Leaders in Animal Care

Animal Care is a leader in determining standards of 

humane care and treatment for animals in the United 

States. As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS), we carry out and enforce these standards 

through inspection, education, and cooperative 

work with States, industry, and nongovernmental 

organizations. 

A Unique 

Opportunity

We are dedicated 

to attracting and 

recruiting a diverse 

workforce to advance 

our goals. In doing 

so, we see great value 

in hiring students 

to help them link 

academic learning 

with professional 

employment. Animal 

Care has developed 

a robust externship 

program that allows 

motivated students 

to gain unpaid work 

experience in various 

areas of interest. Externships last from 1 to 4 weeks. 

Opportunities are based on the availability of Animal 

Care personnel throughout the United States. We 

offer two types of externships: 

n Office-based experiences in Riverdale, MD; Fort 

Collins, CO; and Kansas City, MO

n Field-based experiences located throughout the 

United States

These opportunities cover many organizational areas, 

including, but not limited to:

n Nonclinical veterinary care

n Compliance inspections

n Administrative support

n Policy development

n Human resources and finance management 

n Information technology

n Emergency programs

n Outreach and training

n Stakeholder engagement

If you extern with us, we’ll work with you to develop 

an individual learning plan to maximize the benefits 

of your externship experience, both for you and for 

Animal Care.

Want To Apply?

If you’re enrolled full- or part-time in a regionally 

accredited college or university and you have a grade 

point average (GPA) of 2.5 or better, you are eligible 

to apply. To do so, submit the following materials to 

acextern@aphis.usda.gov: 

n Your resume, including work experience, 

educational institution, major, GPA, and 

expected graduation date

n A narrative essay of 750–1,000 words 

answering the following: 

– Why are you interested in an externship 

in Animal Care? 

– What do you want to gain from the 

externship experience? 

– How does this experience relate to your 

career aspirations? 

– What contribution will you make to the 

Animal Care program? 

– What is your preferred type of externship

(i.e., office or field), geographic location(s), 

and specific timeframe for participation? 

n Transcripts (official or unofficial) for all

completed college or university coursework 

to date 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2138

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.

Photo credits: Cover photo by USDA/APHIS, Scott Bauer; 

all other images by USDA/APHIS, R. Anson Eaglin.

Issued June 2013

Slightly revised June 2015

When To Apply 

Key deadlines for submission of the required 

materials are as follows:

n June 1 for fall 

n November 2 for spring 

n March 1 for summer 

We encourage you to apply early to allow time for 

placement and accommodations.

Other Information 

We accept students based on Animal Care’s needs 

and priorities and students’ interests. Unforeseen 

circumstances (e.g., a natural disaster) may force us 

to cancel established externship opportunities, but 

we will make every effort to find alternatives 

to cancellation. 

If selected, you are responsible for your housing 

and transportation costs, as well as other personal 

expenses during the externship. You will be 

required to sign a Confidentiality Disclosure, a 

Volunteer Agreement, and other consent forms. 

In addition, if you are selected for a field-based 

externship, you will be required to submit 

negative results of a tuberculosis test within the 

past 6 months.

Contact Us

For more information on externship opportunities, 

email Animal Care at acextern@aphis.usda.gov or 

call us at (301) 851-3751. 

To learn more about the Animal Care program 

in general, visit us online at www.aphis.usda.gov/

animal-welfare.

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal Care

Externship Program

for College and 

University Students

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