Spring 2027 Public Policy & Stakeholder Engagement Intern

Public Service; Washington; Hybrid; USD 19,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

The Partnership for Public Service in Washington, DC offers a Spring 2027 internship in Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement. The role supports policy tracking, research and communications for federal workforce policy and government modernization efforts.

Interns will assist with hearings, updates, briefs and meetings with congressional staff and stakeholder organizations. Strong writing and research skills, plus interest in public service, are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Understanding of Congress and legislative processes.
• Experience with quantitative research methods or data analysis.
• Commitment to public service and policy impact.

Responsibilities

• Track Congressional hearings and legislative activity.
• Take notes on hearings and share updates with policy team.
• Draft policy and hearing updates and briefs.
• Synthesize news related to the policy agenda.
• Engage in outreach with stakeholders and congressional staff.

Skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Congress knowledge

Quantitative research

Public service motivation

Job description

Application Deadline is October 19.

For Spring 2027, the Partnership will prioritize hiring interns from the following schools:

• Florida International University
• George Mason University
• Ohio State University – John Glenn College of Public Affairs and the Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP)
• Syracuse University – Maxwell School of Public Affairs
• Trinity Washington University
• University of California schools – UCDC Washington Center Program
• University of Maryland
• University of Michigan
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Texas at Austin – LBJ School of Public Affairs

This** is a DC-based hybrid position. Interns must reside and have a permanent address in the Washington **Metropolitan Region for the duration of their internship.

ORGANIZATION

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a big mission: we’re working to ensure the government is dynamic, innovative and that it effectively serves the American people. We’ve got a great team that helps make it happen.

Our work is strategic, fast-paced and guided by our values:

• Passionfor public service and our work toward a more effective government.
• Peoplewho promote a culture of learning, leadership, collaboration and respect.
• Persistenceto drive change, take strategic risks and deliver results.
• Promiseto be trustworthy, nonpartisan and fiscally responsible.

We hire smart and friendly people who are great at what they do and good to one another in the process. Are you ready to join our team?

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement team is the Partnership’s voice on policy – particularly focused on the legislative and regulatory policies thatimpactthe federal workforce and management of government agencies. We advocate for effective policies by working to collaborate with and educate Congressional staff and Members of Congress, Executive Branch agencies, the WhiteHouseand a variety of stakeholder organizations. We also work to advance the organization’s effective government policy agenda by building bridges of understanding between government agencies and Congress, promoting useful technologies to improve federal service delivery, advocating for the modernization of America’s civil service system and sharing the Partnership’s work with congressional committees, members and their staff.

Interns on the Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement team willassistthe team with a variety of critical policy tracking and research, including:

• Tracking Congressional committee hearings and legislative activity
• Taking notes on relevant hearings and sharing them with the broader Public Policy team
• Drafting policy and hearing updates
• Synthesizing news related to the Public Policy team’s work
• Engaging in research and drafting short policy briefs on topic areas on our policy agenda
• Participating in Congressional meetings, meetings with stakeholder organizations and events hosted by the Public Policy team
• Networking across the Partnership to learn more about how our work impacts government agencies

The Public Policy and Stakeholder Engagement team offers interns the opportunity to become more informed about the legislative and regulatory process, and the policies and practices of the government. It alsoprovidesan opportunity to see how advocacy occurs through the lens of a non-profit and how we can drive change through our work. It is a hands‑on position with an opportunity to tailor the internship to the areas of interest of the intern.

The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication, an understanding of Congress, some quantitative research abilities, flexibility to adapt to changing priorities, and a commitment to public service.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a professional office environment in Washington, DC and occasionally at local external venues. This position requires consistent use of office equipment such as computer, telephone, printer and scanner.The Partnership adheres to all federal, state and local employment laws.

COMPENSATION

Full-time interns will receive $2,000 per month. Part-time intern compensation will be pro‑rated accordingly.

LOCATION

This is a DC-based hybrid position. Interns must reside and have a permanent address in the Washington Metropolitan Region for the duration of their internship. This is a hybrid internship, with an expectation of on-site work approximately two days per week once office space is available. One on‑site day is Wednesday.

EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

Business hours are Monday-Friday, 9 am to 6 pm, though exact work hours may vary depending on availability and need. Academic schedules will be accommodated; a part-time schedule may be considered. There may be occasional early morning or evening activities required.

TRAVEL

If travel occurs, it is usually during the business day.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The applicant review and selection process depends on the number of applicants. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to fill positions before the application deadline. We strive to conduct interviews (virtual interviews) and have offers extended within a month after the application deadline.