Public Health Internships
Public health internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience working alongside working practitioners in epidemiology, health policy, and biostatistics, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings across {{top_industries_phrase}} are listed here, with Healthix, State of Ohio, and City of Fishers among the employers posting roles now.
Find Public Health InternshipsOverview
Showing 5 of 9+ Public Health Internships
Description
Under general direction of Black Hawk County Public Health Disease Surveillance team, Supports program staff through fieldwork, public health communication, data entry, and community outreach.
Essential Duties
- Must be capable of regular and predictable attendance at a specified location in order to perform assigned tasks.
- Assists the Black Hawk County Public Health personnel with the following:
- Data collection and entry.
- Compare and contrast public health ordinances and regulations.
- Support community education and engagement activities.
- Conduct basic research for program needs.
- Prepare reports, visuals, and communication materials.
- Develop SOP (Standard Operating Procedures), reference guide and contingency plan.
- Administrative and functional Supervision is received from the Disease Prevention Specialists and Epidemiologists.
- No functional or administrative supervision exercised.
Qualifications
- Must be a current undergraduate student with at least 2 years of college level education in public health, natural sciences, physical sciences, or social sciences.
- Relevant introductory coursework is preferred. Examples of coursework that supports this project include:
- Public health: Introduction to public health, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy, health communication, or healthcare systems.
- Natural sciences: Biology, microbiology, zoology, ecology, or other courses emphasizing scientific research and the relationship between human, animal, and environmental health.
- Physical sciences: Chemistry, environmental science, data analysis, or laboratory courses emphasizing accurate documentation, safety protocols, and technical writing.
- Social sciences: Psychology, sociology, public policy, public administration, research methods, or courses addressing community systems, access to services, and communication.
- Requires Basic computer proficiency, including word processing, spreadsheets, and online research.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize information clearly and communicate professionally with community partners.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with an interest in public health research and procedure development.
- Ability to work under supervision, accept feedback, and maintain confidentiality in handling information.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions and maintain good public relations.
Supplemental Information
The work environment and physical demand characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Refer to the “Essential and Marginal Function Analysis” statement for a complete description of essential functions and functional requirements.
- Work is performed in a standard office environment and in community or field settings.
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods and operate a computer and other office equipment.
- Must be able to move about the office, attend meetings, and travel to community locations as required.
- Must be able to lift, carry, and transport materials or equipment up to 20 pounds occasionally.
- Must have sufficient vision, hearing, and manual dexterity to perform essential job functions, including data entry, document review, and communication with staff and partners.
- Must be able to bend, reach, and perform light physical tasks associated with fieldwork and outreach activities.
- Must be able to work both indoors and outdoors while conducting program-related duties.
Description
Under general direction of Black Hawk County Public Health Disease Surveillance team, Supports program staff through fieldwork, public health communication, data entry, and community outreach.
Essential Duties
- Must be capable of regular and predictable attendance at a specified location in order to perform assigned tasks.
- Assists the Black Hawk County Public Health personnel with the following:
- Data collection and entry.
- Compare and contrast public health ordinances and regulations.
- Support community education and engagement activities.
- Conduct basic research for program needs.
- Prepare reports, visuals, and communication materials.
- Develop SOP (Standard Operating Procedures), reference guide and contingency plan.
- Administrative and functional Supervision is received from the Disease Prevention Specialists and Epidemiologists.
- No functional or administrative supervision exercised.
Qualifications
- Must be a current undergraduate student with at least 2 years of college level education in public health, natural sciences, physical sciences, or social sciences.
- Relevant introductory coursework is preferred. Examples of coursework that supports this project include:
- Public health: Introduction to public health, epidemiology, environmental health, health policy, health communication, or healthcare systems.
- Natural sciences: Biology, microbiology, zoology, ecology, or other courses emphasizing scientific research and the relationship between human, animal, and environmental health.
- Physical sciences: Chemistry, environmental science, data analysis, or laboratory courses emphasizing accurate documentation, safety protocols, and technical writing.
- Social sciences: Psychology, sociology, public policy, public administration, research methods, or courses addressing community systems, access to services, and communication.
