Partnership Internship Program Contact For more information about the Public Service Internship Program or for questions about your application, please contact: intern@ourpublicservice.org(202) 775–9111 Back to all job openings Partnership Internship Program The Partnership Internship Program is an opportunity for undergraduates and graduate students as well as recent graduates to contribute to the Partnership’s mission while developing valuable professional skills. Interns work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Their responsibilities vary but often include event planning and execution, research, writing and outreach to external partners, including federal agencies and colleges and universities. The program also incorporates opportunities for professional and personal growth through workshops and trainings specifically geared toward students and young professionals, such as networking, office etiquette, resume reviews and interviewing. Interns are also invited to participate in staff-wide workshops and trainings, including lunch and learns with speakers such as high-ranking government officials and corporate partners. Interns complete a learning agreement at the start, a mid-term review and an end-of-term evaluation. Interns are supervised by a full-time staff member on their team, in addition to having the support of three intern coordinators. Program Dates Summer 2025 May 27 to Aug. 22* Application Period:Feb. 3 through March 3 Notification:Early April Fall 2025 Sept. 3 to Dec. 20* Application Period:May 1 through June 2 Notification:Early August Spring 2025 Jan. 21 to May 23* Application Period:Sept. 6 through Oct. 7 Notification:Early November *Exceptions for start date may be considered if academic obligations interfere with alternative college/university schedules. Jump to positions Who Should Apply The Partnership is a purpose driven, people centric organization that fosters a collaborative learning environment for our interns. We seek extraordinary undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates with: A commitment to public service. Strong written and oral communication. Excellent customer service skills. Analytical thinking. An ability to work well in teams. There is no single academic major or background we prefer over another—if you share our passion and are committed to developing your skills while gaining valuable experience, we want to hear from you! Where Our Interns Come From While we welcome applicants and hire students and recent graduates from any school nationwide, we do maintain several partnerships with specific universities. Through the generous contributions of donors, these specific schools have restricted funds they can use specifically to support their students who intern at the Partnership. Students from these schools apply through our regular process and, if selected, are paid through their respective colleges or universities at rates determined by their institution. We are grateful for these donor-funded internships and try to maximize their use each term by providing priority consideration to applicants from these schools first: 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 Wellesley College – Wellesley in Washington Program (WIW) A few times each year, the Partnership also applies for interns through school-based or third-party programs or fellowships that place interns at host sites. Students from these programs, if selected, are also paid through their respective programs at rates determined by their program. Location and Hours This is a DC-based, hybrid internship (mix of in-person and remote work). Per Partnership policy, all full-time employees will be expected to work from the office a minimum of 2x per week. Interns must reside and have a permanent address in the Washington Metropolitan Region for the duration of their internship. Partnership meetings and activities typically occur Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET. Most of our internship positions are designed to be full-time (40 hours per week) in order to maximize all components of the internship program, however we will consider part-time schedules on certain teams. Some internship roles supporting program delivery require specific work hours and are not ideal for interns available less than 30 hours per week. Typically, we cannot accommodate any work schedule of less than 20 hours per week. The internship is subject to a “Bring Your Own Technology” policy meaning the internship requires the intern to provide and use their own personal computer capable of accessing the internet and to have access to a high-speed internet connection during the workday. How to Apply To apply, follow the “Apply” link found below the internship position descriptions. Before applying, carefully read the descriptions to determine which position(s) you are best qualified for and most interested in pursuing. While each position requires a commitment to public service, the descriptions detail the skills and competencies necessary for each particular position. Selection Process The applicant review and selection process depends on the number of applicants, though we strive to conduct interviews (phone interviews) and have offers extended within a month after the application deadline. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as we do review resumes on a rolling basis and reserve the right to fill positions before the application deadline. Compensation Interns receive the following compensation: Full-time interns will receive $1,500 per month. Part-time intern compensation will be pro-rated accordingly. Internship Positions Hiring and Employee Engagement The Partnership’s Workforce team helps the public sector address critical talent gaps by administering internship and fellowship programs that inspire early career talent to public service, designing and implementing new recruitment and retention strategies, examining public sector customer experience trends and opportunities and conducting data analysis and research for our external stakeholders. At the end of their term, interns will walk away with a greater understanding of how public sector employers keep their staff engaged and understand the hiring process from an employer’s perspective. Our team is seeking candidates with an interest in learning about the public sector who are detail-oriented, have solid time management habits with strong written and verbal communications skills and are comfortable in a fast-paced environment with a willingness to pitch in. Applicants with interests and background in social science research and proficiency in Microsoft Excel are highly encouraged to apply. Application Closed Business Development The Partnership’s Business Development team plays a critical role in identifying and developing fee-for-service opportunities, building relationships with government clients, developing a strategy and processes to enter the state and local government market on a selective basis and growing the Partnership’s reach, impact and revenue. The team collaborates across our organization to sell services that foster leadership development, team building, employee engagement, recruiting and retention. The Partnership helps government employees improve leadership capacity and transform government from within. During the internship, the intern may learn more about