Policy Intern - Spring

The Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) is seeking an undergraduate-level intern. COSSA is a non-profit advocacy organization that promotes the value and widespread use of social and behavioral science across the federal government. COSSA advocates in Congress and a variety of Executive Branch agencies in support of federal funding for social science as well as sound policies that positively impact the conduct of social science research. This internship would be of interest to undergraduate students wishing to learn about advocacy/government relations, federal science policy, and/or non-profit organizations.  

Intern duties may include, but would not be limited to:

·        Conducting legislative research to assist COSSA staff with their government relations activities. This may include searching federal agency databases for social science projects, research on Members of Congress, and research on bills, regulations, and other policy developments, among other projects.

·        Coverage of events, such as Congressional hearings, federal agency advisory committee meetings, community and coalition events, etc., which may result in a written product, such as a newsletter article.

·        During the spring, assisting with the preparation and execution of the COSSA Science Policy Conference & Social Science Advocacy Day, and other events as needed.

·        Light administrative duties such as organizing folders, sorting mail, answering phones, etc.

Minimum Skills & Qualifications:

·        Ability to work well with others in a collaborative environment. 

·        Professional demeanor and attention to detail.

·        Interest in the legislative process; prior experience or knowledge of the federal legislative process is highly desirable. 

·        Strong writing and research skills.

·        Ability to take direction, work under pressure, and meet deadlines while maintaining professional composure.

·        Proficiency using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc).

·        Proficiency using social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc).

Candidates should be comfortable working in a small office with a staff of four. This is an unpaid internship; however, we are happy to assist via course credit with a candidate’s home institution.

Intern must be available to work a minimum of 24 hours (3 days) per week. COSSA can be flexible to accommodate class schedules. Start and end dates of the internship program are negotiable as well.

COSSA is located in downtown Washington, DC, several blocks from the White House. The office is Metro accessible (blue, orange and silver lines). 

More on COSSA is available at www.cossa.org. 

Interested individuals should send a resume and brief cover letter via Handshake. Further questions about COSSA or the internship can be addressed to Ben Goodrich at bgoodrich@cossa.org. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.