- Requires Basic computer proficiency, including word processing, spreadsheets, and online research.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize information clearly and communicate professionally with community partners.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with an interest in public health research and procedure development.
- Ability to work under supervision, accept feedback, and maintain confidentiality in handling information.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions and maintain good public relations.
Supplemental Information
The work environment and physical demand characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Refer to the “Essential and Marginal Function Analysis” statement for a complete description of essential functions and functional requirements.
- Work is performed in a standard office environment and in community or field settings.
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods and operate a computer and other office equipment.
- Must be able to move about the office, attend meetings, and travel to community locations as required.
- Must be able to lift, carry, and transport materials or equipment up to 20 pounds occasionally.
- Must have sufficient vision, hearing, and manual dexterity to perform essential job functions, including data entry, document review, and communication with staff and partners.
- Must be able to bend, reach, and perform light physical tasks associated with fieldwork and outreach activities.
- Must be able to work both indoors and outdoors while conducting program-related duties.
Public Health Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Tips for Your Public Health Internship Search
Apply for summer roles in the fall
Large employers, including federal agencies, health systems, and major research institutions, open their summer public health internship applications as early as September. Waiting until spring means competing for a much smaller pool of late-posted roles. Set a reminder and start your search the semester before you want to intern.
Build a project portfolio before you apply
Public health intern hiring teams expect limited work history and evaluate candidates on documented project work instead. A completed epidemiological analysis, a health policy brief with findings, or a data visualization from coursework gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Name the tools you used and link to the output wherever possible.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and your professors and career center advisors often know which health departments or research institutions recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to organizations running smaller cohorts alongside campus activity so you reach openings that never appear at a fair.
Practice your interview format before your first screen
Public health intern screens commonly involve a case study or data exercise, where you are given a scenario, such as an outbreak investigation or a program evaluation problem, and asked to walk through your reasoning out loud. Practice your response structure with a peer or advisor before applying, since interviewers weigh how you think through ambiguous problems as much as the final answer.
Target structured public health internship programs early
Federal agencies, large health systems, and research universities run cohort-based programs, such as CDC fellowships, state public health associate programs, and university-affiliated practicum placements, designed to train candidates new to the field. These programs recruit months ahead of their start dates and fill quickly, so identify the ones that fit your background and apply in the first wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 0% of the public health internships listed here, so decide what you can commit to before you start sorting through openings. Filter by location and work type from the start so you spend your time on roles you can actually accept, whether that means a local on-site placement or a remote cohort you can join from your current city.
Public Health Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a public health internship?
Lead with coursework and projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A documented portfolio, whether an epidemiological analysis, a health policy brief, or a program evaluation write-up, gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where public health recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a public health internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What drives it for public health interns is performance on real deliverables, team headcount when the internship ends, and whether the employer runs a structured return-offer process. Do strong work, communicate your interest early, and treat conversion as a possibility to pursue rather than an outcome to count on.
When should I apply for public health internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large employers, including government agencies and major health systems, recruit summer interns the preceding fall, sometimes as early as September or October. Smaller nonprofits, community health organizations, and co-op programs post much closer to start dates, so openings appear year-round and checking regularly pays off.
Are public health internships paid?
Most professional public health internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by employer size, sector, industry, and location, with government agencies, health systems, and large corporations generally offering higher stipends than nonprofits or community organizations. Where an employer discloses compensation, it appears directly in the listing.
What should a public health internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Highlight two or three complete, documented projects that show what you actually did, the tools and methods you used, and where a reviewer can see the work, whether that is a published analysis, a program evaluation report, or a data visualization. Add relevant coursework in epidemiology, biostatistics, or health policy, and keep the resume to one page.
Are there remote public health internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 100% of the public health internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they attract applicants from across the country, so apply early and filter by work type to see those openings before they close.
What is a public health corps or fellowship internship?
Several federal and state agencies, including the CDC and state health departments, run structured public health fellowship and corps programs that place early-career candidates in rotational assignments across disease surveillance, community health, and policy. These programs target people new to the field, recruit well ahead of their start dates, and are competitive, so apply in the first wave of their recruitment cycle.
Can international students get public health internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
See All 9 Public Health Internship Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Public Health Internships