2025 Allegheny County DHS Internship Program - Office of Administration

2025 Allegheny County Department of Human Services Internship Program 

 Office of Administration (OA)  Spring & Summer 2025 

About DHS 

DHS is the largest agency in Allegheny County government, with a budget over $1 billion. Through community partnerships, DHS supports over 200,000 of our most vulnerable neighbors. 

Interning at DHS 

Are you a creative undergraduate or graduate student looking to make a difference in your community? The Department of Human Services in Allegheny County seeks individuals to assist vulnerable populations. 

We offer various opportunities in program administration and management, technology, analytics and data science, finance, human resources, marketing and more! 

Many of our interns achieve remarkable things and continue working with us after graduation. Join our mission to provide quality social services equitably! 

Why intern at DHS 

• You can make a significant impact here. Interning at DHS offers a chance to make a real impact as part of one of the top human services organizations in the country. We seek innovators and compassionate staff to support our community's most vulnerable members. 
• Our approach is innovative. Recently, we've gained national recognition for our innovative use of data to improve children's safety and prioritize housing initiatives. If you're passionate about using technology to enhance lives, this is the place for you. 
• Supported by dedicated community leaders, DHS collaborates with various partners to improve human services. You will work alongside talented individuals and gain valuable experience. 
• Many of our current managers started as interns here. This experience will help you decide if DHS is the right fit for your career, and having DHS on your resume is a great asset as you move forward. 

Where you'll work 

Most interns are based at our downtown Pittsburgh office (One Smithfield Street), South Side (Wharton Avenue), or North Side (River Avenue), but we also have locations throughout the county. 

How to apply 

Submit your resume and cover letter and answer a few quick questions about your interests. If selected, our recruiting team will contact you. 

Internship Eligibility 

• Enrolled as a student at a college or university
• Can work at least 20 hours week/semester. (Up to 29 hours/week)
• Able to complete their internship at their designated office (currently, we do not offer hybrid or remote arrangements)

NOTE: Allegheny County paid interns are required to fulfill the federal I-9 documentation. For a list of acceptable documents, please refer to page 2 in the link : I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification (uscis.gov) 

Compensation 

$15/hour  

The Office of Administration (OA)  

The Office of Administration is responsible for overseeing various functions, including funding sources, accounts payable, financial reports, human resources, travel, IT, budget analysis, and grants management. 

Facilities In this role you will operate in the facilities area and assist with the Department of Human Services (DHS) safety initiatives. This includes tasks such as building evacuations, safety training, maintaining first aid kits, and developing safety tips for the DHS Digest.  

Additionally, they will help track physical and technological assets, process mapping and documentation, relocations, sorting and delivering mail, and much more.  

This is a great opportunity for an undergraduate freshman or sophomore looking to get their start in human services. 

Finance In this role you will be part of the fiscal team, assisting Budget Analysts and Revenue & Claims Managers with the analysis and completion of invoices, drawdown requests, financial reports, funding confirmation letters, and other requests from program offices as needed.  

This position offers a valuable opportunity to learn about complex government funding streams and the fiscal responsibilities of a county department.  

Interns are required to have prior knowledge or experience in accounting and Excel. 

Human resources In this role you will support HR projects, including managing approximately 800 employee personnel files, organizing filing systems, creating job aids, and uploading documents into the HR Information System (HRIS). This role provides exposure to local and federal government processes. 

This is a great opportunity for a freshman or sophomore looking to get some real world experience in human resources. 

Office of the Director of Administration. In this role you will assist the Director of OA with two projects: 

Provider Applications of Interest (AOI) This project focuses on potential providers who want to do business with DHS.  

• Responsibilities may include: 
• Reviewing and logging applications  
• Sending acknowledgment letters to applicants  
• Coordinating reviews of applications with Procurement and relevant programs 
• Following up with providers’ applicants, coordinating application reviews with Procurement and programs and outreach/follow-up with providers. 

OA Communications Planning In this role you will create internal and external communication plans to share timely and relevant information with our customers. The ideal candidate should have strong written and spoken communication skills, good organizational skills, and experience with Microsoft applications. 

Responsibilities may include: 

Meet with OA leadership to identify target audiences and types of communications needed 

Help draft the communications plan 

Work with OEE to review and implement the plan 

Policy. In this role you will support the Policy Manager by conducting research and assisting in writing, editing, and formatting policies for various DHS offices. Topics may include child welfare, behavioral health, homelessness, compliance, cybersecurity, and more. 

The intern will primarily work independently but will also facilitate meetings and collaborate with subject matter experts as needed. This role is ideal for students focused on writing or those passionate about policy research, offering a mix of solitary and collaborative work. 

Candidates should have strong research and writing skills, with a focus on clear communication and good listening skills when working with diverse teams. 

Location: Human Services Building: 1 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh PA 15222