External Affairs Intern

American Water Co.; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

American Water is seeking an External Affairs Intern in Virginia to support government affairs and community relations. You will work with a team of professionals to learn how water utilities engage with communities and stakeholders.

Based in Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, this internship provides exposure to outreach events, policy objectives, and charitable giving programs while developing communications, research, and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Public Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of completed coursework.
• Experience with various Social Media platforms.

Responsibilities

• Support external affairs and government affairs staff.
• Organize, prepare, and execute community relations events and outreach to external stakeholders.
• Maintain event tracker with details of events, dates, locations, and volunteer hours.
• Research and prepare information for internal and external meetings, events, and presentations.
• Conduct online research to find and evaluate credible information from digital sources and databases.
• Support activities related to the charitable giving program.

Skills

Communication

Analytical Skills

Organizational Skills

Independent Worker

Collaborative

Detail-Oriented

Technical Proficiency

Education

Communications/PR/Marketing/Public Administration degree program

2 years of completed coursework

Job description

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

The base salary range represents a good faith salary range for this position. The expected pay range for this position is between $18.00 per hour and $28.00 per hour. If you are hired at American Water your compensation will be determined based on factors such as market, geography, skills, candidate's program year, discipline, and degree. At American Water, we are committed to pay equity.

American Water is also proud to offer employees learning opportunities and work experiences to grow professionally!

Primary Role

About the Internship: Join Virginia American Water as an External Affairs Intern and join a team of high-performing professionals who are dedicated to making a positive impact the communities we serve.
Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water company in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 384,000 people.

• Gain firsthand experience in how water utilities support communities beyond providing water and wastewater service.
• Collaborate with professionals to assist with external affairs and community relations activities, supporting government affairs and policy objectives.

Key Accountabilities

• Support external affairs and government affairs staff.
• Organize, prepare, and execute community relations events, outreach to key external stakeholders, and special events and projects.
• Maintain “event tracker” to include details of event (date, time, location and volunteers, volunteer hours)
• Research and prepare information and reports for internal and external meetings, events, and presentations.
• Conduct online research to efficiently find, and evaluate credible information from digital sources, search engines and online databases
• Support activities related to charitable giving program

Knowledge/Skills

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Analytical Skills: Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Organizational Skills: Demonstrated organizational and administrative abilities.
• Independent Worker: Ability to work independently and manage time across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Collaborative: Seek input and coordinate with staff.
• Detail-Oriented: Conduct thorough analyses and evaluations, resulting in timely decisions and recommendations.
• Technical Proficiency: Good working knowledge of computer programs, databases, and software.

Experience/Education

• Currently enrolled in a Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Public Administration, undergraduate degree program, or a relevant program from an accredited school.
• Minimum of 2 years of completed coursework.
• Previous experience with various Social Media platforms

Travel Requirements

Join American Water... We Keep Life Flowing

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.