to the community through gardening, local food access initiatives and small business farming. We are looking for committed, inventive, hard-working, and enthusiastic individuals with interests in organic farming and community empowerment. The position works alongside a New Roots staff member on site in the gardens as well as planning virtually and in the office. This fall, in addition to supporting general garden maintenance and providing agricultural assistance to participants, the New Roots intern will work with the team and participants to plan for and build a greenhouse. The New Roots Agriculture Intern would provide support to increase the capacity of New Roots programming at IRC in Tucson.

Please note that this position is unpaid.

This is an in-person position with the possibility of occasional remote work.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:

Interns will be required to use their own technology tools to work on virtual opportunities. IRC is not responsible for any personal device expenses such as personal smartphones, tablets, hotspots, data charges, etc.

All personal devices must:

1) Be kept current with all operating system updates and security patches,

2) Use a password or PIN with a minimum of 4 characters to log onto smartphones and tablets and 8 alpha and numeric characters for a Laptop.

3) Have lock screen set to 10 minutes or less with a password required to unlock the device

4) Configurations must be set to delete all data or lock after 10 unsuccessful attempts to enter a password or PIN. Lockout period must be no less than 30 minutes.

Additional policy details will be discussed during orientation and training.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Julia Munson

Apply Here.

New Roots Education and Outreach Intern

OVERVIEW:

The New Roots program at IRC is an initiative to support gardening, food security, nutrition, enterprise, and production within the US network of IRC offices. New Roots Tucson supports refugee food security and aids in their transition to the community through gardening, local food access initiatives and small business farming. We are looking for committed, inventive, hard-working, and enthusiastic individuals with interests in organic farming and community empowerment. The position works alongside a New Roots staff member on site in the gardens as well as planning virtually and in the office. The New Roots Education & Outreach Intern will work closely with the New Roots Education & Outreach Specialist to develop educational resources for both clients and community partners. The New Roots Education & Outreach Intern will also assist in developing program outreach materials and content for the @newrootstucson Instagram page. The New Roots Education & Outreach Intern would provide support to increase the capacity of New Roots programming at IRC in Tucson. 

Please note that this position is unpaid.

This is an in-person position with the possibility of occasional remote work.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

Technology requirements:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.


COMMITMENT:

SUMMER: Minimum 20 hrs/wk for 3 months

FALL/SPRING: Minimum 10 hrs/wk for 14 weeks

Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 8:30am-5:00pm)

Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Julia Munson

Apply Here.

Survivors of Torture Intern   

OVERVIEW:

The Survivor Services Intern will be assisting the Survivor Services Team within the Safety and Wellness Department at the International Rescue Committee. The Survivor Services Team provides comprehensive case management services to victims of crime, survivors of torture and Afghan survivors of combat. Clients served include asylum-seekers, asylees, refugees, and other immigrants. Services provided to clients include legal, medical, mental health, employment, and other interpersonal/social services.

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

Reports To:  The Safety & Wellness Supervisor

Apply Here.

Family & Youth Case Management Intern

OVERVIEW:

The Family and Youth Specialist will help in some of the most vital areas of refugee resettlement work. Interns assist with core services including: applying for and enrolling clients in social service programs and school enrollment, apartment set-up, airport pick-up assistance, and other case management related tasks. Interns will gain experience networking with community service providers and communicating with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.

Please note that this is an unpaid position.

This is an in-person position.

RESPONSIBILITES:

REQUIREMENTS:

Technology requirements:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

Reports To: Lucinda Stokes-Williams

Apply Here.

VOCA Therapeutic Services Intern 

OVERVIEW:

The Safety and Wellness team provides intensive case management to survivors of torture, victims of crime, victims of human trafficking and asylum-seeking families living in Arizona. The Therapeutic Services intern will work closely with the Clinical Supervisor, Caseworkers, and Wellness Team to provide culturally competent, comprehensive services to refugee, foreign national, and immigrant survivors of war, violence, displacement, and trauma. In addition, they will learn how to provide trauma-informed, victim-centered, strengths-based services that promote health and safety, inspire confidence, respects choice, and assists survivors towards independence.

Please note that this position is unpaid.

In-person interns are preferred for this position, but some remote interns and/or hybrid in-person/remote interns may be accepted.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

Technology requirements:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

Reports To: Mekala Pavlin, LCSW

Apply Here. 

RSS - Case Management Intern 

OVERVIEW:

The Refugee Supplemental Service (RSS) intern will assist clients in addressing barriers to self-sufficiency. The RSS Intern will work closely with clients, colleagues, and external parties to develop service plans to meet individual client needs and preferences utilizing a broad range of financial, medical, social, vocational, and other services and resources in accordance with client eligibility and program requirements. This internship provides case management, care coordination, and advocacy experience in a community agency setting. Under direction of a supervisor, interns get practice in cross-cultural assessment, outreach, resource provision, documentation, in-service training, and data collection. 

Please note that this position is unpaid.

In-person interns are preferred for this position, but some remote interns and/or hybrid in-person/remote interns may be accepted.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

Technology requirements:

CLEARANCES:

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

Reports To: RSS Supervisor

Apply Here.