Summer Intern- Highway Safety Roanoke Office

Title:

Summer Intern
- Highway Safety Roanoke Office

State Role

Title:

Admin and Office Spec III

Hiring Range: $21.00 per hour

Pay Band: 3

Agency:
Department of Motor Vehicles

Location:

Roanoke, VA

Coverage areas:
Roanoke, Bristol, and Staunton Areas

Dates:
June 1
- August 7, 2026

Agency Website:(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov

Recruitment Type:
General Public - G

Job Duties

Help Save Lives on Virginia Roads This Summer

Create Programs That Reduce Highway Fatalities

Here's something you don't hear every day: your summer internship could directly contribute to saving lives on Virginia highways. We need someone to develop a strategic engagement plan that gets early-career law enforcement officers invested in highway safety-and that work has real consequences for crash reduction and traffic safety.

The Challenge

Getting new law enforcement personnel's buy-in on highway safety initiatives and traffic safety enforcement. How do we engage them early? How do we make highway safety a priority from day one? That's what you'll help figure out.

The Project:
Highway Safety Law Enforcement

Develop a strategic plan to engage new police officers in highway safety initiatives.

You'll work directly with Highway Safety Office Law Enforcement Program Managers across three regions (Roanoke, Bristol, Staunton) to create an engagement framework that works for real law enforcement agencies.

What You'll Do:

Research &

Collaboration:

* Work with law enforcement agencies across three regions

* Interview early-career officers and program managers

* Identify what motivates new officers to prioritize traffic safety

* Learn what strategies actually work on the ground

Strategic Planning:

* Develop a practical "how-to" engagement guide for law enforcement agencies

* Create frameworks for introducing highway safety to new officers

* Design outreach and community collaboration approaches

* Build strategies that create long-term buy-in, not just short-term compliance

Impact Assessment:

* Help measure increased participation in highway safety activities

* Track engagement in enforcement and educational initiatives

* Document community outreach efforts

Your Deliverable:

A comprehensive engagement plan and implementation guide that law enforcement agencies can actually use to onboard new officers into highway safety programs-with the ultimate goal of reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Virginia roads.

Why This Matters:

Highway crashes are preventable. Traffic fatalities are preventable. But prevention requires buy-in from the officers on the front lines. Your work will help shape how the next generation of Virginia law enforcement approaches traffic safety-and that has direct, measurable impact on lives saved.

What You'll Learn:

Professional

Skills:

* Strategic planning and program development

* Stakeholder engagement with law enforcement

* Creative problem-solving for organizational change

* Communication and presentation skills

* Community collaboration and outreach strategy

Field

Experience:

* How highway safety programs operate in practice

* The intersection of law enforcement, public safety, and community relations

* What motivates behavioral change in professional settings

* How state agencies partner with local law enforcement

Career Insight:

* Direct exposure to criminal justice and public safety careers

* Understanding of behavioral science in law enforcement contexts

* Network connections with law enforcement professionals across Virginia

* Portfolio piece showing strategic planning and community impact work

The Real Benefit:

Beyond the resume line, you'll be a highway safety ambassador who deeply understands why safe driving behaviors matter-because you'll have helped build the programs that promote them.

Minimum Qualifications

* At least 18 years of age at the start of employment/internship

* As of May 2026, must have completed at least 2 semesters (24 credit hours) and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a two or four-year college/university

* Recent graduates (May 2026 or December 2025) are also eligible to apply

* Possess a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale (exceptions can apply in extenuating circumstances)

* Strong communication, presentation, and organizational skills

* Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills

* Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams)

* Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking skills

* Must be able to work at least 40 hours per week during the summer internship program

* Must be able to work on-site

Additional Considerations

* Recently graduated with an associates or bachelor's degree in December 2025 or May 2026 OR as of May 2026, completed at least 4 semesters (48 credit hours) and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a two or four-year college/university in Criminal Justice/Science or Behavioral Science (Psychology)

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted…