The Internship Program

Project Background
BPC’s Business and Technology Project has overlapping staff members and similar priorities. Our Technology project works to inform key policy decisions around AI and other technological advancements. The work addresses questions of fairness, inclusion, regulation, privacy, and security, when it comes to incorporating technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) into everyday life. The Business project explores the role of a corporation in society and how corporate governance structures such as ESG affect business decisions on issues ranging form environmental protection to human rights. BPC works with both the private and public sectors to answers these questions through in-depth research and analysis.

Responsibilities
The intern will work with project staff on writing and research, event planning, tracking news and congressional activity, blogging, and communications activities. Specific responsibilities will be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests and the needs of the projects.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate school, or be a recent grad.
• Strong research and writing skills
• Independent, efficient worker with experience managing multiple, pressing deadlines
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with senior-level staff
• Strong interest and understanding of the legislative process
• Previous internship in a legislative office or government relations office preferred
• Collaborative and enthusiastic team player

Responsibilities
The communications department intern will work directly with the press, digital, and events staff in promoting BPC’s work to the public. As a cross-functional department, the intern will have opportunities to work on various projects across all of BPC’s policy areas.

Activities include:

• Monitor and internally disseminate reports of the organization’s media coverage. Maintain and build targeted press lists.
• Draft press releases, media pitches, event language, and social media posts.
• Design and create digital materials for events and social media marketing campaigns.
• Assist with BPC podcast and video production.

Qualifications
BPC seeks an intern to assist the communications team with the day-to-day activities of a busy press shop. Undergraduate (rising juniors and above) and graduate students, as well as recent graduates are eligible to apply. Successful applicants will be bright, ambitious self-starters with an interest in public policy, politics, and communications. Excellent writing and editing skills are required.

The success of the Bipartisan Policy Center depends on the ability of the organization to secure funding for its individual initiatives and the organization as a whole. The development team is continually looking to expand our existing funding resources and establish relationships with new fundraising prospects.

The development intern will gain experience and knowledge of the myriad components needed to sustain a successful non-profit organization. Interest in non-profit management or prior experience with fundraising projects, prospect/donor/marketing research, or donor communications is highly preferred.

The development intern will assist in the day-to-day activities of fundraising, working closely with BPC development team, as well as members of BPC’s project areas. The development intern will work closely with the senior director of development operations on special projects related to donor cultivation, stewardship, and outreach.

Specific duties include:

• Researching funding prospects (including new foundations, individuals and corporations)
• Data entry related to adding and maintaining accurate constituent information
• Organizational and planning assistance with meetings and special events
• Prepare briefing memos for use by leadership and external audiences
• Draft correspondence (email, talking points, proposals, donor stewardship)

Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel essential; database software experience desirable
• Must be detail oriented and possess excellent follow up skills
• Collaborative team player

Project Background
BPC’s Early Childhood Initiative is working to build a high-quality system of early care and education that supports all of America’s families. Early care and education programs, including child care, play a key role in ensuring that every child has the opportunity to build a quality foundation that will prepare them to learn, grow, and succeed. Child care also supports families and strengthens communities by allowing parents to participate in the labor force. However, millions of American families struggle to find quality, affordable child care in a safe, well-designed facility. The Early Childhood Initiative’s work focuses on engaging a diverse group of stakeholders—from parents and families to business and faith leaders—in creating an early childhood system that works for all children and families. The initiative also works on understanding the need for and supply of child care across the country, and how federal, state, and local policies and innovations can increase access to quality child care.

Responsibilities
The intern will work with project staff on writing and research, event planning, tracking news and congressional activity, and communications activities. Specific responsibilities will be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests and the needs of the projects. The intern will work towards the team’s overall mission to develop a national strategy to close the gap between what it costs to produce high-quality early care and learning programs and what parents can afford.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school
• Strong research and writing skills
• Efficient worker with ability to multi-task
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Interest or experience in early childhood or related field

Project Background
BPC’s Economic Policy Project (EPP) develops bipartisan policy recommendations designed to enhance the economic opportunity, prosperity, and security of the American people. EPP is divided into four workstreams: Fiscal Policy and Financial Security, Labor Market Policy and the Paid Family Leave initiative, Higher Education, and Funding Our Future.

The Fiscal/Financial Security team provides timely analysis of fiscal and economic policy and works with external stakeholders and members of Congress to pass meaningful and durable fiscal solutions. EPP continues to be a trusted leader in federal fiscal policy, particularly in analyzing the budget and debt limit; our debt limit analyses have long been widely cited both in the media and directly by policymakers. EPP’s first analysis of the federal debt limit was led by now Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell during his time as a Fellow at BPC. Other areas where the Fiscal/Financial Security team has done substantial work include tax reform, retirement security, emergency savings, and Social Security reform.

