Who We Are

American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public's right to government records. We use multiple tools, backed by aggressive litigation, to fight attacks on democratic institutions, threats to civil rights and liberties, abuses of power, and erosion of government transparency. We expose and disrupt these attacks, and the officials and networks behind them, by forcing the government to turn over records officials would rather keep secret.

Since our founding in 2017, American Oversight has:

• Shut down Trump's bogus "voter fraud" commission.
• Revealed the Trump-sanctioned pressure campaign on the Ukrainian government by forcing the Trump administration to turn over records initially withheld from Congress.
• Uncovered rampant preventable deaths of immigrants in federal custody.
• Unmasked taxpayer-funded sham "audits" of the 2020 election.
• Obtained the fake electors' forged certificates submitted by fake electors during the 2020 election.
• Exposed networks of election denialists and subverters around the country.
• Halted the impeachment of a newly elected state supreme court justice in Wisconsin.
• Blocked state election board members in Georgia and Wisconsin from taking anti-democratic actions in secret.

For more information, please visit our website: www.americanoversight.org.  

About the Role 

American Oversight is looking for a curious and diligent intern to join our Partnerships team this summer, and help expose government misconduct and abuses of power. We’re a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public's right to government records.  

Working closely with the Partnerships team, the Strategic Partnerships Intern will support the growth of our stakeholder partnerships with a particular focus on strengthening our partnerships infrastructure and programming. 

Summer Strategic Partnerships Interns are expected to work approximately 32 hours per week.

What You Will Do

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

• Conduct research to identify national, state, and local potential partner organizations. 
• Support our back-end infrastructure and help document our partnerships work. 
• Participate in regular planning meetings (typically scheduled during East Coast business hours) to help build our partnerships work and collaborate with other American Oversight staff. 
• Engage in rapid response to share information with partners on current events, developments, and document releases in AO's FOIAs and litigation. 
• Work with the Partnerships team to reach out to partner organizations, join calls with American Oversight experts and partner organizations, and assist with incoming partner requests. 
• Draft relevant investigation and legal updates about the latest developments in our investigations to share with partner organizations.
• Participate in coalition meetings with partner organizations. 
• Compile coverage reports following significant events to keep track of how American Oversight’s partnerships work has had an impact. 
• Attend and participate in regular meetings with our broader staff.

What You Will Bring

• At least one year of undergraduate experience. 
• Interest and excitement in meeting new people and a willingness to act as an ambassador for our organization and work. 
• Being a team player, comfortable working in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
• Strong multitasking and prioritization abilities that will allow you to keep track of multiple projects or issues at the same time.
• Exceptional organizational skills with a commitment to getting the job done the right way, even if it takes longer.
• Excellent writing, research, and oral communication skills, with a focus on accuracy and detail.
• High degree of professional ethics, discretion, and integrity.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace tools.

Desired Qualifications 

• Interest in government accountability and ethics. 
• Familiarity with major issues in national political news and the way they are discussed in mainstream media, as well as the ability to quickly learn new topics as they arise.

We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications. 

Location:

American Oversight is a remote-first organization. Our interns must work from any of the following locations: CA, DC, DE, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, VA, or WI. 

Our office in Washington, DC is an optional workspace.

Compensation:

$19 per hour. This rate is subject to adjustment based on the needs or restrictions of other external funding received by the intern, if any. If you would prefer to structure this as a clinical externship for academic credit, we will be happy to assist in any necessary paperwork from your school.

Application Deadline 

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply by Monday, March 10, 2025 to ensure consideration of your application. Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. Following this deadline, we will continue to review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace:

At American Oversight, we value and strive to hire, develop, and grow a diverse and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage individuals to apply for opportunities at American Oversight even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.