Veterinary Services (VS), 

a program within the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS), is 

proud to sponsor the Daniel E. 

Salmon Internship Program for 

undergraduate and graduate 

students in nonveterinary fields of 

study that support and are critical 

to the VS mission.

USDA Pathways Program: 

Daniel E. Salmon Internship

In carrying out our safeguarding mission, APHIS works to ensure the 

continued health of our Nation’s livestock and poultry. Within APHIS, 

the VS staff serves as a veterinary authority for the United States. It is 

our job to protect and improve the health, quality, and marketability of 

U.S. animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics. 

Increases in global trade, the emergence of zoonotic diseases, and 

the threat of agroterrorism demand a comprehensive approach to 

protecting animal and public health. VS brings a wealth of skills and 

expertise to this effort—from global disease surveillance and animal 

health certification to disease eradication and emergency preparedness. In all of this work, we follow One Health principles to promote a 

collaborative, all-inclusive approach and make sure our decisions are 

grounded in the best science and information available. 

The USDA Pathways Program offers different “pathway” opportunities 

for students and recent graduates to work in agriculture, science, 

technology, math, environment, management, business, and many 

other fields. One of these pathways is the USDA Internship Program, 

which provides paid work experiences for students. VS participates 

in this program, offering the Daniel E. Salmon Internship to help 

ensure a steady stream of talented professionals on our staff. This 

internship is expected to last more than 1 year, and the intern may 

be converted to a permanent position with APHIS after completing 

the Pathways Program and meeting all other requirements.

The 

Daniel E. Salmon 

Internship Program

USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of 

race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic 

information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited 

bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 

TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of 

Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or 

call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

This publication supersedes Program Aid No. 2061, “The Daniel E. Salmon 

Scholarship Program for Undergraduate and Graduate Students,” which was 

issued in September 2010.

Issued September 2015

VS Mission

As the Nation’s recognized animal health leader, we safeguard 

the health of animals, people, and the environment. 

VS Vision

To improve the health, productivity, and quality of life for animals 

and people and maintain and promote the safety and availability 

of U.S. animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics. 

APHIS—Many Goals, 

One Mission

APHIS is a multifaceted agency with a broad mission area that 

includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, 

regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering 

the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage 

management activities. APHIS builds and maintains a worldclass system that safeguards the health of animals, plants, and 

ecosystems in the United States and fosters safe agricultural 

trade worldwide, resulting in abundant and affordable agricultural 

products for U.S. and international consumers. These efforts 

support USDA’s overall mission to protect and promote food, 

agriculture, and natural resources. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2174

for Nonveterinary Undergraduate 

and Graduate Students
Internship Experiences

As a Daniel E. Salmon intern, you will be part of a comprehensive 

mentorship and career development program designed to prepare you 

for a career in your field of study. We offer a wide range of learning 

opportunities so our interns are ready for life in the Federal sector. 

Having a wealth of talented people at APHIS is critical for our continued excellence in today’s fast-paced and increasingly complex 

scientific world. In addition to veterinarians, some of our key 

positions include microbiologists, entomologists, and budget and 

management analysts. Through the internship program, you will 

experience the real-world situations facing Federal employees every 

day, and you will be part of an organization with a multidisciplinary 

approach to managing disease, responding to animal health crises, 

addressing trade issues, providing laboratory support, regulating 

veterinary biologics, and analyzing animal health issues. 

Internship Benefits 

The Daniel E. Salmon Internship provides students:

1) Up to $5,000 per year for undergraduate studies and up to 

$10,000 for graduate studies for tuition and fees associated with 

your course of study. 

2) Paid employment during summer and school breaks as a Student 

Trainee, participation in the Federal Employees Retirement 

System and the Thrift Savings Plan (401K), and paid vacation 

and sick leave. Based on the length of the work periods, 

compensation may also include health insurance benefits. 

3) The possibility of conversion, without further competition, to a 

permanent appointment with APHIS upon successful completion 

of the Pathways Program, with the required degree, training, and 

other work requirements. 

After completing all of the mandatory requirements for the 

program, the student must become a full-time agency employee 

for at least 1 calendar year (12 months) for each school year (2 

semesters, 3 quarters, or the equivalent) that the student was 

covered by the internship. If the student intern does not accept an 

APHIS employment offer, he or she must reimburse APHIS for all 

financial assistance received under the Salmon internship program. 

If the intern fails to serve the entire length of the mandatory APHIS 

employment period, he or she must reimburse the agency a 

prorated share of the funds awarded. 

Application and Eligibility

Interested students must apply to specific internship announcements online via www.usajobs.gov. Locate announcements by 

entering the key words “Daniel E. Salmon” in the search engine 

under the “Student and Recent Graduates” tab. Please note that 

you must have a USAJOBS account to apply. The announcements 

will open on USAJOBS annually, between January and February, for 

approximately a 2-week period. Upon entrance on duty, you must: 

1) Be a U.S. citizen;

2) Meet the educational and 

curriculum requirements of the 

internship program position 

for which you apply. These 

requirements, as well as the 

specific duties of the position, 

will be stipulated in each 

internship announcement and 

may include a wide range of 

majors or fields of study; 

3) Be enrolled as a full-time student and/or accepted for 

enrollment in an accredited college or university within the 

United States—

a. Undergraduate student appointments will become effective 

in the fall of the second or third academic school year. 

Second-year students must have completed at least 

1 year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of a 4-year 

undergraduate studies program; third-year students must 

have completed at least 2 years (60 semester or 90 quarter 

hours) of a 4-year undergraduate studies program.

b. Graduate student appointments will become effective in the 

fall of the first academic school year. 

4) Be in good academic standing; and

5) Agree to work for the agency during school breaks and 

complete a minimum of 640 hours prior to completing 

your studies.

Required Documents 

The online application system will prompt you to answer selfassessment questions and to submit the following:

1) Resume;

2) Transcripts for all completed college work to date;

3) Proof of current enrollment and/or, if applicable, a letter of 

acceptance to graduate school; and 

4) A copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active 

Duty (DD-214), if you are claiming Veterans’ Preference.

Additional supplemental information and documentation will be 

requested at a later date if you meet the eligibility and initial 

application requirements. 

Who Is 

Daniel E. 

Salmon?

Dr. Salmon was founding 

chief of the USDA’s 

Bureau of Animal Industry, 

predecessor of today’s Veterinary Services. 

As a member of Cornell University’s first class 

of graduates, he earned his bachelor’s degree 

in veterinary medicine in 1872, and 4 years 

later, Cornell awarded him the first Doctorate 

of Veterinary Medicine degree in the country. 

Today, Salmon is best known for identifying the 

infectious pathogen Salmonella and pioneering 

the fight against contagious diseases. His work 

contributed immeasurably to improving public 

health and disease control efforts.

For More Information

This internship may be available annually. To check availability 

or learn more, call the VS Management Support Division at 

(301) 851-3573 or visit our Web site:

www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-health/recruitment