The California Department of Public Health’s Volunteer Program supports students and working professionals seeking experience in the field of public health. Volunteer placements are offered in three cycles (spring, summer, and fall) with placement availability determined by the needs of the Department. Volunteer placements are matched to align with the intern’s academic and professional goals.
To receive future notifications about upcoming volunteer cycles, please sign up for the CDPH Internship Program Interest Form to be added to the mailing list.
Open to college students at all grade levels (must be at least 18 years old)
Open to graduate and post-graduate students
Open to non-student adults seeking experience in a new field
No enrollment or residency requirements
The duration of each volunteer placement varies depending on the candidate's availability and needs of the host, however, a typical placement lasts about 3 to 4 months. Volunteers may work up to 40 hours per week, but generally work between 12 to 20 hours weekly.
The timeline of each volunteer cycle aligns with the paid internship programs in the spring and fall, with an additional volunteer cycle during the summer. The duration of each volunteer placement is not fixed, as it is determined through discussions with the potential host during the interview process. All volunteer work must take place during regular CDPH hours, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To apply for a volunteer position, candidates submit a current resume and a cover letter explaining their passion for public health, along with their top three CDPH programs of interest, to CDPHInternships@cdph.ca.gov.
An overview of current CDPH programs may be found on the CDPH homepage.
Volunteer applications are collected continuously throughout the year, with designated application windows for the spring, summer, and fall cycles. At the end of an application window, all applications are reviewed for quality and completeness. Qualified applicants are sent a supplementary survey to reconfirm interest and collect additional details and information. Those submissions are evaluated, and the qualifying applications are advanced to the CDPH Volunteer Talent Pool, where CDPH employees review qualifications and select candidates they wish to interview. Once interviewed, a candidate may be accepted and placed with a host or returned to the Volunteer Talent Pool as an available candidate. At the end of the recruitment window, the Talent Pool is deactivated, and the next cycle begins.
The number of volunteer placements vary each cycle and is determined by the needs of the Department.
Yes, CDPH offers onsite, hybrid, and remote internships. At this time, most internships are remote. Hybrid and onsite internships are available primarily at the Sacramento East End Complex, Natomas (North Sacramento) Campus, and Richmond Lab.
Interns work on a wide variety of projects in many different public health, IT and data science disciplines. The specific duties depend on the host and office where an intern is assigned, ranging anywhere from communication projects to data analysis. Ultimately, a typical day as a CDPH intern provides valuable career experience and helps build the skills that are necessary for success in a public health workplace.
Volunteer interns can receive academic credit at the discretion of their academic program. If an affiliation agreement or other paperwork is required to receive academic credit, intern hosts are responsible for signing those forms once a placement is finalized. Please check with your school or program before applying/accepting the position.
The CDPH Internship Program does not organize individual practicum placements. If a volunteer candidate advances to the interview stage, details may be discussed with the potential host to determine compatibility with practicum requirements. Since each placement is unique and created at the discretion of the volunteer host, we cannot guarantee practicum credit. We encourage candidates consult with their academic or major program advisor for guidance.