Internship program

Our Young Professionals Program offers internship for recent African graduates.

One Acre Fund’s Young Professionals Program is a paid internship program that offers recent African graduates meaningful work and training opportunities at a growing, mission-driven organization. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and positions are posted on our website as they become available.

How to Stand Out

Show strong alignment with our mission and a clear interest in creating impact for smallholder farmers.
Go beyond listing qualifications and demonstrate real examples of leadership, initiative, and problem-solving from your experience.
Use specific stories to demonstrate impact (in academic, work, volunteering, or extracurricular activities) rather than general statements.
Show how your values and skills connect to the internship role and the broader organization’s culture.

Launch Your Career

We're always on the lookout for the next generation of leaders. Strong preparation can help you submit your best application when you find a role that matches your interests and experience.
View open internship listings here

Shaping My Career Journey

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do you look for in interns?

Our standards are high, but we're interested in the whole person, not just an academic record. We're primarily looking for university graduates, fluent in English and the country’s local language, with some experience in their field. Strong candidates are able to learn quickly, take feedback well, and demonstrate a passion for our mission.

What do interns do, and what can they expect when they start?

Intern roles vary by team, but all interns receive substantive work on high-impact projects that support One Acre Fund’s operations. Past interns have, for example:

Coordinated early-stage research on soil health, livestock, and drought resilience
Evaluated ways to better inform government partners on our impact in the communities we serve
Worked on projects that help reduce financial waste and inefficiency across our operations

When they start, all interns attend a one-week onboarding program at their country’s field headquarters — meeting clients and field staff and getting acquainted with our work. Each intern is also assigned an onboarding buddy and a manager they meet with one-on-one weekly.

How long are internships, and can they lead to permanent roles?

Internships typically last three months, with the option to extend by another three months based on team need and the intern’s performance. In the past, when there has been an opening, high-performing interns who show strong initiative and leadership have received full-time offers.

When do applications open, and what is the process like?

Internship opportunities are posted on a rolling basis — bookmark our job openings page (or internship listings) to watch for new roles, or subscribe to our careers newsletter to get notified. We only accept applications submitted via the online form on our website.

Selection is competitive (more than 4,000 graduates typically apply each year for a limited number of slots). Candidates can expect a psychometric test, take-home exercises, and interviews, usually done over 1 - 2 months.

Where are interns based?

Placement depends on the team assignment - most interns are based in our non-capital / field offices and headquarters; but some may be based in capital city locations as well.

Interns are placed in their country of citizenship so applicants must already have the right to work in that country.

How much do you pay interns?

We pay our interns a modest stipend that covers housing, transportation, and communication costs.

How do I check my application status or share feedback?

We will notify you if you are not selected to progress past the first stage. Please use a correct email address when you apply — without it, we cannot process your application or send updates. Given application volume (typically more than 4,000 per cohort), we might not be able to provide individual feedback on why an application did not progress.

To share feedback on the internship recruitment process, use our intern recruitment process feedback form. Submitted feedback is kept strictly confidential.

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