1.0  Introduction

1.1. What is the Internship Program

The Research, Development, and Technology Transfer (RDT) Program at DDOT annually funds summer interns and regularly supports semester interns as well. This is the primary way interns are hired to DDOT. The internship program is run in partnership with Howard University (HU). DDOT creates the intern projects, manages the interns day-to-day, and provides the funding. HU recruits the interns and makes stipend payments. The RDT Program serves as the liaison and contract manager with HU for internships.

The figure below explains the relationship between DDOT and HU for the internship program.

Students do not have to attend Howard University to participate in the internship program. Interns have come from both local and nation-wide universities. For semester internships, it is expected that the students are local because they must work on site.

Interns are typically recruited in the summer and some interns stay through the next school year. Recruitment can and does occur during the school year, but the best pool of applicants is typically reached during the summer recruitment.

1.2. Research vs. Non-Research Interns

There are 10 openings for summer research interns and the selection process is competitive. The RDT program selects position descriptions that present a well-structured, research-based project that can feasibly be completed over the course of the summer. The RDT program also looks to balance the interns across the agency and avoid concentration of interns in any one division or branch. If you were unable to secure an RDT-funded intern, it is possible to fund your own intern via the HU partnership. For more information on recruiting non-research interns, see section 2.3.2. 

2.0. Hiring an Intern

2.1. Program Basics: Student Side

• All interns must be current students. We generally recruit college juniors and seniors and graduate students.
• Students can come from any university. We bring in students from across the region during the school year and draw nationally during the summer.
• Students are allowed to work up to 40 hours/week during the summer and up to 20 but no less than 10 hours/week during the school year.
• We pay graduate students $20/hour and undergraduates up to $18/hour.
• Summer internships run from June-August. Semester internships can be fall, spring, or both and align to the student’s school year.
• The Research Program handles the administrative details.
  • Contracting (except entering requisitions for non-research funded interns)
  • Monitoring hours and payment of interns
  • Reviewing invoices and paying invoices (if using research funding)
  • Intern events (in the past there have been talks and site visits arranged for the interns in a joint HR and Research effort)
  • Help arbitrate any issues between an intern and their manager, if needed
  • Program staff who request interns.
    • Oversee day to day work of their intern(s)
    • Confirm hours intern(s) worked on a biweekly basis
    • Pay invoices (if using own funding)

2.2. Program Basics: DDOT Side

2.3. Paying for Interns

2.3.1.  Option 1: Research interns

The RDT Program pays for a set of interns to conduct research around the agency, under the supervision of the program staff who requested the work. A call for projects goes out in the February time-frame each year for summer interns. Some of those students stay during the semester. Generally there are 10 summer interns and 3-5 semester interns. These interns must work on research-based projects.

The funding is competitive and generally only one intern is provided per request or group. Interns are sometimes shared between groups if there are related topics.

2.3.2.  Option 2: Non-research interns

Programs can also identify their own funding to bring a student or multiple students on as interns. If you wish to do this, develop a position description of the project and the student requirements and specify the period of time you would like the intern. The Research Program will request a quote from Howard University (typical cost is $10,000 for the summer; $15,000 for a school year). You will need to put in a requisition for that amount and help the RDT program draft your task to move forward with OCP. If you are funding your own intern, we do ask that you have a basic level of evidence that you’ll have funding before we start recruiting.

The table below explains the differences between research and non-research interns.

2.4. Recruiting Process

Howard University will post the position description on the HU Transportation Research Center website (www.hutrc.org/internships) and begin recruiting. Research will alert any students who have previously expressed interest in interning (http://tiny.cc/DDOT-intern) and DDOT Human Resources will push the announcements through their recruiting networks. The requesting program staff are encouraged to alert their networks as well, to help spread the word and draw a wide applicant pool.

HU interviews the subset of applicants that meet the requirements outlined in the position descriptions and identifies a potential candidate for each position. The resumes are then sent to the intern manager for final approval. Finally, offer letters are sent to the selected students.

2.5. Recruiting Timeline

The recruiting process begins with a call for position descriptions in late January/early February.  The descriptions are due shortly after so that they are posted by the end of February. This allows a month for recruitment and offer letters can be sent to interns by April 1^st. Interns begin working at DDOT in June.

Semester interns are recruited on an as-needed basis, but managers are strongly encouraged to identify the need to recruit in the month or so before the next semester starts (July for the fall, Nov/Dec for the spring).

3.0. Your Role as a Manager

Managers must create a position description (example in Appendix A) and submit it to the RDT program. For summer interns, the position description is submitted during the call for interns. Semester interns also require a position description but they are submitted on a rolling basis, dependent on available funding. For more information on the intern recruitment process, see section 2.4.

3.1.  Start of Term

Once an intern has been recruited for your project, you will need to prepare for their arrival. This includes:

• Having their project prepared for Day 1 – have the basic project well-defined, initial tasks identified, and prepare some initial materials for review (as appropriate).
• Establishing a secondary contact in the event that you are not in the office.  Please inform the RDT program of your secondary contact.
• Finding office space for your intern
  • For summer interns, RDT will submit one ticket to IT for computers. All other equipment and software needs will be handled by the manager.
  • RDT will handle setting up email accounts, as well as ID badges
  • If your intern is an international student, they should have all of their paperwork started before the internship begins. If this is not the case and they are unable to work the first week, please let us know

Once the intern arrives be sure to:

• Communicate expectations to your intern
• Set regular check-ins
• Approve their time with RDT

This is an opportunity for you to answer pressing research questions but it is also an opportunity for your intern to learn. Please foster this growth and mentor your intern.

