Join us and make a difference in global investor protection.
Who We Are
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a nonprofit organization established by Congress, oversees the audits of public companies and SEC-registered brokers and dealers to protect investors and to further the public interest in the preparation of independent, accurate, and informative audit reports.
Our investor protection mission is focused on modernizing audit standards, enhancing audit inspections, and strengthening enforcement of PCAOB rules and standards and other related laws and rules. People are at the heart of our mission at the PCAOB. As we carry out that mission, we strive to uphold the highest standards in audit quality with investors’ families, savings, and futures in mind.
If you are interested in working with a group of talented professionals to protect investors and drive audit quality and innovation while adhering to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, join us.
What We Offer
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Compensation – We support transparency, equity, and fairness in our compensation programs. We offer a competitive hourly rate based on education level and qualifications, as follows:
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Undergraduate students: $25.00/hour
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Graduate students: $29.00/hour
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Ph.D./JD students: $37.00/hour
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Hybrid work option – Staff will be assigned to one of our offices, including: Washington, DC (Headquarters); Ashburn, VA; Irvine, CA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Denver, CO; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; New York, NY; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; Dallas, TX; or Houston, TX office or location. Staff can choose to live and work from anywhere within the United States but will be required to commute to their assigned office or location for occasional intentional gatherings or meetings at the frequency required by their supervisor. Travel to an assigned office or location for commuting purposes will not be considered reimbursable business travel, unless otherwise required by state law. Business travel is reimbursable in an amount not exceeding the cost to travel from the assigned office or location, unless otherwise required by state law.
Role Summary
The Board’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), located in Washington, D.C., has a position for an intern for the fall of 2025. It is expected that this position will be a mix of remote and in-person work. OIA provides advice and counsel to the Board concerning the Board’s exercise of its authority outside of the United States and is responsible for the Board’s international stakeholder outreach including regular interaction with various PCAOB Divisions and Offices as well as foreign counterparts relating to the Board’s foreign oversight authority.
The intern would work with one or more of OIA’s ten staff members (eight attorneys, one accountant, one project coordinator) on a variety of projects related to OIA’s work. These could include assisting with research about non-U.S. laws, regulatory frameworks or audit policy matters in furtherance of the Board’s cooperation with non-U.S. authorities; drafting summary or recommendation memoranda for senior staff and the Board; participating in the planning and execution of the PCAOB’s annual International Institute of Audit Regulation (in-person attendance in Washington, D.C. required); assisting in the preparation of meetings related to the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators (IFIAR), and various other projects. An attempt will be made to expose the intern to as many kinds of international issues as possible.
Responsibilities
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Perform legal and other research on a variety of regulatory and audit policy issues
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Assist in preparing Board memoranda
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Assist in the planning and execution of the International Institute on Audit Regulation
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Assist staff on other projects as needed, e.g., in connection with IFIAR
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Attend virtual and in-person meetings with PCAOB staff and non-U.S. regulatory counterparts
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Work with different Divisions and Offices throughout the organization on a variety of issues related to the Board’s foreign oversight.
Qualifications
Education/Technical Expertise/Skills and Abilities
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Completion of at least one year of coursework and current enrollment at an accredited law school or current enrollment in a program leading toward a master's degree in accounting, international affairs, business, or a related discipline.
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Excellent oral and written communications skills.
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Strong interpersonal skills
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Solid time management, organization, and prioritization skills.
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Willingness to work as a team member.
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Ability to be flexible, work independently, and be self-motivated.
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Proficient with Microsoft software applications and common legal research tools (exposure to SharePoint a plus, but not required).
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Knowledge of accounting or auditing is not required.
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Foreign language skills a plus, but not required.
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Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
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Equal Employment Opportunity
All PCAOB employees are entitled to equal opportunity and a professional work environment, free of discrimination and harassment. A workplace free of discrimination and harassment is fundamental to professional success and to the PCAOB's mission. The PCAOB will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law.
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Top Skills
What We Do
The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation established by Congress to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB also oversees the audits of brokers and dealers, including compliance reports filed pursuant to federal securities laws.
The PCAOB has four primary duties:
- Register public accounting firms that prepare audit reports for issuers, brokers, and dealers.
- Establish or adopt auditing and related attestation, quality control, ethics, and independence standards.
- Inspect registered firms' audits and quality control systems.
- Investigate and discipline registered public accounting firms and their associated persons for violations of specified laws, rules, or professional standards.
In support of our mission, we also conduct economic research and risk analysis, engage with our stakeholders and other domestic and international regulators, and manage a talented workforce and the technology and resources we need to perform our duties.
The SEC has oversight authority over the PCAOB, including the approval of the Board's rules, standards, and budget.
The PCAOB has approximately 800 staff members.[1] We maintain our headquarters in Washington, D.C., and have nine regional offices across the United States. More than 1,700 public accounting firms located in 92 jurisdictions across the globe are currently registered with us. About 560 of those registered firms audit more than 12,000 issuers that file financial statements with the SEC or otherwise play a substantial role in those audits.
[1] The data presented in this section is as of December 31, 2020.
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