American Oversight is looking for a talented, versatile summer research intern to join our team and help us shine a light on government misconduct and threats to democracy. We’re a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that uses targeted public records requests and litigation to uncover evidence of corruption, abuse of power, or conflicts of interest.

We leverage our open records expertise to act where corruption and government power overlap. From the federal Freedom of Information Act to state transparency laws, we use carefully crafted records requests to extract information from the government. When the government fails to respond as required by law, our team has the expertise to take them to court and enforce the public’s right to hold our leaders accountable. American Oversight has obtained and published more than one million pages of emails, memos, calendars, text messages, and other records — ensuring accountability, exposing misconduct, and often driving significant corrective action, at all levels of government.

American Oversight is hiring a research intern to support our investigative work through collaborative project support and independent research and writing, to help us hold federal and state governments accountable.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific tasks will shift day by day with our work, but in a typical week, you will:

• Draft records requests: Research and draft public records requests (approximately 1 – 2 per week) to federal and state agencies to support American Oversight’s accountability work.
• Review records: Review documents received in response to records requests and compile noteworthy items and ideas for follow-up research as needed.
• Synthesize documents: Create reports, timelines, blog posts, and other briefs in issue areas of importance. For example, compiling a timeline of attacks on voting rights in Wisconsin in 2019 or a report on treatment of immigrants in detention centers based on our documents.
• Media monitoring: Stay informed on the relevant activities of the federal government and state governments and identify areas where AO could use public records requests to hold officials accountable.
• Partnerships: Participate in the exchange of research insights on partner and coalition calls.
• Research support: Support the research team by lending a hand with research projects large and small.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong research, writing, and oral communication skills
• Commitment to accuracy and honesty in all aspects of our work
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Interest and engagement in political news and the workings of the federal and state governments
• Comfort handling multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Positive attitude and willingness to take initiative
• Willingness to ask for guidance or support when needed
• Ability to synthesize information from multiple sources

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

American Oversight is proudly an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse team. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they have every one of the qualifications listed. We are dedicated to finding the best candidate for the job. Our hiring process is centered on assessing candidates with diverse lived experiences. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described. If you are unsure of whether you meet the qualifications of this position, or how this would be determined, please contact us to discuss your application.

• The salary for this position is $15.50 per hour.
• This is a temporary, ten-week summer internship. Interns are expected to work approximately 35 hours per week. Start and end dates will be set based on academic calendars and interns’ availability.
• American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
• American Oversight is a remote-first organization, and our employees can work from anywhere in the country. Our office in downtown Washington, DC, is an optional workspace when pandemic-related restrictions allow.