Internships and Externships

An internship at the Offices of the New York State Inspector General (OIG) offers a unique opportunity to learn about New York State government by working alongside the OIG workforce to investigate allegations of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest, and abuse in the state's executive branch agencies and related entities.

We seek highly motivated and detail-oriented law, college, and graduate students who love a challenge, work well as part of a team, and are passionate about our core mission of enhancing integrity, transparency and accountability in our state government. To expose interns to various aspects of state government, the internship includes a variety of informational programs throughout the summer including a weekly lecture Series, roundtable lunches, and site visits.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The State of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to workplace diversity. The State of New York does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or disability in the admission to, access to or employment in our programs or activities. All persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for all jobs they are qualified to do, and reasonable accommodation will be provided upon request.

We offer paid and unpaid internships throughout the year, so make sure to check back often. Interested applicants may also send general inquiries to [email protected].

Current hourly rates for our paid internships are as follows: 

Albany, Buffalo, Long Island, & New York City

Summer Fellowship Program Details

A Summer Law Fellowship at the New York State Office of the Inspector General (OIG) provides law students with a distinctive opportunity to gain insight into New York State government by working closely with investigative counsel on matters involving allegations of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest, and abuse within executive branch agencies and related entities.

The program offers substantive legal tasks that give fellows a true look into the work of the office providing them with hands on experiences and developing their writing, analytical, and advocacy skills.

Summer Fellows will be responsible for assisting with investigations by conducting research on a wide variety of legal issues, compiling, and analyzing documents, drafting, and editing legal memoranda, proofreading and cite checking letters and reports, drafting correspondence to state, local, and federal agencies and assisting investigators, attorneys, and auditors with other miscellaneous tasks as requested. A key objective is for law students to finish the summer with a professional writing sample.

Program Dates

The Summer Law Fellowship Program is available to rising 2Ls or 3Ls. The fellowship program runs for eight weeks between June 8, 2026 and July 31, 2026. OIG is looking for fellows to work alongside our dedicated teams in one of our regional offices in  Albany, Buffalo, Long Island, and New York City. The program utilizes a hybrid work schedule, with fellows expected to be present in their assigned regional offices on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Tuesday and Friday.

Site Visits

To expose all Summer Program participants to the diversity and breadth of New York State agencies, every effort is made to facilitate attendance at, or participation in, internal and external agency meetings, public meetings and trainings, court proceedings, and site visits to jurisdictional agencies. Past site visits have included all of New York State's Bridge Authority Bridges, New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Vista, the New York State Archives, the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, the New York State Capitol, New York State Court of Appeals and more!

Applying to the Program

Applications may be submitted until Friday, March 27, 2026, and fellowship offers will be made on a rolling basis. Interested students may apply by emailing a resume, writing sample, transcript and cover letter indicating the office in which you seek to be placed to [email protected] with "Summer 2026 Law Fellowship" in the subject line.

Audit, Investigations, Information Technology, Finance,
External Affairs, & Case Management Units
Albany, Long Island, & New York City

Responsibilities & Requirements

Audit Intern (Albany, Long Island, NYC)

Audit Unit Interns will assist OIG auditors in all facets of their assigned investigations, which frequently involve fraud allegations related to state contracts, procurements, abuses of public benefits, and white-collar criminal offenses. Interns may be asked gather, document, analyze and preserve data necessary for these investigations, complete reports involving investigative steps, create and manipulate spreadsheets, assist with records reviews, and/or support investigative and legal staff with miscellaneous tasks. Course study in accounting, finance, or forensic examination is preferred but not required, Students with proficiency with Excel, and an ability to utilize other data analytics and auditing software are encouraged to apply.

Investigations Intern (Albany, Long Island, NYC)

Investigations Unit Interns will assist OIG investigators with their investigative activities, which may include conducting research on potential witnesses and targets, developing investigative strategies and leads, the review and analysis of documents/records, the presentation of investigative findings, and inputting data to OIG's case management system, Candidates should be proficient in word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software. The ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of the office is essential.

Information Technology Intern (Albany, NYC)

Information Technology (IT) Unit Interns will assist OIG IT staff in providing day-to-day technical support to end users, including troubleshooting hardware, software, network connectivity, and peripheral issues. The position assists with the installation, configuration, and maintenance of desktop and laptop computers, printers, mobile devices, and standard software applications. Additional responsibilities include supporting basic network connectivity, assisting with audiovisual or meeting technology setup, and participating in IT projects or initiatives as assigned. Candidates should have a basic understanding of Windows and/or Apple iOS operating systems, Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365, and basic networking concepts. The ability to communicate technical information to non-technical users, strong problem solving and customer service skills are essential.

Finance Intern (Albany)

This internship is a great opportunity for students interested in public sector finance, budgeting, accounting, or related fields. Interns will gain firsthand experience in state-level financial operations, data analysis, and fiscal oversight while contributing to the mission of government transparency and accountability. The position is ideal for upper-level undergraduate or graduate students pursuing degrees in finance, accounting, public administration, or economics. We hope to attract students who are eager to apply their academic knowledge in a real-world setting and who are considering careers in public service or governmental finance.

External Affairs & Communications Intern (Albany, NYC)

External Affairs Interns will assist with the implementation of OIG's communications and digital media strategy. Reporting to the Director of External Affairs, interns will be responsible for assisting with developing public facing and internal content including for OIG publications, materials, presentations, and events: creating graphics for social media; filming and editing short form video content; drafting social media copy; implementing and updating brand guidelines across website and digital assets; managing and organizing lists and databases; and organizing and editing press clips. The ideal candidate has experience with one or all of the following programs: Graphic design software (i.e. lnDesign, Canva, Photoshop); video editing software (i.e. VEED, Premiere Pro), Google Photos. Previous journalism, graphic design, and/or web experience is a plus.

Case Management Intern (Albany)

Case Management Unit (CMU) Interns will assist in the receipt and processing of all complaints sent to OIG. Members of this unit serve the integral function of examining allegations to determine whether they fall within the Inspector General's jurisdiction. CMU is also responsible for requesting additional information from complainants to ensure OIG investigative teams have the information necessary to adequately asses a complaint for further investigation. CMU interns will work under the direction of the Case Management Unit supervisor and be responsible for the review and processing of written complaints to determine jurisdiction; tracking complaints in a computerized case management system; forwarding correspondence to investigative staff; populating and updating OIG's intelligence database; drafting referral letters to agencies; assisting executive management staff with miscellaneous tasks as requested; and creating databases, inputting data and analyzing such accordingly.

Program Dates

The Summer Internship Program is available to high school, college and graduate students. The program win run for eight weeks between June 8, 2026 and July 31, 2026. OIG is looking for interns to work alongside our dedicated teams in  our regional offices in Albany, Buffalo, Long Island, and New York City. The program utilizes a hybrid work schedule, with interns expected to be present in their assigned regional offices on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Tuesday and Friday.

Site Visits

To expose all Summer Program participants to the diversity and breadth of New York State agencies, every effort is made to facilitate attendance at, or participation in, internal and external agency meetings, public meetings and trainings, court proceedings, and site visits to jurisdictional agencies. Past site visits have included all of New York State's Bridge Authority Bridges, New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Vista, the New York State Archives, the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, the New York State Capitol, New York State Court of Appeals and more!

Applying to the Program

Applications may be submitted until Friday, March 27, 2026, and fellowship offers will be made on a rolling basis. Interested students may apply by emailing a resume, writing sample, transcript and cover letter indicating the office in which you seek to be placed to [email protected] with "Summer 2026 Internship – DESIRED UNIT / REGION" in the subject line.