Internships

OSA offers paid, full-time and part-time internships for college and university students with the option for academic credit within the office’s government accountability division. The office engages interns throughout the year with a formal internship program during the summer. Internships generally last eight weeks, but may be adjusted to accommodate academic schedules. Students must be at least 18 years old to apply.

The government accountability division conducts independent, objective reviews and evaluations of state programs and activities with a focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and economical use of resources to assure accountability of state functions. As part of the government accountability team, interns contribute to the advancement of the OSA mission while gaining real-world experience and exposure to government programs and processes.

 

Learning Experiences

Interns may work directly with the director of government accountability on an independent review or may be assigned to work on a team under the supervision of a project manager and lead analyst working on an active review. Reading and study materials include relevant project records including, the background, scope, objectives, and methodology of the review assigned.

Intern responsibilities may include:

• collecting and reviewing entities’ information to understand roles and responsibilities, budget and staff resources, and organizational structure;
• analyzing data to measure program effectiveness, efficiency, and impact, as well as compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements;
• producing complete and accurate working papers for audit tasks;
• contributing to the development of audit findings, conclusions, and recommendations; and
• assisting in the preparation of the audit report.

Applicant Qualifications

• Junior and senior undergraduate students or graduate students enrolled in a degree-seeking program of study at an accredited institution of higher learning.
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Preferred majors/degrees: political science, public policy, public administration, public finance, statistics, economics, business administration, or accounting.

How to Apply

All applications must be received by February 28th of each year to be considered for the summer program. Inquiries and applications are encouraged throughout the year for ad-hoc positions. Submit the following materials to: internships@osa.ms.gov

• Cover letter (If interested in the summer program, please specify)
• Resume
• Academic writing sample
• Unofficial transcripts

If you would like more information about this internship opportunity, contact the government accountability division at 601-576-2670.