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
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:
Undergraduate students: $25.00/hour
Graduate students: $31.00/hour
Ph.D./JD students: $38.00/hour
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 PCAOB is seeking an Audit intern for our Spring 2026 cohort. As an auditing intern with PCAOB, you will have the opportunity to gain a broad overview of the standard-setting process and an understanding of trends and developments affecting the accounting and auditing profession. This role will provide support to the PCAOB by assisting attorneys and accountants with analyzing and reviewing investigative materials, preparing reports, and research and analysis of financial information related to investigations and bringing cases against registered accounting firms and their associated persons. You will be supervised by seasoned professionals that have experience in public accounting and other related fields.
Responsibilities
Assist attorneys and accountants in analyzing investigative materials;
Prepare reports for the PCAOB's attorneys and accountants based on review of investigative materials;
Review regulatory filings and analyze financial information concerning investigations;
Work with project teams in support of standard-setting activities;
Collect and analyze financial and non-financial information;
Conduct research using the internet and subscription database services;
Assist with comment letters received on proposed standards and other public documents;
Perform other duties and special projects as needed.
Qualifications
Actively enrolled at an accredited university or college majoring in Accounting;
Completed at least one semester of intermediate accounting;
Proficient with Microsoft software applications;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
Ability to be flexible, work independently and be self-motivated;
Dependability a must; and
Proficiency in another language is a plus.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
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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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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