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Summer InternshipsCBO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Introduction
CBO summer internships provide excellent opportunities to experience and observe the budget process and policymaking at the federal level. The internships, which have ranged in number from 10 to 28, are located in Washington, D.C. They normally last 10 weeks and include compensation based on academic level and work experience. CBO provides the Congress with the objective, timely, and nonpartisan analyses needed for economic and budgetary decisions. Interns contribute to CBO's work in program areas such as budget and tax policy, health care, national defense, the environment, education, retirement and other income assistance, regulation, and public investment. In addition to learning on the job, CBO interns participate in an educational program that includes briefings on the agency's role in the budget process. CBO interns may also participate in seminars offered by other Congressional support agencies and in the Congressional Summer Intern Lecture Series, which has featured speakers such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, journalist Cokie Roberts, and Ralph Nader. Ideal candidates for CBO internships are pursuing graduate academic programs in economics, public policy, health policy, financial management, mathematics, statistics, or engineering. Very strong undergraduate candidates currently in their senior or junior year may be considered on the basis of the applicability of their education and experience to specific assignments at CBO. Students can apply online in January and February--and, for convenience, can register to be notified by e-mail when the application process is open. Because of federal regulations, CBO is limited in its ability to employ individuals who are not U.S. citizens. Before applying, noncitizens should refer to the agency's information on citizenship requirements to determine employment eligibility. Internship Assignments
All CBO summer internships require solid writing skills and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely. Familiarity with computer programming, statistics, econometrics, and other quantitative methods is desirable. Ideal candidates would also have exceptional interpersonal and analytical skills. In previous years, summer interns
The following is a general description of the responsibilities and functions of the CBO divisions to which interns may be assigned. The Budget Analysis Division (BAD) generates cost estimates and spending projections for legislative proposals that affect all program areas, including health, human resources, natural resources, defense, and state/local governments. CBO's largest division, BA fills most of its full-time positions with newly minted M.P.P., M.P.A., and M.A. graduates. Analyzing budgetary issues in the areas of income assistance and Social Security, education, social services, and health is the function of the Health and Human Resources Division (HHRD). The division's studies examine the costs and other effects of current programs and legislative proposals in those areas. The Long-Term Modeling Group in HHR develops actuarial and microsimulation models for studying long-range policy issues such as Social Security and Medicare and for projecting budgetary costs and implications of current and alternative policies. The Macroeconomic Analysis Division (MAD) analyzes the U.S. economy, prepares projections of economic conditions, and studies how the future could be affected by different economic developments or policies. The division's analyses focus on issues such as inflation, employment, production, international economic affairs, and credit, as well as on the interaction of those issues with the federal budget. The staff of the Microeconomic Studies Division (MSD) serves Congressional committees that deal with energy, the environment, intellectual property, telecommunications, research development, industry and trade, technology, transportation, and agriculture by providing policy analyses for the committees' use in preparing and evaluating legislation. MS also analyzes budget process issues, including budget concepts, and covers topics related to general government and federal personnel. The division prepares most of CBO's cost estimates of federal mandates affecting the private sectors. The National Security Division (NSD) studies budgetary issues related to national defense. Its reports cover military personnel, strategic forces, and other Department of Defense programs such as ones for international affairs and veterans' benefits. The division aids Congressional committees by examining the costs and other effects of current defense and international security programs and proposed legislation in those areas. Employment in this division requires U.S. citizenship. The Tax Analysis Division (TAD) estimates tax revenues, analyzes tax expenditures, and prepares related studies. Its analyses focus on the tax system's effects on the economy and the budget and on the implications that changes to the tax code have for taxpayers. Health Policy Internship
CBO's Health Policy Internship is geared toward graduate students interested in health analysis and policy. The internship may be available on a summer, semester, or year-long basis depending on work needs and students' availability. CBO is currently seeking candidates for the fall of 2008. Please contact the Human Resources Office for more information. Previous Interns
Preparing for a CBO Internship
Previous interns describe the following experiences as valuable in preparing them for their internship at CBO:
Documents that Students have Contributed to During their Internship
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Introduction
