Internship Program

JOIN OUR TEAM

Serve the people of Iowa and get real experience

The Department’s Compliance Bureau is seeking interns to assist individuals and businesses understand and meet their tax obligations. A typical day for an intern can include any of the following:

  • Examine tax returns and related documents to determine the completeness, accuracy, and compliance with specific tax laws and regulations
  • Correspond with taxpayers and field staff to address discrepancies or incomplete items
  • Compute tax, interest, and penalties on current and delinquent accounts
  • Consult with taxpayers; respond to questions and explain applicable rules and regulations
  • Issue billing request notices, refund requests, liens, and releases from tax liability obligations
  • Identify individuals who are delinquent on submitting tax returns and payments
  • Learn more about the various roles in the Department’s Tax Management Division, which includes Compliance Bureau, Operations Bureau, and Collections Bureau

Pay: $17.37/hour

Hours: Part-time during semester, approximately 12-16 hours per week. Full-time during summer or semester break, approximately 40 hours per week.

Location: Interns may be required to attend onboarding and initial training at the Hoover State Office Building, located on the State Capitol Complex in Des Moines. Following the training period, remote work is an option if specific qualifications are met.

“Interning at IDR was a great experience. The Department has a wonderful work environment and great people. I got to work on projects that not only leverage my strengths but also helped me to enhance capabilities required to progress in my career.”

Ali Kalawadh, Management Analyst
Iowa State University
Master of Business Administration, Masters of Finance and Certificate of Analytics
Manama, Bahrain

 

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The mission of the Iowa Department of Revenue is to serve Iowans and support state government by collecting all taxes required by law, but no more.

  • The Department administers 21 different taxes and fees
  • Processed and deposited $12.4 billion into various funds for state and local government operations
  • Paid $1.2 billion in refunds, resulting in net deposits of $11.24 billion (FY21)
  • Processed 2.7 million tax returns (FY21)
  • 330 full-time employees
  • Annual budget is $70.1 million
  • Customer base, by its very nature, is one of the largest of Iowa’s state government agencies.
  • Works with all levels of state, local, and federal governments, including the general assembly.
  • Collects debt for select areas of state government. Debt collections were $280.4 million (FY21).
  • There were a total of 6.2 million unique pageviews to the Department’s website (tax.iowa.gov) in 2021.
  • The Department is updating its outdated IT systems with a modernized taxpayer portal, which will allow individuals and businesses to more easily file and pay all their taxes, obtain permits, and check on their refund. Iowa is investing more than $100 million in the system.
  • The Department is bolstering its data analytics team, which will use data in new ways to improve performance across the entire Department.

“IDR gives you an experience unlike any other. There is a sense of community at the Iowa Department of Revenue and everyone wants you to succeed. The work you do is meaningful. You get the opportunity to communicate one-on-one with taxpayers which is a unique experience. If you are working during college, IDR encourages you to put college first. In addition, you get the opportunity to learn about each division within IDR and meet other employees who share their own experiences.”

Samantha DePauw, Revenue Examiner
Central College
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration & Management, Minor in Accounting and Spanish

 

APPLYING IS EASY!

 

“I really enjoyed my time as an intern at IDR! The experience allowed me to apply the skills I'd gained in my accounting classes while also learning new information and skills about state taxes. However, it was the great people and the welcoming environment that made me choose to work for IDR full time after graduation.”

Kylie Doupnik, Revenue Examiner
Simpson College
Bachelor of Political Science and Accounting, Minor in Management