Policy Internships
Policy internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience, mentorship from working policy professionals, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Energy, Insurance, and Technology & Software, with STAND TOGETHER, BerryDunn, and Xcel Energy among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 48+ Policy Internships
Specific Information Regarding This Recruitment Process Is Listed Below
- Application Opening: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 11:59PM (PST)
- Hourly Pay Rate: $29.8750
- Recruitment ID: TEX-9922-167020
This is a Temporary Exempt (TEX) position. Pursuant to the City & County of San Francisco Charter, Section 10.104.18, this position shall be exempt from competitive civil service selection, appointment and removal procedures. The person serving in this position shall serve at the pleasure of the Appointing Officer.
This is a temporary, part-time position, up to 20 hours per week
To be considered for this position, applicants are required to complete the following at the time of application submission:
- Apply to this posting and submit your SmartRecruiters application.
- Upload most updated resume and cover letter during the application submission process.
Our Mission
The Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector serves as the banker, tax collector, collection agent, and investment officer for the City and County of San Francisco. As the entity responsible for safeguarding the City’s money, the Office uses this expertise and authority to assist San Francisco residents through award-winning programs and initiatives that help low-income families build economic security and mobility.
Our Vision
We are committed to providing excellent services for taxpayers, customers, and our community. By promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are a stronger, smarter, and more informed government agency.
Section Description
The San Francisco Economic Justice Center brings together more than 20 years of first-in-the-nation work to strengthen the financial foundations of families and communities. Housed in the Treasurer’s Office, the Center develops and scales practical, people-centered solutions—redesigning systems so families can start saving early for the future, residents can access safe banking and trusted financial guidance, and unfair fines, fees, and debt no longer trap people in poverty. Working across city departments, we test new ideas, share what works, and change how public systems operate so they support stability, dignity, and opportunity instead of creating barriers. What began as local innovation has helped shape policy across the country—showing how local government can change the odds and expand opportunity for San Franciscans. Learn more on our website.
Role description
The Policy & Research Fellow will work with the San Francisco Economic Justice Center, housed within the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector. The fellow will conduct research, analyze legislation, develop media briefings, draft communication materials, and will assist with implementation of programs geared towards supporting low-income individuals. This position is available as a part-time position (up to 20 hours per week) through June of 2027, with possibility to extend pending additional funding.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
The essential duties of the position include but are not limited to:
Research/Analysis (40%)
Projects Can Be Developed In Partnership With The Fellow, Based On Their Content Area Interests And Desires. Potential Research Topics May Include The Following:
- Researching topics related to youth financial inclusion and asset building to support EJC initiatives
- Researching and analyzing financial fraud and scams and studying best practices to protect consumers in San Francisco.
- Researching safe and affordable financial services for consumers often excluded from mainstream financial services.
- Analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative survey data.
- Developing clear and concise graphics and summaries of research and/or data analysis.
- Other research and data analysis topics as assigned
Legislative Advocacy, Tracking, and Media Briefs (35%)
Part Of Our Work Includes Legislative Advocacy, So It Is Critical For Us To Stay Up To Date On Local, State, And Federal Legislation Related To Our Work. Potential Tasks May Include:
- Tracking specific California bills that we’ve cosponsored, generally support, or opposed.
- Tracking local ordinances, state legislation, and/or federal legislation that could impact the work we do or the people we serve.
- Developing media briefings about relevant issue areas.
- Creating letters of support for relevant legislation.
Administration (25%)
Program administration plays a vital role in carrying out our various programs. Potential administrative tasks could include:
- Organizing and updating department’s library of research articles and reports
- Taking and distributing meeting notes.
- Scheduling and coordinating research interviews, focus groups, or other related meetings as needed.
- Drafting or improving communications materials.
How to qualify
- Possession of a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in policy, public or business administration, accounting, finance, economics, social sciences, education or related fields, or other subject areas closely related to a specific departmental program or function; AND
- Possession of or in the process of completing a graduate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in policy, public or business administration, accounting, finance, economics, social sciences, education or related fields, or other subject areas closely related to a specific departmental program or function; AND
- At least 1 year (2 – 3 preferred) of full-time equivalent experience performing professional-level management and/or administrative/research duties in functional areas such as: policy analysis, program/office/operations management or administration, and/or other closely related functional areas.
Desirable Qualifications
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.
- Strong ability to take initiative on new projects and conduct independent research.
- Detail-oriented with excellent time-management skills and ability to follow through on projects.
- Interest and experience in local government, research, or analysis positions.
- Excellent analytic skills and ability to synthesize and translate complicated material into clear and simple language.
- Experience speaking to a variety of audiences regarding financial information and related complex matters.
- Strong design skills and ability to create compelling visuals.
- Experience managing social media and other communications outlets.