3.2. End of Term

You and your intern should schedule their final day in advance. This must be communicated to the RDT Program a month before their departure to allow the intern to make up any hours they were paid for via stipend that they did not work.

At the end of your intern’s stay, you must collect their badge and any equipment that was loaned to them. You should be informed of important files and collect any final products developed. There is no formal exit interview but you may conduct one if you wish.

All interns are encouraged to document their work on the DDOT Wiki (https://wiki.ddot.dc.gov/display/DIH/DDOT+Internship+Hub, request access from OITD as needed).

3.3. Continuing Interns

If you would like your intern(s) to continue past their original end date, contact the RDT program to confirm that there is adequate funding. If there is not, you have the option of funding your intern for the continuation. See section 2.3.2 for funding your own intern.

The intern will need to renew their badge to maintain access to the building. To do this, they will need to send the RDT program (Katie Crabb or Stephanie Dock) their updated offer letter. RDT will coordinate with DDOT HR to draw up the paperwork. The intern will then need to go to DDOT HR to pick up the paperwork and go to DCHR to receive a new badge.

4.0. Intern Expectations

4.1.   Intern Expectations

• Produce a product from their summer or semester research – a memo, a report, a tool, or something similar
• Be prepared to give a poster presentation on their work at the end of the summer or semester (RDT will set up an end-of-summer poster session for all interns  to showcase their work)
• Ask you questions and let you know what they are interested in – this is a learning experience for them.
• Focus primarily on completing their primary project(s) but may spend some time working on other tasks.

4.2.  Monthly Progress Reports

Once a month interns will fill out a progress report detailing their accomplishments and future goals. Managers will sign this report. Take this opportunity to reflect on your intern’s work and direct the work for the coming month. The reports should also include a note if the intern anticipates missing substantial time in the upcoming month. Once the report has been signed by the manager, the intern will email it to Dr. Arhin and copy the manager and the RDT program (Katie Crabb). The template for the progress report is found in Appendix B.

4.3.  Reported Time/Payroll

Interns are paid by stipend but there may be times when the intern does not work the full number of hours of their stipend payment. In this event, interns are expected to make up the hours they missed, as they are able. To report time and check-in each week, please use this linked Google form. 

Interns will be paid a set amount, based on their hourly rate, every two weeks. However, the interns may not end up working their standard hours each week all summer/semester. They will be asked to make up time not worked for vacations or other manager-agreed-upon leave in the following month. If they are aware of substantial amounts of time (more than 8 hours) that they will not work during the month, they should note this in their monthly report and work with their manager to schedule how they will make up the hours. If the time is not made up by the end of the summer/semester, their final payment may be adjusted.

Note: Interns do not have to make up hours for days the office is closed for holidays or administrative closures. They will be paid for that time.

The process for setting up and monitoring the hours and stipends are:

1. At the start of the internship, managers should let the Research team know how many hours their intern(s) will work each week in order to set the stipend amount. If the hours change (on an ongoing basis, not one-time issues), the manager should alert the Research team as soon as possible.
2. Interns are asked to submit the check-in form by Friday afternoon. If there is a reason why the intern does not work the full hours after submitting them, they should speak with their manager about making them up.
3. Even if the deadline is missed, interns are encouraged to still input their time for their tracking purposes.

If interns have not received their paycheck (should show in their bank account on the applicable Friday morning), they should report the issue to Melissa and Katie (if Katie is not available, please contact Stephanie) as possible. See contacts in Section 5.

5.0. Important Contacts

5.1.  Research, Development and Technology Transfer Program

Katie Crabb (Librarian)

Phone: 202-478-9122 (904-687-5178 while on remote work) 

Email: Kathleen.Crabb@dc.gov

Stephanie Dock (Research)

Phone: 202.671.1371

Email: Stephanie.Dock@dc.gov

5.2. Howard University

Communications to Howard University should carbon copy members of the RDT Program

Dr. Stephen Arhin (Howard University)

Phone: 202.806.4798/202.806.6577

Email: saarhin@Howard.edu

Melissa Anderson (Howard University)

Phone: 202-806-9135

Email: melissa.andersontim@howard.edu

6.0 Remote Internships

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, DDOT instituted virtual internships from summer 2020-summer 2021, dependent on local conditions. In the event of any future virtual internships, the below rules will also apply.

Remote Work Location & Hours 

• Your intern may do remote work from any location, as long as it has been approved by you and Research (international locations are not permitted, given the time difference) 
• If their remote work location changes, please alert Katie in Research
• Summer interns are expected to work full-time (40 hours a week) 
• Semester interns are expected to work between 10-20 hours a week
• Talk with your intern about what hours you would prefer them to be available online (if you are in a different time zone, discuss what may work best for both of you. If you have a west coast intern, they will likely need to begin later than you)

Check-Ins 

• Please establish a check-in routine with your intern (this is especially important while working virtually)
• Interns and managers should fill out this linked Google form to check-in weekly and report any issues that are non-urgent

Technology 

• If interns do not have a working computer or a computer that can't run the software they need, they may request a laptop (Research will set this up prior to the first day) 
• Please let Research know what extra programs your intern may need prior to the first day (ArcGIS, etc.)
• Personal computers being used for virtual work should have the capability to:
  • Maintain a reliable internet connection 
  • Run Microsoft Teams 
  • Run Microsoft Outlook
  • Run either a word processor, or enable the use of Microsoft One Drive online for documents

End of Summer Project

• At the end of the summer, each intern is expected to create a video giving an overview of the project(s) they worked on
  • Videos will be converted to YouTube format by our comms team, and uploaded for public viewing