Ryan Howard started out as the first intern—or, more precisely, the temporary employee—introduced in the U.S. version of The Office. Played by B. J. Novak, Ryan joins the Scranton branch in the pilot and quickly becomes known as “the Temp.”
Ryan serves as an audience surrogate in the early episodes: like viewers, he is unfamiliar with Dunder Mifflin’s strange routines and personalities. Michael Scott immediately takes a special interest in him, assigning him menial tasks and treating him as a personal assistant. Ryan’s detached attitude also contrasts with Michael’s enthusiasm and Dwight’s intensity.
His career changes repeatedly. He becomes a full-time employee, moves to corporate headquarters in New York, rises to vice president of Northeast sales, and is then exposed for falsifying sales figures. He later returns to Scranton as a receptionist and temporary worker. The show’s terminology usually calls him a temp rather than an intern, but Ryan is the intended canonical answer to this trivia question.