Graduate Student Job & Internship Search
Build a focused, relationship-based search that translates advanced training into opportunities inside or beyond academia. Be prepared that a thoughtful search often takes several months, and some internships, fellowships, federal programs, and rotational programs recruit well in advance. When possible, begin exploring 6–9 months before you want to start and adjust for your field’s hiring cycle.
Look Beyond Your Degree Title
Shift the question: Instead of asking “What jobs can I get with my degree?” ask “What can I do because of my degree?”
Think in job functions: Look beyond job titles and consider the work you want to do—research, program evaluation, data analysis, policy, training, project management, consulting, communications, operations and more.
Role targets: Choose two or three job families or functions, not just one exact title. Titles vary widely across industries and organizations
Organization targets: Identify sectors, organization types, laboratories, agencies, institutions, or employers whose work aligns with your interests
Geographic targets: Clarify where you can work, where you would relocate, whether remote or hybrid work is feasible, and any commute or travel limits
Experience targets: Decide what you need from an internship or job: methods, industry exposure, mentorship, portfolio evidence, leadership, income, mission alignment, or long-term mobility
Degree Timing: Know your anticipated defense, graduation, assistantship, and availability dates. Communicate realistic start dates
Advisor and Program Expectations: Understand policies affecting outside employment, internships, funding, intellectual property, and progress toward degree completion
International Students: Discuss work authorization and timing with the appropriate international student office before accepting or beginning employment. Do not rely on employer or peer assumptions
Use job boards to discover opportunities, employer websites to verify and apply, and conversations to learn how roles and hiring processes work.
Institutional Resources: Handshake, Career Center events, employer information sessions, alumni platforms, mentorship programs, faculty and staff connections, and graduate-school communications
Employer Career Sites: Create a target-employer list, visit each career page, set alerts when available, and follow relevant teams or research units
Professional Communities: Professional associations, discipline-specific listservs, conferences, affinity groups, research networks, and industry communities
Broad Platforms: LinkedIn and reputable job boards can expand reach, but verify every opening on the employer’s official website before sharing sensitive information
Government and Public Service: Use USAJOBS for federal openings and filter by Students or Recent Graduates hiring paths; explore state, local, and public-service portals separately
Experiential Opportunities: Internships, fellowships, micro-internships, consulting projects, practicums, and short-term project work can build field-specific evidence
Combine terms from three categories: Your desired job functions, your expertise/skill, and context
- Function: program evaluation, research, data analysis, policy, learning and development, consulting, project management
- Expertise/skill: qualitative research, Python, microscopy, public health, writing, stakeholder engagement, curriculum design
- Context: higher education, biotechnology, government, nonprofit, healthcare, sustainability, technology
Example search: program evaluation + mixed methods + healthcare
Save several versions of your search because employers may describe similar work with different titles.