CPT Government Jobs
Government CPT positions span federal agencies, state offices, municipal departments, and public policy organizations, giving students in public administration, political science, economics, law, and related fields hands-on experience that directly satisfies curriculum internship requirements. Because government employers provide offer letters without USCIS paperwork or sponsorship costs, CPT authorization moves quickly once your DSO approves the placement.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
ROLE
Leading the world’s sustainable energy future, First Solar interns work around the globe/country in research and development, marketing, project development, information technology, engineering, energy services and much more. When you work at First Solar, you will be challenged every day and provided real world experience. You will be given the opportunity to find new solutions and develop new skills to further advance your skillset. At First Solar we strive to foster a culture that encourages innovation through collaboration, urging colleagues to take smart risks, learning from failures and course correcting, and owning personal accountability for contributing to our mission.
EXPECTED LENGTH OF INTERNSHIP
- Fall 2026 semester
- As an internship company, we allow flexibility to enroll in classes while working as an intern, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the essential functions of the position.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
- Junior/Senior student in Political Science, Public Policy, Government, Law, or a related field.
- Prior coursework or experience in legislative research, policy analysis, or government relations preferred.
- First Solar encourages all interns to register their internship with their university.
REQUIRED SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
- Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to track and synthesize complex legislative and regulatory developments at both the state and federal level.
- Comfort using AI tools and digital platforms to accelerate research, build tracking systems, and produce clear written outputs.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate policy content for executive audiences.
- Organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
BASIC INTERNSHIP SCOPE (PROJECT)
- Design and build a legislative and regulatory tracking system — spanning state and federal activity relevant to solar energy, domestic manufacturing, permitting, and grid policy — that enables the Government Relations team to monitor, prioritize, and act on developments in near real time.
- Develop a prioritization framework that scores and ranks tracked legislation and rulemakings based on criteria such as business impact, likelihood of passage, First Solar’s policy positions, and timeline — turning a broad legislative landscape into a focused, actionable watchlist.
- Create standardized reporting templates and cadences (e.g., weekly digests, monthly legislative scorecards) that translate the tracker into clear, executive-ready summaries for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Use AI tools to automate information gathering, flag new bill introductions and regulatory filings, and generate first-draft summaries for human review — documenting the workflow so the system remains useful after the internship ends.
- Identify gaps or emerging policy trends — such as state-level incentive programs, federal rulemaking timelines, or legislative threats to clean energy supply chains — and surface findings in a structured format for the Government Relations team.
ESTIMATED SALARY RANGE
- $20.00-$23.00/hr.
US PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.
Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.
LOCATION
Locations: 4300 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85018, US
JOB SCHEDULE
Job Schedule: Full time
WORK SCHEDULE
Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (United States of America)
INTRODUCTION
First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
ROLE
Leading the world’s sustainable energy future, First Solar interns work around the globe/country in research and development, marketing, project development, information technology, engineering, energy services and much more. When you work at First Solar, you will be challenged every day and provided real world experience. You will be given the opportunity to find new solutions and develop new skills to further advance your skillset. At First Solar we strive to foster a culture that encourages innovation through collaboration, urging colleagues to take smart risks, learning from failures and course correcting, and owning personal accountability for contributing to our mission.
EXPECTED LENGTH OF INTERNSHIP
- Fall 2026 semester
- As an internship company, we allow flexibility to enroll in classes while working as an intern, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the essential functions of the position.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
- Junior/Senior student in Political Science, Public Policy, Government, Law, or a related field.
- Prior coursework or experience in legislative research, policy analysis, or government relations preferred.
- First Solar encourages all interns to register their internship with their university.
REQUIRED SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
- Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to track and synthesize complex legislative and regulatory developments at both the state and federal level.
- Comfort using AI tools and digital platforms to accelerate research, build tracking systems, and produce clear written outputs.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate policy content for executive audiences.
- Organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
BASIC INTERNSHIP SCOPE (PROJECT)
- Design and build a legislative and regulatory tracking system — spanning state and federal activity relevant to solar energy, domestic manufacturing, permitting, and grid policy — that enables the Government Relations team to monitor, prioritize, and act on developments in near real time.
- Develop a prioritization framework that scores and ranks tracked legislation and rulemakings based on criteria such as business impact, likelihood of passage, First Solar’s policy positions, and timeline — turning a broad legislative landscape into a focused, actionable watchlist.
- Create standardized reporting templates and cadences (e.g., weekly digests, monthly legislative scorecards) that translate the tracker into clear, executive-ready summaries for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Use AI tools to automate information gathering, flag new bill introductions and regulatory filings, and generate first-draft summaries for human review — documenting the workflow so the system remains useful after the internship ends.
- Identify gaps or emerging policy trends — such as state-level incentive programs, federal rulemaking timelines, or legislative threats to clean energy supply chains — and surface findings in a structured format for the Government Relations team.
ESTIMATED SALARY RANGE
- $20.00-$23.00/hr.
US PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.
Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.
LOCATION
Locations: 4300 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85018, US
JOB SCHEDULE
Job Schedule: Full time
WORK SCHEDULE
Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (United States of America)
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Get Access To All JobsGovernment CPT: Frequently Asked Questions
How does government work qualify for CPT authorization?
CPT requires a direct connection between the work and your academic program. Government roles qualify when they align with your major, whether that is policy analysis for a public affairs student, data work for an economics student, or legal research for a pre-law or political science student. Your DSO will review the offer letter and confirm the role ties to a required or elective course in your curriculum before authorizing CPT.
Can I do a government CPT internship part-time while classes are in session?
Yes, and part-time CPT (under 20 hours per week) is the most common arrangement during active semesters. Federal and state agencies frequently structure student internship programs around academic schedules precisely because they recruit from university pipelines. Full-time government CPT is an option during official school breaks. Keep in mind that accumulating 12 or more months of full-time CPT across your program makes you ineligible for OPT, so most students stay part-time during the academic year.
What academic programs most commonly place students in government CPT roles?
Public policy, public administration, political science, economics, international relations, environmental science, computer science, and urban planning are the programs most frequently connected to government CPT placements. Agencies such as the EPA, Department of Transportation, and municipal planning offices regularly work with universities to host students whose coursework maps to agency functions. Your academic advisor or career center can confirm which government roles have been approved for CPT in your program previously.
How do I get CPT authorized for a government position once I have an offer?
The process starts with your employer providing an offer letter that includes your start date, end date, hours per week, job title, and a brief description of duties. You submit this to your DSO along with any required academic forms, such as a department approval or enrollment in a co-op course. Most schools process CPT authorization within a few days to two weeks. There are no USCIS filings and no cost to the government employer, which makes the authorization timeline faster than employer-sponsored visa processes.
Where is the best place to find government CPT internships?
Migrate Mate is the recommended starting point for F-1 students searching for CPT-eligible government positions, as the platform surfaces roles specifically open to students on F-1 work authorization. Beyond that, university career centers often maintain direct relationships with federal and state agencies through formal internship pipelines. Applying early matters in the government sector because many agencies run structured cohort programs with application windows that close months before the internship start date.