Paid Internship at National Science Foundation

Potential Paid Internship at NSF

Possible internship opportunity at the National Science Foundation for those with advanced Chinese reading skills and is suitable for Chinese majors. The job description is notional at this time. If interested, please contact Fei Ren at fr94@georgetown.edu.

Position Description

Internship for NSF OIG Program Integrity Division

Each federal agency has an Office of Inspector General (OIG) that provides independent oversight of agency’s programs and operations. The office is responsible for promoting efficiency and effectiveness in agency programs and for preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse. By statute, the NSF OIG is independent from the agency, with the IG reporting directly to the National Science Board and the Congress.

The Office of Investigations (OI) assesses and investigates allegations of wrongdoing involving organizations or individuals that receive awards from, conduct business with, or work for NSF. Our staff of Scientific Investigators, Criminal Investigators, and Investigative Attorneys focus on allegations of intentional diversion of NSF funds and material false statements in information submitted to the Foundation. We also focus on violations of rules, regulations, or policies, including research misconduct (falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism). Research misconduct erodes the integrity of the research enterprise and strikes at the core of NSF’s mission; it is a special focus of investigative efforts within OIG.

OI works closely with the research community, frequently communicating with university officials and funded researchers. When possible, we work in partnership with agencies and awardees to resolve issues. When appropriate, the results of our investigations are referred to the Department of Justice or other prosecutorial authorities for criminal prosecution or civil litigation, or to NSF management for administrative resolution.

The intern will report to the Special Agent in Charge. The position is fast-paced and requires initiative and flexibility. The candidate must be a U.S. citizen with high proficiency in reading Mandarin. The candidate should also possess proficiency in English writing, listening, and presentation skills. The candidate should have high moral and ethical standards, as they will be exposed to ongoing sensitive criminal and civil investigations. Skills in Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft Access are a plus.

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Analysis of Mandarin documents and explanation of contents to investigative staff.
  • Assisting in interviews, taking notes, and drafting memoranda.
  • Data entry in Excel spreadsheets.
  • Attending investigative meetings.
  • Participating in a variety of projects.
  • Other duties as assigned.