The Labor Market Policy team analyzes work trends and provides insights to through the form of blogs, explainers, and reports to understand labor market trends. A major avenue of work for the team is understanding the ways that Americans interact with and claim unemployment insurance (UI), and how the UI system across the nation can improve to better meet the needs of a changing workforce. This team also works on BPC’s Paid Family Leave initiative, which advocates for the Hill to pass a comprehensive paid leave program for all Americans.

In 2018, BPC launched the Task Force on Higher Education Financing and Student Outcomes to rethink federal and state approaches to higher education in ways that promote affordability and accountability throughout the system. Since then, EPP has been committed to delivering comprehensive Higher Education reform by combining ideas across the political spectrum to suit the needs of students and graduates in various degree programs, especially examining the impact that student debt has on their lives and the economy.

In 2016, EPP released the final report of its Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings, a two-year effort that produced a comprehensive package of bipartisan recommendations aimed at improving retirement security. Continuing EPP’s work on retirement policy, the Funding Our Future coalition was launched in 2018 by the Bipartisan Policy Center and financial advisor Ric Edelman. The goal of the campaign is to raise the profile of challenges facing the American retirement system and to strengthen people’s ability to retire securely in America. It now comprises a diverse set of more than 60 educational, private sector, nonprofit, and trade association partner organizations, crossing political and geographical divides.

Responsibilities
The intern will interact with data and legislation covering the policy areas worked on by the four teams within EPP. They will support long-term policy projects and papers, conducting background research and writing. They will also draft blog posts and assist staff in preparing responses to Hill and media requests. Interns are expected to attend meetings to engage with the members on the team and interact with the various projects that EPP is involved in. Other facets of the internship include monitoring major congressional activity, analyzing budget documents, and attending webinars. The intern will also assist in administrative tasks for the team including event planning, tracking press mentions, and distributing meeting notes. The intern will also assist in external communication through social media, on platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter. The intern will be asked to handle multiple assignments and switch between them depending on EPP’s needs.

Interns will be working across the entirety of EPP’s policy portfolio but will be assigned a specific policy team to contribute roughly 80% of their time towards. This assignment will be entirely up to the intern’s policy interests. Applicants are encouraged to review the four policy teams within EPP prior to applying and interviewing for the position so they can determine which area they would be most interested in exploring.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate school or be a recent grad
• Strong research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• An interest in fiscal and economic policy topics, such as higher education, retirement savings, and federal budget policy
• Strong quantitative analysis skills: proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets preferred.

Program Background

To honor Vito Stagliano’s life and career as an exceptional teacher, researcher, and public servant, and in recognition of his passion for sharing ideas while promoting work on the topics he pursued during his long and storied career, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will award one spring energy policy internship annually beginning in Spring 2022. This internship will provide students the opportunity to conduct research on critical energy policy topics like clean energy solutions and carbon removal. Applications are currently open, and interviews will be held in early December.

Responsibilities

The intern will work directly with BPC’s Energy Project team on analysis and research, event planning, monitoring news and congressional activity, blogging, communications activities, and administrative support. The intern will help support the Energy Project’s major initiatives in several possible areas, including:

• Net-zero greenhouse gas policy frameworks
• Power sector and industrial sector decarbonization policies
• Energy innovation, technology development, and commercialization programs
• The future of nuclear power
• Policies to help advance carbon capture and storage technologies, including direct air capture
• Opportunities for natural carbon solutions
• Development of an offshore wind industry in the US
• Responsible production of natural gas and petroleum
• Energy infrastructure and permitting modernization

About Vito Stagliano

Vito Stagliano joined the National Commission on Energy Policy (a former project of the BPC) in March 2006 and served as research director until August 2007. Formerly a federal executive, Stagliano served most of his public service career in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), initially as special assistant to the secretary, subsequently as head of the Policy Integration Office, and finally as deputy assistant secretary for policy analysis. He assisted in the analyses and design of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. He was awarded bronze and silver medals for exceptional service by Energy Secretary James D. Watkins and a Meritorious Service Medal by President George H.W. Bush. He retired from the Energy Department in 1992. He oversaw the analyses conducted by the DOE national laboratories that led to the promulgation of the first federal climate change policy.

