Summary
The United States District Court for the District of Alaska 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 seeks to provide college students an opportunity to internship with the federal courts throughout the country, preparing them for future employment opportunities within the federal judiciary.
This job is open to
Students
Current students enrolled in an accredited high school, college or graduate institution.
Clarification from the agency
Candidates must be a junior or senior during the 2026-2027 academic year and currently enrolled full-time and in good standing at an accredited college or university.
Duties
The incumbent will report directly to the Clerk of Court and may work directly with district court federal judicial officers, court unit executives, federal practitioners, law enforcement officers, probation and pretrial officers, information technology and bankruptcy court. This position will perform or assist in the performance of a variety of functions within the federal judiciary depending on qualifications and interests.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:
The Intern will function as a student trainee with duties and opportunities that may include:
- Observing a wide variety of court proceedings in civil and criminal matters to develop a familiarity with the judicial process;
- Observing judicial officers, judicial chambers personnel, U.S. Pretrial Services officers, U.S Probation officers, Federal Public Defenders, Clerk's Office personnel, and other court-system professionals to develop an understanding of the federal judiciary;
- Working collaboratively with members of judicial chambers to effectively support judges in fulfilling their judicial responsibilities;
- Assisting judicial and/or administrative staff with jury matters;
- Assisting with court related special events, such as naturalization ceremonies, investitures, civics and community outreach events;
- Working with Clerk's Office personnel to learn and perform office tasks, including electronic filing of case-related submissions, reviewing and archiving documents, as well as assisting with other administrative matters;
- Performing basic administrative functions, like collecting, organizing, and drafting documents;
- Sorting, classifying, copying, distributing, and filing court records to assist judicial, legal, professional, and/or administrative staff; and
- Performing other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States.
- 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.
Qualifications
Candidates must be a junior or senior during the 2026-2027 academic year and currently enrolled full-time and in good standing at an accredited college or university. The internship will start on June 15, 2026, and will conclude May 30, 2027.
Additional information
- Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments, are considered "at will" appointments, and can be terminated with or without cause by the Court.
- The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, without prior written or other notice.
- Please visit our Careers webpage for announcement details.
- The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees.
- The U.S. District Court Clerk's Office for the District of Alaska is committed to promoting and maintaining an exemplary workplace where all people are treated with fairness, dignity, respect, civility, and tolerance.
The United States District Court is an Equal Opportunity EmployerCandidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.
Required Documents
- A cover letter. In your cover letter please answer the following question: Why are you interested in this internship and what experience you hope to gain from it?;
- An updated resume;
- At least one (1) character reference from a college professor; and
- A completed, Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment, form AO 78.
See 'How to Apply' for instructions.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Qualified persons must submit the following in a single PDF document to HR@akd.uscourts.gov in the following order:
- A cover letter. In your cover letter please answer the following question: Why are you interested in this internship and what experience you hope to gain from it?;
- An updated resume;
- At least one (1) character reference from a college professor; and
- A completed, Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment, form AO 78.
The internship will start on June 15, 2026, and will conclude May 30, 2027.Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will assess your application and education, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration.