OPT Government Jobs
Some federal and state government positions are open to OPT students, particularly research roles, internships, and civilian technical positions that do not require security clearances. Many government agencies, national laboratories, and federally funded research institutions are experienced with F-1 OPT hiring and some qualify as cap-exempt H-1B visa employers, which means they can sponsor outside the annual lottery.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Title – Advanced Specialist, Government Relations
Description – Support state-level policy and legislative strategy, delivering insight and analysis that shapes government engagement and informs business decisions across a complex, regulated environment.
About the role
The Advanced Specialist, Government Relations supports Pearson’s US Government Relations (USGR) function by tracking, analysing, and interpreting state-level legislative and policy developments that impact the business and its strategic priorities.
Working closely with senior colleagues, this role plays a key part in delivering clear, timely, and well-structured policy materials that inform internal decision-making and external engagement. The position partners with internal stakeholders across business units to ensure that policy analysis reflects operational realities and supports effective advocacy strategies.
This is a highly analytical and detail-oriented role, combining legislative tracking, policy research, and stakeholder coordination within a fast-paced and evolving regulatory environment.
What you’ll do
- Monitor and track state legislative and regulatory activity across assigned policy areas, identifying and escalating relevant developments to senior Government Relations colleagues
- Support assigned business units by developing and maintaining policy scorecards and tracking progress against key business and Government Relations objectives
- Review introduced legislation and regulatory proposals, summarising key provisions, status, and potential business implications
- Produce and maintain recurring updates including legislative trackers, policy digests, alerts, and concise summaries to support internal planning and responsiveness
- Support the development of internal briefings by organising research, synthesising inputs, and preparing clear written materials for use by the USGR team
- Partner with internal stakeholders to validate business context, gather relevant data, and ensure policy materials accurately reflect operational considerations
- Provide timely and accurate support to state Government Relations leads by responding to requests for background research, bill comparisons, and impact analysis (including financial, operational, compliance, and customer considerations)
- Draft and support the development of policy-facing materials such as:
- One-pagers
- Talking points
- Issue summaries
- Q&A documents
- Comment letters
- Testimony support materials
- Background memos ensuring alignment with established USGR positioning
- Support preparation for meetings with policymakers and external stakeholders by assembling briefing packs, agendas, and detailed notes
- Track key legislative deadlines, hearings, and engagement milestones, maintaining well-organised records and documentation
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal tracking and documentation processes, including template development, version control, and document management
- Utilise legislative tracking and monitoring tools to ensure consistent, high-quality policy reporting and analysis
What we’re looking for
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Economics, Education Policy, or a related field
- 2–5 years of experience in government relations, public policy, legislative affairs, or policy analysis (or closely related environments)
- Hands-on experience with legislative tracking, bill analysis, and policy research within a government relations or public affairs function
- Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and well-structured policy materials for internal stakeholders
- Good understanding of state legislative processes and how policy decisions are shaped and influenced
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, work to deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and respond to feedback and shifting priorities
- Exposure to education policy or another regulated industry is desirable
- Experience drafting or supporting policy or regulatory content, such as summaries, comparison tables, or suggested amendments
- Familiarity with policy areas such as education funding, assessments, procurement, accountability, data privacy, accessibility, or emerging technology policy is advantageous
- Experience using legislative tracking or monitoring tools such as FiscalNote, Quorum, State Net, or similar platforms
Location & working pattern
This is a remote role based in the United States, working as part of a distributed Government Relations team. The position requires regular collaboration with internal stakeholders and responsiveness to legislative timelines across multiple states.
Compensation
The minimum full-time salary range is between $80,000 - $100,000.
This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.
Applications will be accepted through July 10th 2026. This window may be extended depending on business needs.
Who we are:
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing TalentExperienceGlobalTeam@grp.pearson.com.
Job: Relationship Management
Job Family: GO_TO_MARKET
Organization: Corporate Legal
Schedule: FULL_TIME
Workplace Type: Remote
Req ID: 24798
LI-REMOTE
Job Title – Advanced Specialist, Government Relations
Description – Support state-level policy and legislative strategy, delivering insight and analysis that shapes government engagement and informs business decisions across a complex, regulated environment.
About the role
The Advanced Specialist, Government Relations supports Pearson’s US Government Relations (USGR) function by tracking, analysing, and interpreting state-level legislative and policy developments that impact the business and its strategic priorities.
Working closely with senior colleagues, this role plays a key part in delivering clear, timely, and well-structured policy materials that inform internal decision-making and external engagement. The position partners with internal stakeholders across business units to ensure that policy analysis reflects operational realities and supports effective advocacy strategies.
This is a highly analytical and detail-oriented role, combining legislative tracking, policy research, and stakeholder coordination within a fast-paced and evolving regulatory environment.
