College Intern - Accounting and Financial ReportingAt — Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)

OCTA's College Intern Program is a year-round paid student/intern program. You will gain real world work experience on meaningful projects under the guidance of a transportation professional. You will have the opportunity to use problem solving, communication and decision-making skills as you gain valuable work experience. You will also work with a mentor and benefit from career counseling.

As a College Intern, you will be exposed to OCTA's career opportunities in the transportation industry. You will gain deeper awareness of transportation's many facets through your OCTA orientation, projects and teams, and internal networking.

Under direct supervision, you will perform a variety of professional entry-level duties related to your major field of study and the sponsoring department's current business operations.

The pay range is from $19.00 - $22.00 per hour depending on your education level. This position is not eligible for employee benefits. The work schedule will consist of approximately 20 hours a week, not to exceed 1,000 hours within a continuous 12 month period.

Eligibility list may be established up to 6 months from the posting date.

The application deadline for this position is June 10, 2025.  

This list is intended to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification and is not designed to be interpreted as an exhaustive listing of all tasks required of employees assigned to this job.

• Assist with accounting tasks.
• Provide support to accounts payable such as filing, routing invoices, mailing payments, and maintaining spreadsheets.
• Assist accounts receivable with filing, scanning, mailing out statements and invoices, and reconciling data.
• Accurately communicate status of tasks to ensure objectives are met. 

Knowledge of:

• General Accounting principles and practices.
• Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, and Outlook) to use for data management, spreadsheets, and word processing. 

Ability to:

• Perform entry level professional work.
• Apply formulas in computing basic calculations.
• Maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to communicate in verbal and written form in a concise, clear manner. 

Qualifications

• Currently a full-time college student enrolled in a two-year or four-year college program and following a course of study leading to a Bachelor's or Master's degree, with emphasis in Accounting or other related fields.
• Must be a full-time student maintaining a 2.5 GPA.
• Intern must conduct themselves in a professional manner.

Working Conditions/Physical Activities:

(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. OCTA provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions).

Positions in this class typically require:

• Work may be performed in a stressful, fast-paced office environment, depending upon assignment.
• Requires ability to understand verbal communication and to respond effectively.
• Positions in this class typically require: Reaching, Finger Dexterity, Grasping, Feeling, Talking, Hearing, Seeing, and Repetitive Motions in computer use.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

OCTA is an equal employment opportunity employer that recruits, hires, and promotes qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, military and veteran status, or other legally protected status.

Tasks:

Assist with accounting tasks.
Provide support to accounts payable such as filing, routing invoices, mailing payments, and maintaining spreadsheets.
Assist accounts receivable with filing, scanning, mailing out statements and invoices, and reconciling data.
Accurately communicate status of tasks to ensure objectives are met.

Training:

• General Orientation: Introduction to OCTA’s organizational structure, accounting policies, and software systems.
• Departmental Overview: A guided tour of the Accounting Operations department, including Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions, to provide context for assigned tasks.
• One-on-One Mentorship: Monthly meetings with the Accounting Manager to provide feedback and address questions.
• Hands-On Training: Job shadowing accounting staff to observe real transaction processing, followed by supervised practice on data entry, invoice preparation, year-end closing accrual review, and reconciliations.
• Task Contextualization: Each project or assignment will be prefaced with an overview explaining its purpose and relation to department goals and accounting principles.

Learning Outcome:

1. Apply accounting principles to real-world financial transactions, including accounts payable and accounts receivable in compliance with organizational and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) standards.
2. Analyze and reconcile financial data using accounting software and Excel to identify discrepancies and ensure accuracy in financial reporting.
3. Understand and participate in month-end and year-end closing procedures, including accruals, and account reconciliations.
4. Demonstrate professional communication skills by preparing internal reports, corresponding with internal customers and employees, and presenting financial information clearly and accurately.
5. Develop an understanding of internal controls and the importance of confidentiality, accuracy, and timeliness in financial operations.