Internships
Senator Murray is seeking paid legislative and press interns in D.C. and constituent service interns in the Seattle, Spokane and Vancouver state offices. Applicants should be eager to learn more about the legislative process, and want to be part of a hardworking team, dedicated to serving the citizens of Washington State.
**As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all internship programs will be conducted remotely until further notice. Relocating to the DC area for DC internships is not necessary, nor is relocating to Seattle, Spokane, or Vancouver for state internships. Should you have any questions about this, please contact the appropriate intern coordinator.**
Qualifications
Students with strong ties to the state of Washington will be given preference in the application process. Interns should be interested in government and have excellent writing and research skills, a positive attitude and a willingness to complete tasks as assigned. Legislative and Constituent Service interns must be willing to work at a variety of activities, and have the ability to work independently and as part of a team. For press interns, a communications or journalism background is preferred.
Program Outline
In order to best accommodate all applicants, internship sessions are scheduled both on academic quarters and semesters (i.e., an intern could work either a semester or quarter internship, based on their academic institution’s credit system). Internships are available for school credit if approved by a college/university. We encourage Washington, DC interns to work full time (40 hours/week), though this is not a requirement. In our state offices, internships are available primarily on a part-time basis (10-15 hours/week).
Legislative Internship
The Washington, D.C. intern experience is designed to immerse interns in all areas of a senate office and empower interns to pursue their policy interests while serving the constituents of Washington State. Legislative internships are writing intensive and successful applicants will exhibit strong written and verbal communications skills. Typical legislative intern responsibilities include: research, writing and editing responses to constituent letters and requests; attending hearings and briefings in specific legislative areas; carrying out projects in specific issue areas, and performing a variety of administrative tasks including fielding calls from constituents and leading constituent tours of the U.S. Capitol.
Constituent Service Internship
Interns have the opportunity to learn about the constituent service process and the inside operations of a United States Senate Office. Interns will be tasked with assisting in casework. Casework is the customer service part of Team Murray. Casework is how our office tries to resolve issues constituents have with federal agencies. Casework can sometimes show immediate results for the constituents and their families. Casework entails letter writing, research, constituent engagement and acting as a liaison with government agencies. Responsibilities include verbal and written communication with constituents and government agencies, research into federal government concerns, general administrative duties, and attending outreach meetings.
Application Procedure
Applicants may apply online using the DC application or State application. In addition to the application, the following supporting materials are required for online submission:
- Cover letter & Resume
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Writing sample (500 words max):
- DC prompt: Choose an upcoming bill in the Senate and explain why you believe Senator Murray should support or oppose that bill. This should be a bill that Senator Murray has NOT introduced, sponsored, or cosponsored.
- State prompt: Pick an issue that you are passionate about, and explain how it relates to the work of Senator Murray.
For more information on a Washington, D.C. internship, please contact:
Jason Edwards, Intern Coordinator
Office of Senator Patty Murray
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2621
e-mail: dcinternship@murray.senate.gov
For more information on a Washington State internship, please contact:
Bree Rabourn, State Intern Coordinator
Office of Senator Patty Murray
915 Second Avenue, Suite 2988
Seattle, Washington 98174
(206) 553-5545
Fax: (206) 553-0891
e-mail: interncoordinator@murray.senate.gov
Upcoming Application Deadlines for Internships:
November 8th, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. PST for Winter/Spring 2021 (January-May, DC)
November 8th, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. PST for Winter 2021 (January-March, WA)
January 17th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST for Spring 2021 (March-June, WA)
April 4th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST for Summer 2021 (June-September, DC & WA)
August 1st, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST for Fall 2021 (September-December, DC & WA)
Late applications may be considered if positions have not yet been filled, but must be submitted with all supporting documents to dcinternship@murray.senate.gov if applying to the Washington, D.C office and to interncoordinator@murray.senate.gov if applying to a Washington state office
