Student Assistant

Position Information

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a Student Assistant to work at their headquarters in Albany, NY. This position supports the Counsel’s Office and provides various services to departmental programs.

Duties

• Prepare legal analysis, memoranda, guidance, and position statements related to agricultural districts, food safety, invasive species, and animal and plant diseases.
• Handle FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) requests, regulations, administrative guidelines, Notice of Intents, litigation papers, administrative warrants, and conservation easements.
• Perform duties of both legal and paralegal nature.

Minimum Qualifications

• Student Intern Program eligibility requirements:
• Be a United States citizen or foreign national eligible to work in the United States.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Be actively enrolled in a New York State college, university, or graduate program, or be a resident of New York State, attending a college, university, or graduate program outside of New York State.
• Have completed a minimum of one (1) year as a student at a degree-granting two or four-year college or university (completion of one year's worth of academic credits over a longer period may qualify part-time students for participation in the program).
• Be a currently enrolled graduate student or accepted in a graduate degree program.
• Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, or the letter grade equivalent.

Professional Skills

• Analytical and evaluative skills.
• Interpersonal and communication skills.
• Organizational skills, efficiency, and flexibility.
• Computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email software, internet searching, and other programs.

How to Apply

Interested candidates must create a Civil Service Account and apply through the Department of Civil Service Intern Program Portal. The deadline to apply is September 11, 2026. Candidates that are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to one of these opportunities must apply by May 21, 2026. Within this online application please upload your resume, transcript, and cover letter. If you have any questions, please contact Deborah Leo in Human Resources at (518) 457-3216 or HarvestYourPotential@agriculture.ny.gov.

Additional Position Information

• Division: Counsel’s Office.
• Negotiating Unit: PEF.
• Location: Albany.
• Number of Vacancies: One.
• Status of Vacancy: Full time; Temporary.
• Hrs per Week: 37.5.
• Jurisdictional Class: Non-Competitive.
• Civil Service List(s): No Eligible List Exists.