The Daniel E. Salmon Internship Program

Are you a student in a nonveterinary field of study? We have paid 

internships—with tuition assistance—available at the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 

Our interns work alongside APHIS veterinarians and other professionals 

in a wide range of fields to protect American agriculture.

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, Dr. 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.

Internship Experiences

As a Daniel E. Salmon intern, 

you’ll experience the real-world 

situations facing Federal animal 

health employees every day. This 

may include work in the field, 

laboratories, and office settings. 

In addition to veterinarians, some 

of our key positions include 

microbiologists, entomologists, 

and budget and management 

analysts. We offer a wide range 

of learning opportunities, 

mentorship, and career 

development throughout the 

program so our interns are ready

for life in the Federal sector. 

An Exciting Career Pathway

The USDA Pathways Program 

offers different “pathway” 

opportunities for students and 

recent graduates to work in 

agriculture and many other 

fields. One of these pathways is 

the USDA Internship Program. 

APHIS Veterinary Services 

participates in this program, 

offering the Daniel E. Salmon 

Internship to recruit talented 

professionals. 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.

www.aphis.usda.gov/careers

Find Your 

Future 

With Us
Ready to join our team?

Benefits

• Up to $7,500 per year for undergraduate 

studies and up to $15,000 for graduate 

studies for tuition, books, tutors, and 

laboratory fees

• Paid employment during summer and 

school breaks as a Student Trainee 

• Participation in the Federal Employees 

Retirement System and Thrift Savings 

Plan (401K)

• Paid vacation and sick leave

• Based on the length of the work periods, 

compensation may also include health 

insurance benefits. 

• Possibility of conversion, without 

further competition, to a permanent 

appointment with APHIS upon 

completing your degree and meeting all 

other Pathways Program requirements

After completing all program requirements, 

you must become a full-time APHIS 

employee for at least 1 calendar year for 

each school year the internship covered. If 

you do not accept an APHIS employment 

offer, you must reimburse all financial 

assistance received under the program. 

If you fail to serve the entire length of the 

mandatory APHIS employment period, you 

must reimburse the agency a prorated share 

of the funds awarded. 

Eligibility

Upon entrance on duty, you must:

1. Be a U.S. citizen;

2. Meet the educational and curriculum 

requirements of the internship position 

for which you apply. These requirements 

and 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 half-time or full-time 

student and/or accepted for enrollment 

in an accredited college or university 

within the United States;* 

4. Be in good academic standing; and 

5. Agree to work for the agency during 

school breaks for a minimum of 640 

hours prior to completion of studies. 

Positions are available in many locations. 

USDA will try to match students with 

desired location. 

* 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. Graduate student 

 appointments will become effective in the fall of the 

 first academic school year.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

APHIS 91-15-001 | Revised September 2022

How To Apply

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. You must have a 

USAJOBS account to apply. 

Required Documents

The online application system will prompt 

you to answer self-assessment questions 

and to submit the following: 

1. Résumé

2. Transcripts for all completed 

college work to date

3. One letter of recommendation 

from college officials (such 

as counselors, professors, or 

deans) and/or work supervisors

4. An original essay of no more 

than 1.5 pages on the topic 

“Why I should receive a 

Daniel E. Salmon Internship 

and what contributions 

I hope to make to APHIS 

Veterinary Services” 

5. Proof of current enrollment 

and/or, if applicable, a letter of 

acceptance to graduate school

6. A copy of your DD-214, if you 

are claiming Veterans’ Preference 

For More Information

Email us at vs.recruitment.pathways@

usda.gov. 

To learn more about APHIS and all 

of our career opportunities, go to 

www.aphis.usda.gov/careers.