data collection and analysis, revenue tracking and forecasting, proposal development, relationship management, customer service, process flows, policy development, contract administration, marketing and other aspects of the business development lifecycle. At the end of their term, the intern will walk away with a greater understanding of the challenges faced by government agencies and how the Partnership supports the government while also growing our impact through business development efforts. Our team seeks candidates with an interest in learning about the government and the contracting process, who are detail oriented, have solid time management habits, experience with Microsoft 365 products, strong written and verbal communication skills and are comfortable in a fast-paced environment with a willingness to pitch in. Application Closed Leadership Institute The Public Service Leadership Institute (PSLI) hosts programs and training sessions that aim to develop strong leaders, engage employees, encourage innovation and build participants’ government networks. Examples of those programs include our Excellence in Government Fellows Program, Leadership Excellence for Acquisitions Professionals Program and one-on-one Executive Coaching, all geared toward employees across the government. PSLI is also building an eLearning program and has established a Public Service Leadership Model (PSLM) to guide employee’s leadership growth throughout their career. Leadership Institute interns have the unique opportunity to develop leadership and project management skills by helping deliver programs for government employees. During their internship, interns will learn more about project management, relationship management, event planning and logistics, customer service, professionalism and leadership development theory. At the end of their term, interns will walk away with a greater understanding of how the government and its agencies work and how government employees can lead at every level. The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills, time management skills, attention to detail and a basic understanding of Microsoft Office Suite. Application Closed AI and Modernizing Government The AI and Modernizing Government team promotes the effective use of AI, emerging technology and innovation to enhance the operations of—and strengthen trust in—government. We manage events focused on developing AI leaders within government, strengthening AI talent capacity and empowering community learning and AI literacy. The team also coordinates the Partnership’s enterprise-wide AI portfolio focused on empowering public sector leaders as effective users and smart regulators of AI. The AI and Modernizing Government team offers interns a firsthand look at how senior government leaders are implementing cutting-edge technologies to better serve the public. You’ll also gain hands-on experience working on projects at the intersection of public policy, technology, and leadership development while contributing to meaningful work that directly impacts government operations. The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication; a basic understanding of AI, emerging technologies, public service and/or government modernization; experience with event planning, research, or content development; flexibility to adapt to changing priorities; and a commitment to public service. Application Closed Communications The Partnership’s communication efforts are designed to change public perceptions, educate the public about the need for a high-performing government and help connect citizens to their government. In addition, the Communications team ensures that Partnership programs and activities are heard, understood and actionable. Communications interns are integral Communications team members and assist with writing, editing and brainstorming new ideas. Our interns will be placed in one of four teams within the Communications team—marketing, events, press or trust in government. Our marketing interns provide a range of support including generating the Partnership’s weekly newsletter and managing the Partnership’s social media outreach including Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented team player who has excellent writing, organization and public speaking skills. Interns will have the opportunity to develop experience representing the Partnership to the public. Interns also gain experience using CRM and email marketing systems, web and graphic design programs, media monitoring tools and other highly marketable skills for communications professionals. Application Closed Development The Partnership’s fundraising efforts extend across the organization and focus on ensuring long-term financial viability. The Development team identifies, cultivates and secures financial and in-kind support for the Partnership’s programs and activities. The Development intern will learn the basics of nonprofit fundraising and relationship management, including how to conduct prospect research, cultivate new donors and work with our corporate sponsors and other existing supporters. Specific responsibilities may include identifying and researching prospective sponsorship, individual gift and foundation grant opportunities; drafting correspondence related to Partnership programs; providing support for internal and external meetings, including preparing, note-taking and observing; assisting with mailings or email invitation sends; and tracking and acknowledging incoming donations using our customer management system (Salesforce). The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication and attention to detail. Application Closed Government Affairs The Government Affairs team, home to our Center for Presidential Transition and making government work advocacy portfolio, is the Partnership’s voice on policy – particularly focused on the legislative and regulatory policies that impact the federal workforce and management of government agencies. The Government Affairs team offers interns the opportunity to become more informed about the legislative and regulatory process, and the policies and practices of the government. It also provides an 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. Application Closed Executive Networks The Executive Networks team convenes government executives, current and former, to help them build critical connections with their peers across government and develop strategies to address the most pressing issues facing their agencies. Executive Networks Programs interns have the unique opportunity to listen to senior federal leaders discuss implementing policy changes within their agencies including efforts to enhance government efficiency, artificial intelligence and others. Interns will learn more about program management, relationship management, information gathering and analysis, database maintenance, event planning and logistics and customer service. At the end of their term, interns will walk away with a greater understanding of the policy implementation challenges and key management, legal and operational issues that the federal government is addressing, as well as the vital role that leaders play. Candidates must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail, time management skills and a demonstrated ability to provide customer service. Application Closed
