Join IRC San Diego as an Intern This Fall

The IRC San Diego office is proud to be a hub of learning, offering internship positions across multiple departments each semester. 

Experience nonprofit operations this fall and join us for one of our exciting internship opportunities at IRC San Diego! Our internships span immigration legal services, career development, refugee fieldwork, case management, women's empowerment, workforce integration, career development, and microenterprise development. 

Our internships are a 3 to 5-month commitment, involving close collaboration with IRC professionals to support clients. This is a valuable learning opportunity to gain insight into local nonprofit structures, develop familiarity with cross-cultural communication, and understand the operational aspects of humanitarian work. 

We offer a variety of working environments, including in-person, remote, and hybrid positions. Click on each link for further details and learn how to apply now! 

Logistics & Applications 

We offer a variety of working environments, including in-person, remote, and hybrid positions. Click on each link for further details and learn how to apply now!

 

Immigration & Case Management 

Immigration Intern  (Open)

Begin your career in immigration and join the IRC San Diego as an intern this fall working directly with Immigration Legal Staff on current and new client cases. Interns contribute to a range of responsibilities, including inputting data into tracking systems, working closely with IRC immigration experts on case updates, undertaking research initiatives to support casework, and engaging in community outreach and program enhancement efforts. This internship offers hands-on exposure to the U.S. immigration system, including eligibility requirements and filing procedures, along with the chance to build research and summary skills valued across the nonprofit sector. Become an advocate for our clients within the intricate landscape of U.S Immigration — Apply Today! 

Program for Initial Resettlement Intern (Open)

Support the well-being of refugees in San Diego through the Resettlement Fieldwork internship. You will play a vital role within the Resettlement department by assisting newly arrived refugees in overcoming barriers, directly aiding refugee clients, and contributing to the advancement of ongoing projects. The department is home to two programs: Program for Initial Resettlement and the Refugee Health and Promotion Program, and as an intern you will work primarily with the Program for Initial Resettlement team. Tasks include accompanying clients to appointments, assisting with airport pickups, setting up apartments for arriving families, helping clients enroll in services, and creating helpful guides for client use. During your internship, you will have a multitude of learning opportunities, including exposure to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, service plans, refugee populations in San Diego, and the inner workings of a nonprofit office. Support IRC's Resettlement Fieldwork team — Apply Today!

Asylum Seekers and Families Program Intern  (Open)

Asylum Seekers and Families Program Intern Support some of the most vulnerable individuals and families seeking asylum in San Diego. Working alongside Asylum Seekers and Families Program caseworkers, you'll help with case management, accompany clients to appointments such as health check-ups, legal consultations, and school enrollments, and help them learn San Diego's public transit routes. You'll also conduct outreach to build community partnerships, and support screening calls to determine client eligibility for the program. Through this internship, you'll gain exposure to case management, learn about the asylum process, and develop cross-cultural communication skills — Apply Now!  

 

Integration & Career Development 

Workforce and Integration Intern (Open) 

Begin your learning and development this fall by stepping into the field of workforce development and contributing to IRC San Diego's employment services for refugee and immigrant communities. The Workforce and Integration Department offers clients employment services, career development, and financial education. As an intern, you will work closely with Employment Specialists, supporting them with various administrative and operational tasks like resume development, employer communications, and application preparation. This is an incredible opportunity to gain workforce experience while supporting our clients in achieving financial stability and self-sufficiency— Apply Now! 

Career Programs Intern (Open)

Shape your future while guiding refugees and immigrants as they build meaningful careers in the United States. Career Programs interns work alongside staff to support clients pursuing industry-recognized certifications in fields like Healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and more. Interns will work closely with clients, building resumes, searching for jobs, identifying opportunities, and preparing for interviews. This internship offers valuable experience in delivering direct employment services, receiving training in data entry and analysis, and gaining insight into the day-to-day operations of a large non-profit organization – Apply today! 

Microenterprise Program Intern  (Open)

Join IRC San Diego’s Microenterprise Program and have immediate and meaningful impact Support refugee entrepreneurs building their own businesses through IRC San Diego's Microenterprise Program. During this internship you play a vital role in directly supporting our clients. As the Microenterprise Program Intern, your responsibilities will consist of helping childcare entrepreneurs enroll into the program, assist walk-in clients, preparing childcare license applications, conduct quality assurance tasks, monitor the childcare program, track outcomes, facilitate training, and participate in outreach events.  This internship offers valuable insight into microenterprise programs, refuge childcare needs, and outcome measurement along the way. Your work as intern will make a real-world difference—submit your application today! 

 

Women's Resilience Center 

Women's Resilience Center Intern (Open)

Become a facilitator at IRC San Diego's dedicated community center for women — a safe, creative space that encourages expression, community connectedness, and enhanced well-being. As a Women's Resilience Center intern, you will co-facilitate wellness workshops and presentations, support outreach efforts for WRC programs, and contribute to monitoring and evaluation of these programs.  You'll also connect members with community resources, facilitate referrals to other IRC programs, and contribute to data monitoring and evaluation. This role offers the opportunity to enhance your facilitation skills, experience providing healing-centered services, and develop strong team and interpersonal skills. Join the WRC and make a meaningful impact in the lives of women and girls— Apply now! 

Community Fridge Program Intern  (Open)

Help address food insecurity in the IRC community through the Women's Resilience Center's Community Fridge Program. This initiative plays a vital role in improving clients’ access to nutritious food, while also offering hands-on experience in community-based program coordination. In this internship, engage with community partners to procure food donations, sort donations, upkeep the fridge, and develop community outreach materials. Gain hands-on experience in providing direct client services and donation outreach supporting food security, public health, and community well-being across San Diego – Apply Now! 

 

Education & Training 

VESL Plus Intern  (Open)

Support meaningful language learning and workforce readiness for newly arrived refugees as they prepare for entry‑level employment. As a VESL Plus Intern, you’ll help strengthen the VESL Plus Program by engaging directly with clients, supporting classroom instruction, and developing practical materials that build vocational English skills and job confidence. In this role, you’ll assist with teaching activities, create or adapt classroom resources, provide administrative support, and help ensure clients receive the tools they need to navigate the workplace successfully. Develop your career while helping individuals in your community build skills, confidence, and pathways to employment — Apply Now! 

Digital Inclusion Intern (Open)

Gain hands-on experience in digital inclusion, community outreach, and client support while supporting refugees, newcomers, and low-income families in developing digital skills to improve their lives and job opportunities. In this role, interns will support the Digital Inclusion Program and work alongside the Sr. Digital Inclusion Specialist in delivering trainings, developing resources, and supporting clients in building confidence with technology. Through this role, gain exposure to digital inclusion strategies, case management, cross-cultural communications, and much more. Develop your career while helping individuals in your community overcome digital barriers — Apply Today! 

 

Innovation, Data & Technology 

Data Integration & Reporting Intern (Open)

Apply your data skills to strengthen how IRC San Diego tracks and reports on its programs. Working with the Innovation team, you'll help extract, clean, and consolidate data from multiple sources — Excel, CSV, databases, and APIs — and build automation tools using Python, SQL, and Excel (formulas, macros, VBA) to streamline recurring tasks. You'll also support data quality checks for the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database, help build key metrics and indicators, and design visual reports that communicate data insights to staff across departments. This internship offers hands-on experience in ETL workflows, data automation, and the reporting systems that power a nonprofit's day-to-day decision-making — Apply Today!