He is the author of A Policy of Discontent: The Making of a National Energy Strategy and has contributed articles and research papers to the Electricity Journal, Public Utilities Fortnightly, Resources for the Future’s Resources magazine, and Dialogue, the journal of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics. Stagliano was a member of the Theodore Thomas Society of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the American Poetry Society. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and served on the staff of the Peace Corps in Ghana, Senegal, Bourkina Faso and Washington, D.C.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate school or be a recent grad
• Strong research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks

Background

BPC’s Democracy Program strengthens the foundations that sustain free, fair, and representative democracy in our diverse nation. Our team of world-class researchers and thought leaders develop policy recommendations grounded in research and realism, promote the free exchange of ideas among civic-minded leaders, and learn from our past to build a better future. We work in three fields: Elections, Core Institutions, and Civic Leadership.

The Democracy Program is seeking five interns in the following project areas:

Elections

Elections/Digital Democracy Project

• The Elections Project develops innovative, bipartisan policy solutions to the most pressing challenges in election administration. Its goal is to foster public trust in our core democratic institutions by strengthening election infrastructure at the state and federal level.
• The Digital Democracy Project leads the policy conversation at the intersection of technology and democracy toward nuanced and pragmatic solutions to difficult problems. Its goal is to amplify technology’s positive effects on civic participation while mitigating its negative effects.

Core Institutions

The Structural Democracy Project

• The Structural Democracy Project develops and champions bipartisan, systemic reforms that rebuild our government’s ability to put country over party and build consensus. Its goal is to rebuild governing institutions that solve problems and electoral systems that reflect our diverse nation.

The Presidential Leadership Initiative

• The Presidential Leadership Initiative shines a light on the changes to the American presidency and how these changes impact the advancement of freedom and democracy. Its goal is to restore credibility to the American presidency so that it remains a vital institution for advancing freedom and democracy.

Civic Leadership

Campus Free Expression Project

• The Campus Free Expression Project creates and promotes policies and programs that harmonize the values of diversity and inclusion with free expression and academic freedom. Its goal is to support the next generation’s development as independent thinkers, capable of civil debate and constructive disagreement.

The American Congressional Exchange

• The American Congressional Exchange (ACE) enable members of Congress from opposite parties to visit each other’s districts and build the trust essential for bipartisan collaboration. Its goal is to facilitate collaborative, bipartisan problem-solving in our highly partisan and polarized political environment.

Responsibilities

The intern will work with project staff on writing and research, event planning, tracking news, and congressional activity, blogging, and communications activities. Specific responsibilities will be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests and the needs of the projects.

Applicants are encouraged to review the five project areas within the Democracy Program prior to applying and interviewing for the position so they can determine which area they would be most interested in exploring.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school
• Strong research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• An interest in government and institutional reform
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks

Project Background
While reasoned and rigorous analysis is needed for sound public policy, this alone does not move the political process.

To impact the public dialogue and influence policy outcomes, BPC Action—the Bipartisan Policy Center’s partner organization for political advocacy—engages in aggressive advocacy and implements strategic education and outreach plans to bring Republicans and Democrats together, changing policy on the most polarizing issues.

Responsibilities
The intern will assist staff as they tackle the many policy areas in their portfolios such as:

• Economic policy
• Early Childhood development
• Energy
• Health
• Immigration
• Paid Leave
• Congressional reform

Responsibilities include research and writing, monitoring news and congressional activity, helping out BPC Action’s Communications Manager with BPC Action’s social media accounts, blogging, and other communications activities and administrative duties as needed. The intern will be exposed to key congressional players and participate in strategic outreach.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school
• Strong research and writing skills
• Independent, efficient worker with experience managing multiple, pressing deadlines
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with senior-level staff
• Strong interest and understanding of the legislative process
• Previous internship in a legislative office or government relations office preferred

Background
BPC’s Health Program strives to develop policy recommendations that improve the nation’s health outcomes and reduce preventable health care costs, geared towards the public and private sectors. The policy areas we focus on span public health and prevention, cost and coverage, behavioral health, long-term services and supports, chronic care, digital health, nutrition, workforce, pandemic preparedness, and rural health.

Responsibilities
Prospective interns may work on a variety of policy areas across the Health team’s portfolio and will be assigned based on the intern’s policy interests and the team’s current project needs. Applicants are encouraged to review the policy areas within the Health Program prior to applying to determine which areas they would be most interested in exploring and to include areas of interest in their application.