- Experience establishing, promoting, and maintaining professional, cooperative-working relationships with those contacted throughout the course of work.
- Demonstrated interest in moving forward policy or programmatic reforms.
Candidates directly impacted by issue areas strongly encouraged to apply.
Verification
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your SmartRecruiters application by the filing deadline. Information must be entered into the SmartRecruiters applicant tracking system under the headings for Experience and Education. Leaving these sections blank and attaching a resume in lieu of completing the Experience and Education sections may cause your application to be rejected. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.
What else should I know?
Selection Procedures
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following: The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to an interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview.
- Note: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
How To Apply
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
- Select the “Apply Now" button and follow instructions on the screen
- To be considered for this position, applicants are required to complete the following at the time of application submission:
+ Upload most updated resume and cover letter during the application submission process
- Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Department of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.
- Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.
- Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
- Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
- Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact, Jo Jackson at josephine.serra@sfgov.org.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Specific Information Regarding This Recruitment Process Is Listed Below
- Application Opening: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 11:59PM (PST)
- Hourly Pay Rate: $29.8750
- Recruitment ID: TEX-9922-167020
This is a Temporary Exempt (TEX) position. Pursuant to the City & County of San Francisco Charter, Section 10.104.18, this position shall be exempt from competitive civil service selection, appointment and removal procedures. The person serving in this position shall serve at the pleasure of the Appointing Officer.
This is a temporary, part-time position, up to 20 hours per week
To be considered for this position, applicants are required to complete the following at the time of application submission:
- Apply to this posting and submit your SmartRecruiters application.
- Upload most updated resume and cover letter during the application submission process.
Our Mission
The Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector serves as the banker, tax collector, collection agent, and investment officer for the City and County of San Francisco. As the entity responsible for safeguarding the City’s money, the Office uses this expertise and authority to assist San Francisco residents through award-winning programs and initiatives that help low-income families build economic security and mobility.
Our Vision
We are committed to providing excellent services for taxpayers, customers, and our community. By promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are a stronger, smarter, and more informed government agency.
Section Description
The San Francisco Economic Justice Center brings together more than 20 years of first-in-the-nation work to strengthen the financial foundations of families and communities. Housed in the Treasurer’s Office, the Center develops and scales practical, people-centered solutions—redesigning systems so families can start saving early for the future, residents can access safe banking and trusted financial guidance, and unfair fines, fees, and debt no longer trap people in poverty. Working across city departments, we test new ideas, share what works, and change how public systems operate so they support stability, dignity, and opportunity instead of creating barriers. What began as local innovation has helped shape policy across the country—showing how local government can change the odds and expand opportunity for San Franciscans. Learn more on our website.
Role description
The Policy & Research Fellow will work with the San Francisco Economic Justice Center, housed within the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector. The fellow will conduct research, analyze legislation, develop media briefings, draft communication materials, and will assist with implementation of programs geared towards supporting low-income individuals. This position is available as a part-time position (up to 20 hours per week) through June of 2027, with possibility to extend pending additional funding.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
The essential duties of the position include but are not limited to:
Research/Analysis (40%)
Projects Can Be Developed In Partnership With The Fellow, Based On Their Content Area Interests And Desires. Potential Research Topics May Include The Following:
- Researching topics related to youth financial inclusion and asset building to support EJC initiatives
- Researching and analyzing financial fraud and scams and studying best practices to protect consumers in San Francisco.
- Researching safe and affordable financial services for consumers often excluded from mainstream financial services.
- Analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative survey data.
- Developing clear and concise graphics and summaries of research and/or data analysis.
- Other research and data analysis topics as assigned
Legislative Advocacy, Tracking, and Media Briefs (35%)
Part Of Our Work Includes Legislative Advocacy, So It Is Critical For Us To Stay Up To Date On Local, State, And Federal Legislation Related To Our Work. Potential Tasks May Include:
- Tracking specific California bills that we’ve cosponsored, generally support, or opposed.
- Tracking local ordinances, state legislation, and/or federal legislation that could impact the work we do or the people we serve.
- Developing media briefings about relevant issue areas.
- Creating letters of support for relevant legislation.
Administration (25%)
Program administration plays a vital role in carrying out our various programs. Potential administrative tasks could include:
- Organizing and updating department’s library of research articles and reports
- Taking and distributing meeting notes.
- Scheduling and coordinating research interviews, focus groups, or other related meetings as needed.
- Drafting or improving communications materials.
How to qualify
- Possession of a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in policy, public or business administration, accounting, finance, economics, social sciences, education or related fields, or other subject areas closely related to a specific departmental program or function; AND
- Possession of or in the process of completing a graduate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in policy, public or business administration, accounting, finance, economics, social sciences, education or related fields, or other subject areas closely related to a specific departmental program or function; AND
- At least 1 year (2 – 3 preferred) of full-time equivalent experience performing professional-level management and/or administrative/research duties in functional areas such as: policy analysis, program/office/operations management or administration, and/or other closely related functional areas.
