Policy and External Affairs Fall 2024 Intern

Who We Are
United States of Care (USofCare) is a non-partisan non-profit organization on a mission to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of health status, social need, or income. We champion fair and commonsense policy changes to meet people’s urgent needs: the certainty that their health care will be affordable, that their coverage will be dependable and there when they need it, that their health care is personalized, and that the system is easy to understand and navigate.

In order to achieve our people-centered mission, USofCare has developed highly intentional organizational values and we are committed to building a diverse team at all levels of our organization, cultivating an inclusive culture, and engaging with people who bring different perspectives and lived experiences to our efforts. Our values are how we work internally and externally, what we hold up and celebrate, and what we are constantly striving for and aspiring to be as an organization. View our values at unitedstatesofcare.org/who-we-are. 

In building our team, at every level we value and prioritize inclusion and diverse perspectives. Seeking unity over uniformity, we pay attention to the diverse interests, abilities, needs and backgrounds of each person, and strive to create an environment where everyone is heard and feels that they belong. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply to our internship program. 

Position Overview and Responsibilities
USofCare seeks two interns to join our Policy and External Affairs (PEA) team for the Fall 2024 semester.  Fall internships are part-time, up to 20 hours per week. PEA Interns will spend a majority of their time with the PEA team, but may occasionally partner with the Operations, Development, Communications, Policy Innovation, and Research and Community Engagement teams. 

Interns support the USofCare team in research, planning, and operational support. Interns should be able to read, understand, and summarize dense research and policy writing in a concise manner; have a practical understanding of legislative and/or regulatory processes; and stay up to date with current health policy changes at the state and federal levels. 

The Policy and External Affairs team provides policy-focused resources and technical assistance to support partners at the state and federal levels to pass and implement policy and regulatory changes. One intern position will focus on supporting our federal level work, with the other position will focus on state level work. Potential projects include state and federal level policy and stakeholder research, as well as drafting blogs, writing memos, attending virtual legislative or congressional hearings, and monitoring legislative and regulatory changes. During the internship, each intern is encouraged to take advantage of local and virtual health care and networking events and to bring their learnings back to share with the team, in addition to the mentorship and networking opportunities offered by United States of Care staff. 

While we cannot guarantee your preference, in your application for a PEA internship, please indicate whether you are more interested in a federal-focused or state-focused internship. 

Responsibilities and Duties

• Write and contribute to external policy briefs and blogs, assist with the development of, stakeholder memos, and contribute to internal documents;
• Analyze and track state and/or federal-level health care policy efforts and political actions;
• Attend, take notes, and report back on relevant legislative hearings, policy summits, and other state and federal opportunities; 
• Support the members of the Policy and External Affairs team as necessary; and
• Other duties as assigned by the Policy and External Affairs team.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled student, or will be by the start of the start of the internship, in an undergraduate junior, senior, or graduate level  program with a focus on Public Health, Public Policy, Health Care, Political Science, Economics, Leadership, Social Sciences, or another other applicable programs;
• Must have a strong commitment to ensuring everyone in the U.S. has access to quality, affordable health care, and be open to operating in a bipartisan atmosphere exploring multiple policy solutions to achieve that mission;
• Commitment to addressing and understanding health inequities across underserved communities, and their implications on access to quality affordable health care; 
• Relevant work, volunteer, or internship experience. Self-directed, takes initiative, and able to manage competing priorities;
• Flexible and enthusiastic, and willing to take on a wide range of tasks necessary to support a fast-moving and nimble team; and
• Strong communications and writing skills; and 
• Must live in one of the following states/locations: CA, CO, DC, GA, IL, KS, MA, MD, MN, NC, NH, OH, OK, VA.

Commitment

Fall internships are part time, and require up to 20 hours per week. All working hours must be during the business hours of 9:00am – 5:00pm. All internships at United States of Care require a full three month commitment and are fully remote. You will need to provide your own computer and have reliable access to a stable internet connection for the duration of your internship.  

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required eligibility verification document form upon hire. United States of Care is unable to commence (“sponsor”) an immigration case in order to hire an applicant.

Compensation

Interns are temporary employees, and are paid $17.50/hour. There is also the opportunity for school credit if permitted by your college or university.

How to Apply
Submit your application on our website at www.usofcare.org/careers. Must live in one of the states listed in the qualifications section. In your application, indicate whether you are more interested in a federal-focused or state-focused internship. You will be asked to submit a resume, and to respond to questions about your interest and experience. The application deadline is May 13, 2024. 

United States of Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values a multicultural, diverse working environment. Applicants of diverse backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged to apply. We prohibit discrimination of employment, promotion, compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment based on gender, disability, race, age, national origin, color, creed, sexual orientation, sex (including marital and parental status), gender identity and expression, religion, economic status, ethnic identity, veteran’s status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.