Interns will work with project staff on policy research, writing info briefs and blogs, event planning, congressional tracking, communications tasks, and administrative responsibilities, as needed. Topics of research and policy development could include:

• Reforming the nation’s public and private health care systems.
• Increasing efficiency of service delivery in Medicare and Medicaid.
• Promoting the integration of behavioral health and primary care services.
• Improving nutrition in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Accelerating the use of digital technologies to support patients, new models of care, research, and improvements in population health.
• Increasing investments in treatments for unmet or public health needs, and promoting policies that accelerate safe and effective treatments through the Food and Drug Administration.
• Improving access to long-term services and supports for those with complex needs.
• Addressing health care infrastructure, workforce, and health IT barriers to health care services in rural areas.
• Engaging large employers to improve the health of individuals and communities and fostering linkages between business and public health.
• Encouraging traditionally non-health federal agencies to support a “health in all policies approach” focused on the multiple determinants of health.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school
• Strong research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Strong interest in health policy issues

Background 
BPC’s Human Resources department is a functional team within BPC that assists with benefits, full time recruitment, staff engagement, the internship program etc. Our HR team works as a key component in major decisions within BPC and operates as internal customer service for BPC employees. The work addresses questions of inclusion, diversity, equity, best practices and processes, and providing the best possible support for employees.  BPC works with every project and department within BPC.

We are looking for an HR Intern to support our team by performing various administrative tasks to support the department’s daily activities and take on various projects as we look to improve our HR processes. If you’re interested in kickstarting your career in HR and getting a closer look at how our organization approaches various facets of HR, from recruiting to compliance, we’d like to meet you.

Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include a host of tasks such as documenting HR processes, creating and maintaining onboarding and offboarding checklists, scheduling interviews, researching and drafting policies and processes, drafting internal employee communications, researching our ability to increase our diversity candidate pipeline, staff engagement, learning and development, benefits, total rewards and working with facilities on a variety of projects. Specific responsibilities will be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests and the needs of the team.

Qualifications 

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate school, or a recent graduate.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
• Efficient worker with the ability to multi-task
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Strong interest in HR and customer service.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Project Background
The immigration debate—one already burdened with deep partisanship—has become increasingly high profile under the Trump administration. Both Democrats and Republicans use the issue to rally their electoral bases. Public interest continues to pressure Congress to act on immigration, but efforts have been unsuccessful so far and many whose immigration status is in the balance remain in limbo. The project aims to “hold the middle” and foster an environment conducive to bipartisan immigration legislation.

Through public events, written products, and collaboration and outreach with Capitol Hill, the project focuses on all aspects of the immigration system and potential reforms. BPC focuses on four primary issue areas: controlling the flow of unauthorized immigration, legalization and citizenship, legal immigration, and economic impacts. As this debate unfolds, the project will continue to target its efforts where it perceives opportunities to positively impact the debate.

Responsibilities
The intern will work with staff on research and writing, preparing material for private and public discourse, and monitoring current events and congressional activity. The internship will also include engagement in other functions of the project such as event planning, fundraising, and communications. Interns will be asked to handle multiple assignments and deadlines. As with any job, project needs and the intern’s skill set will play a key role in determining precise responsibilities. The intern may also be asked to assist with BPC’s new Cross-Border policy project, which focuses on the politics of trade, NAFTA, and cross-border relationships in North America.

Qualifications
The ideal applicant:

• Possesses strong research and writing skills
• Communicates clearly and effectively
• Attends to detail and holds own work to high standards
• Effectively manages competing and changing priorities

Has an interest in immigration policy and/or economics and trade policy

Project Background
BPC’s Infrastructure Project and Housing Project have overlapping staff members and similar priorities. The Infrastructure Project has been working to establish a new model for infrastructure investment in critically needed projects, including both economic and social infrastructure. And the Housing Project has developed a new pragmatic policy roadmap that aims to meet today’s housing needs and those of future generations. Building off past reports and commissions, BPC continues to inform and engage both housing and infrastructure policymakers through in-depth and timely research.

Responsibilities
The intern will work with project staff on writing and research, event planning, tracking news and congressional activity, blogging, and communications activities. Specific responsibilities will be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests and the needs of the projects.

Qualifications

• Must be an enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate school
• Strong research and writing skills
• Efficient worker with ability to multi-task
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Strong interest in infrastructure policy or housing policy, as well as economic, finance, and community development issues

The application deadlines for the fall, spring, and summer semesters will be reflected accordingly on the Careers Page each semester. Early applications will be prioritized, but all applications submitted before the deadline will be considered. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

BPC Semester Interns (Fall and Spring) work part-time and receive a stipend of $3,000. Summer Interns are expected to work full-time and receive a minimum wage of $6,000.

BPC has no minimum GPA requirement. However, most applicants usually have at least a 3.0.

Each semester, each of the listed project and functional areas have internship(s) available. There are times when teams may have the capacity for more than one, but that is considered on a case-by-case basis.

We ask that you do not reach out regarding your internship application. Short-listed candidates can expect to receive a follow up notification via email up to 4 weeks after the application deadline. If you have any questions regarding our internship program the best way to have your query answered is to submit it to Kyle Huang at [email protected]