Desirable Qualifications
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.
- Strong ability to take initiative on new projects and conduct independent research.
- Detail-oriented with excellent time-management skills and ability to follow through on projects.
- Interest and experience in local government, research, or analysis positions.
- Excellent analytic skills and ability to synthesize and translate complicated material into clear and simple language.
- Experience speaking to a variety of audiences regarding financial information and related complex matters.
- Strong design skills and ability to create compelling visuals.
- Experience managing social media and other communications outlets.
- Experience establishing, promoting, and maintaining professional, cooperative-working relationships with those contacted throughout the course of work.
- Demonstrated interest in moving forward policy or programmatic reforms.
Candidates directly impacted by issue areas strongly encouraged to apply.
Verification
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education.
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your SmartRecruiters application by the filing deadline. Information must be entered into the SmartRecruiters applicant tracking system under the headings for Experience and Education. Leaving these sections blank and attaching a resume in lieu of completing the Experience and Education sections may cause your application to be rejected. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.
What else should I know?
Selection Procedures
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following: The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to an interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview.
- Note: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
- Information About the Hiring Process
- Conviction History
- Employee Benefits Overview
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Disaster Service Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
How To Apply
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
- Select the “Apply Now" button and follow instructions on the screen
- To be considered for this position, applicants are required to complete the following at the time of application submission:
+ Upload most updated resume and cover letter during the application submission process
- Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Department of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.
- Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.
- Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
- Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
- Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact, Jo Jackson at josephine.serra@sfgov.org.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Policy Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Insurance
- Technology & Software
- Government & Public Sector
Tips for Your Policy Internship Search
Apply earlier than your peers do
Large federal agencies, think tanks, and policy organizations open summer internship applications the preceding fall, often in September or October. Smaller nonprofits and co-op programs post closer to start dates. Check for openings in both waves so you don't miss the early cohorts that fill before most students start looking.
Build a portfolio before your first application
Policy hiring teams expect limited work history at the intern level, so give them something else to assess. Document two or three research projects, policy memos, or published analyses that show your process and conclusions. Link to them wherever you can so a recruiter can evaluate your work in under two minutes.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Apply directly to organizations running smaller cohorts alongside your campus activity so you're reaching employers that don't show up at fairs.
Practice your policy interview format out loud
Policy intern screens often involve a written exercise, case discussion, or analytical prompt rather than a standard Q&A. Practice constructing a policy argument or summarizing research findings aloud, explaining your reasoning as you go. Interviewers weigh how you think through ambiguous problems as much as whether your final answer is correct.
Target structured programs built for people new to the field
Rotational and cohort programs at larger agencies, think tanks, and corporate public affairs teams are designed to train interns with limited professional experience. The Presidential Management Fellows pipeline is one well-known example. These programs recruit early and fill fast, so identify the ones that fit your background and apply in the first wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start
On-site roles are 18% of the policy internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you start sorting through listings, then filter by location and work type on Migrate Mate so you're only reviewing roles you can actually take.
Policy Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a policy internship?
Lead with coursework, personal projects, and a portfolio rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. For policy candidates, a documented policy memo, research brief, or published analysis gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Pair direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a policy internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is performance on real deliverables, available headcount on the team, and whether the return-offer decision comes before or after your graduation timeline. Position yourself by treating every project as a work sample, and stay in contact with your manager, but don't plan your job search around it.
When should I apply for policy internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large government agencies, think tanks, and policy-focused organizations recruit summer interns the preceding fall, sometimes opening applications in September or October. Smaller nonprofits, advocacy groups, and co-op programs post much closer to their start dates, so openings appear year-round and a second application wave in late winter catches many of them.
Are policy internships paid?
Most professional policy internships in the United States are paid. Compensation varies by employer size, sector, and location, with federal government internships, large think tanks, and corporate public affairs teams generally offering structured stipends or hourly rates. Nonprofit and advocacy roles vary more widely. Where an employer discloses compensation, it appears in the listing.
What should a policy internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three documented projects that show your research and analytical process, naming the tools you used and linking to published analyses, policy briefs, or writing samples where the work is visible. Add relevant coursework in public policy, political science, economics, or law. Keep the resume to one page.
Are there remote policy internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 82% of the policy internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill fast because they draw a national applicant pool, so apply early once you decide what works for your schedule. Filter by work type to see only the arrangements you can actually commit to.
What is a Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) internship?
The Presidential Management Fellows program is a competitive two-year federal leadership development fellowship targeting recent graduate-degree holders who want to enter public policy and government service. It recruits early in the academic year, places fellows across federal agencies, and is widely considered one of the most direct entry points into a federal policy career. Apply in the first open window, as slots are limited.
Can international students get policy internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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