Job Details

Vacancy Announcement
Internship Opportunity Student Intern
Announcement #: 25-ARWD-03

Position Title: Student Intern
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Salary Range: $32,269-$40,332
Opening Date: Friday, March 28, 2025
Closing Date: Friday, April 25, 2025

Internship Duration: June 16, 2025 or
June 30, 2025 through May 30, 2026

POSITION OVERVIEW
The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is accepting applications for a one-year term student internship as part of the Model Intern Program (MIP) offered through the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The MIP was established to expand applicant pools and increase access to opportunities within the Judiciary. The MIP
fosters excellence and values the unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds present within the Judiciary and the
communities it serves. The program is designed to address barriers to opportunities unrelated to merit, talent, or qualifications, ensuring that individuals have the chance to pursue opportunities based on their skills and abilities. By mitigating challenges created by income disparities, this program seeks to provide equitable access to opportunities. The
MIP provides opportunities for talented college students to compete for paid internships with federal courts throughout the country, preparing them for future employment opportunities within the Judiciary.

This unique, year-long internship is being offered to junior and senior undergraduate students and will be headquartered at Fort Smith, AR. The MIP internship begins on June 16, 2025 or June 30, 2025, and concludes by May 30, 2026. The
intern will work full-time (no more than 40-hours/week) during the summer semester and part-time (no more than 20- hours/week) during the Fall and Spring semesters. The intern will report directly to Heather Burns, Chief Deputy Clerk, and will rotate between various areas in the Court to maximize exposure to the diverse career opportunities within the Judiciary.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
The Intern will function as a student trainee and his/her duties may include:
Observing a wide variety of court proceedings in civil and criminal matters to develop a familiarity with the judicial process.
Working with judges, clerks office personnel, and other court-system professionals to develop an understanding of the federal judiciary.
Opportunities to observe how case filings and documents are processed, learning the flow of cases through the court, and gaining insight into administrative support during hearings and trials.
Assisting with the case management processes, including calendaring, docketing, mail returns, answering phones, etc.
Assisting the jury administrator in jury matters such as the juror selection process, jury check-in and orientation, reviewing jury surveys, tracking juror statistics, etc.
Assisting staff as needed in handling special events, such as naturalization ceremonies and community outreach events.
Reviewing case files, archiving records, and organizing materials.
Under supervision, conducting legal research, preparing case summaries, and assisting in drafting memos, orders, etc.
Sorting, classifying, copying, distributing, and filing court records to assist judicial and administrative staff.
Performing other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates must be a junior or senior during the 2025-2026 academic year and currently enrolled full-time and in good
standing at an accredited college or university.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments, are considered at will appointments, and can be terminated with or without cause by the Court. Employees are hired
provisionally pending results of a criminal background check and fingerprinting and are subject to a probation period. This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer (direct deposit) for payment of salary. The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees, which is available to applicants for review on the U.S. Courts webpage here.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Qualified applicants must submit a complete packet consisting of:
1. A cover letter. In your cover letter please answer the following question: Why are you interested in this internship and
what experience do you hope to gain?
2. Current and detailed resume.
3. At least one (1) character reference from a college professor.
4. Completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO78). This form may be downloaded from
the U.S. Courts website:

Email your complete packet to: ...@arwd.uscourts.gov (single PDF document preferred) no later than Wednesday, April
16, 2025, 5:00 PM CST. Please reference the vacancy announcement number and title in the subject of the email.

Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Incomplete packets will not be considered. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. Funding for housing will not be provided and will be the responsibility of the intern throughout the internship.

The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

www.arwd.uscourts.gov
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