Pathways Internship Program

About the Bureau

We are at a critical moment in our nation. Americans’ financial lives have suffered tremendously as a result of the pandemic, the associated economic dislocation, and ongoing racial inequity. These challenges are most acute for the most economically vulnerable Americans.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created for moments like this. Born out of the Great Recession, the CFPB was forged in crisis to vigorously protect America’s consumers. Our mission is to regulate the offering and provision of consumer financial products or services under the federal consumer financial laws, to enforce federal consumer financial law fairly and consistently, and to educate and empower consumers making financial decisions. Diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences are critical in carrying out our mission because to serve the interests of American consumers, we need to understand their varying perspectives and interests.

The CFPB has rulemaking, supervisory, and independent litigating authority, and its jurisdiction includes certain aspects of mortgage lending, credit reporting, auto lending, small-dollar lending, debt collection, student lending, and consumer bank accounts, among other consumer financial areas.

The Pathways Internship Program

The Pathways Internship Program is a paid opportunity that allows currently enrolled students with the chance to enhance their skills and explore careers in public service. These internships provide meaningful training and career development experiences to those who apply. Students who successfully complete the program may be eligible upon graduation for conversion to a permanent position in the Federal Government. Pathways Interns at CFPB onboard for 12 weeks during the summer and can be assigned in offices across the agency.

Students receive on the job training in the technical aspects of the organization’s work as well as mentoring, networking, and opportunities to learn more about how we help empower the American consumer to make smart financial decisions. CFPB offers internships in the areas of Business, Mission and Administrative Support, Information Technology, Human Resources, Research, Legal and Analytics to name a few.

Explore these opportunities and join the team the team today!

Sample assignments include:

• Supporting the planning and execution of projects throughout the agency
• Conducting Legal Research in connection with CFPB’s investigations and litigation.
• Supporting a variety of programs with system development documentation and visualizations.
• Drafting reports on various consumer financial topics and the correlation between CFPB’s mission and programming.
• Reviewing documents for clearance, rulemaking, and other policymaking projects.

To Apply

We want our agency’s workforce to reflect the diversity of the American public. Our work will be most effective when we are able to incorporate a broad range of perspectives. We are, therefore, particularly interested in hearing from a diverse set of candidates with a range of personal and professional experiences.

Applications are accepted through individual internship announcements on USAJobs.

Click “Apply” on the job announcement that interests you, attach your relevant documentation (read each announcement carefully as to what you are required to provide), complete the questionnaire, and click submit!

To receive email notifications of when new CFPB internship opportunities are posted, set up a saved search , with keyword “Consumer Financial Protection Bureau”.

Candidate Evaluation

Applicants will be evaluated for program eligibility based on required submissions. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants may be asked to complete additional screening processes, including interviews. Veterans’ preference will be applied as appropriate.

Program Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Pathways Internship Program, an applicant must:

(1) Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

(2) Be a current student in an accredited high school, college (including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior colleges); professional, technical, vocational and trade school; advanced degree programs; or other qualifying educational institutions pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate.

(3) Meet the definition of a student throughout the duration of their appointment.

(4) Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 throughout the internship.

(5) Have the ability to obtain and maintain a background investigation.

Information Sessions

Join the team from CFPB for our webinar, “Navigating Your Path: Insights for Interns and Recent Graduates”.  These sessions, which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams, will share information about the Pathways Internship Program, and the application process, including a question-and-answer period.  Learn about CFPB’s commitment to serving the consumer and our country,  how you can play a role in our mission and what you can do to join the team that is working to develop the next generation of federal government leaders!

For the information sessions, the website is: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting

You should confirm you are able to access to Microsoft Teams through your web browser or by downloading the application in advance of the webinar start time. 

Tuesday, May 7th, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST

Meeting ID: 280 228 113 685

Passcode: fQKq4f

If you have additional questions or would like to be added to our email list to be notified of any upcoming opportunities, please email Pathways@cfpb.gov.

Resources

Pathways Programs on USAJobs