What you’ll do
- Monitor and track state legislative and regulatory activity across assigned policy areas, identifying and escalating relevant developments to senior Government Relations colleagues
- Support assigned business units by developing and maintaining policy scorecards and tracking progress against key business and Government Relations objectives
- Review introduced legislation and regulatory proposals, summarising key provisions, status, and potential business implications
- Produce and maintain recurring updates including legislative trackers, policy digests, alerts, and concise summaries to support internal planning and responsiveness
- Support the development of internal briefings by organising research, synthesising inputs, and preparing clear written materials for use by the USGR team
- Partner with internal stakeholders to validate business context, gather relevant data, and ensure policy materials accurately reflect operational considerations
- Provide timely and accurate support to state Government Relations leads by responding to requests for background research, bill comparisons, and impact analysis (including financial, operational, compliance, and customer considerations)
- Draft and support the development of policy-facing materials such as:
- One-pagers
- Talking points
- Issue summaries
- Q&A documents
- Comment letters
- Testimony support materials
- Background memos ensuring alignment with established USGR positioning
- Support preparation for meetings with policymakers and external stakeholders by assembling briefing packs, agendas, and detailed notes
- Track key legislative deadlines, hearings, and engagement milestones, maintaining well-organised records and documentation
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal tracking and documentation processes, including template development, version control, and document management
- Utilise legislative tracking and monitoring tools to ensure consistent, high-quality policy reporting and analysis
What we’re looking for
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Economics, Education Policy, or a related field
- 2–5 years of experience in government relations, public policy, legislative affairs, or policy analysis (or closely related environments)
- Hands-on experience with legislative tracking, bill analysis, and policy research within a government relations or public affairs function
- Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and well-structured policy materials for internal stakeholders
- Good understanding of state legislative processes and how policy decisions are shaped and influenced
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, work to deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and respond to feedback and shifting priorities
- Exposure to education policy or another regulated industry is desirable
- Experience drafting or supporting policy or regulatory content, such as summaries, comparison tables, or suggested amendments
- Familiarity with policy areas such as education funding, assessments, procurement, accountability, data privacy, accessibility, or emerging technology policy is advantageous
- Experience using legislative tracking or monitoring tools such as FiscalNote, Quorum, State Net, or similar platforms
Location & working pattern
This is a remote role based in the United States, working as part of a distributed Government Relations team. The position requires regular collaboration with internal stakeholders and responsiveness to legislative timelines across multiple states.
Compensation
The minimum full-time salary range is between $80,000 - $100,000.
This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.
Applications will be accepted through July 10th 2026. This window may be extended depending on business needs.
Who we are:
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.
Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing TalentExperienceGlobalTeam@grp.pearson.com.
Job: Relationship Management
Job Family: GO_TO_MARKET
Organization: Corporate Legal
Schedule: FULL_TIME
Workplace Type: Remote
Req ID: 24798
LI-REMOTE
See all 44+ OPT Government Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Government Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsOPT Job Search Tips for US Government Roles
Many federal roles require U.S. citizenship
A significant portion of U.S. federal government positions are restricted to U.S. citizens. Before investing time in a federal application, confirm the citizenship requirements in the job posting. State and local government roles often have broader eligibility.
Research and university positions under government grants are more accessible
Government-funded research roles at universities, national laboratories, and nonprofit research institutions are often open to OPT students. These positions are also frequently cap-exempt for H-1B visa purposes, giving you a longer-term path without lottery uncertainty.
National labs and federally funded research centers hire OPT students regularly
Institutions like Argonne, Oak Ridge, and the National Institutes of Health employ international researchers and graduates in STEM fields. Many of these roles qualify for STEM OPT and are with E-Verify employers by default.
State and local government agencies vary widely in eligibility requirements
Unlike federal roles, state and local government jobs don’t have a uniform citizenship requirement. Many are open to work-authorized candidates, including OPT students. Check the specific eligibility language in each posting rather than assuming.
Security clearance requirements apply to some government-adjacent roles
Roles at agencies handling sensitive information, including many defense and intelligence-adjacent positions, require clearances not available to non-citizens. Filtering these roles out early keeps your search focused on positions you can actually access.
Government contractor roles are often more accessible than direct federal roles
Companies contracting with the federal government in IT, engineering, and research frequently hire OPT students and have established sponsorship programs. These roles offer government-adjacent work without the citizenship barriers of direct federal employment.
Government OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can OPT students work for the U.S. federal government?
Some federal positions are open to F-1 OPT graduates, but many require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, particularly roles in law enforcement, the military, national security, and positions requiring security clearances. Civilian research roles, technical positions at agencies like NASA, NOAA, and the EPA, and positions at federally funded national labs are more accessible. Reading the citizenship requirements in each job posting carefully before applying saves significant time.
Do national laboratories hire OPT students?
Many national laboratories affiliated with the Department of Energy and other agencies hire OPT students, particularly for research-oriented and technical roles. Positions at labs like Argonne, Oak Ridge, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that do not involve classified work are often open to international candidates. These institutions are typically cap-exempt H-1B employers, which is a significant advantage if you want to stay long-term without relying on the lottery.
Are state government jobs more accessible than federal jobs for OPT students?
State government agencies vary widely in their hiring policies for non-citizens. Some state agencies in technology, public health, engineering, and research regularly hire OPT candidates, while others have citizenship requirements. Checking the specific position's eligibility requirements directly and contacting the hiring agency with questions is the most reliable approach since policies differ by state and by agency.
What types of government-adjacent roles are most accessible for OPT students?
Research positions at university-affiliated labs, contracts with government contractors that do not require clearances, and technical roles at government-funded nonprofits and research institutions are among the most accessible. Many OPT students find that working for a private company with government contracts gives them exposure to government work without the citizenship restrictions that apply to direct federal employment.
Can a government agency sponsor my H-1B?
Some government entities can and do sponsor H-1B visas, particularly federally funded research institutions, public universities, and nonprofit research labs that qualify as cap-exempt employers. These organizations can file H-1B petitions year-round without being subject to the annual cap, which is a significant advantage over private sector sponsorship that depends on lottery selection. Direct federal agencies have different processes and use different visa pathways in some cases, so the details vary by organization.