About the role#
The Refugee Economic Empowerment Intern supports the International Rescue Committee in assisting humanitarian immigrants to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Working under the supervision of employment specialists, this role focuses on reducing barriers to employment and helping clients secure full-time work. This is an unpaid internship opportunity for the Fall 2026 term.
What you'll do#
- Assess new clients to create individual employment plans.
- Develop individualized resumes and cover letters for clients.
- Conduct job searches and assist clients with completing job applications.
- Research potential employer partners and perform outreach to expand opportunities.
- Track service provision through electronic data entry and maintain organized client documentation.
- Manage the distribution and tracking of in-kind donations provided to clients.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program, or recent graduation within the last 12 months.
- Ability to commit to a minimum of 24 hours per week for three months, with three full working days per week preferred.
- Strong digital literacy skills and the ability to learn new software quickly.
- Capacity to work independently, manage multiple tasks, and maintain high attention to detail.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Genuine interest in working with refugee and humanitarian populations.
- Proficiency in languages such as Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda, Tigrinya, or Amharic is considered a plus.
Location & details#
- Location: Silver Spring, Maryland.
- Modality: On-site.
- Term: Fall 2026 (September to December).
- Orientation: Mandatory in-person orientation on September 7, 2026.
- Compensation: This position is unpaid, though interns may be eligible for a per diem reimbursement of $15 per day to offset food and travel costs.
About International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid to people affected by war and disaster. Founded in 1933, it operates in more than 50 countries and 28 cities across the United States. The organization focuses on areas such as refugee resettlement, health care, and emergency relief. It employs over 13,000 people to support its mission of assisting displaced populations.
How to get in at International Rescue Committee
Applying early gives you a distinct advantage at the International Rescue Committee because recruiters review applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first before the pile grows. This helps you avoid the frustration of submitting your materials to a massive, stagnant queue. You can reach out directly to the recruiters behind the company's roles to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates. Intern Insider surfaces these specific contacts, allowing you to bypass the standard portal and connect with the people actually hiring for the team.
