Legislative Affairs and Policy Internship

Initial Posting Date

09/15/2026

Application Deadline

09/25/2026

Agency

Department of State Lands

Salary Range

$3,513 - $3,513

Position Type

Employee

Position Title

Legislative Affairs and Policy Internship

Job Description

Are you studying government, public policy, law, natural resources, environmental issues, or public administration and interested in learning more about the legislative process? Apply to be our next Legislative Affairs and Policy Intern by September 25th, 2026! This part-time internship is eligible for a hybrid remote schedule and is expected to be in our Salem office occasionally for scheduled meetings and events. The hours are flexible to accommodate school schedules and can range from 15 to 38 hours per week, to be discussed with the hiring manager. Candidates with academic backgrounds in political science, public policy, law, English, communications, environmental science, biology, natural resource management, engineering, planning, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Make a Difference for Oregon. The Department of State Lands manages the lands that help fund our public schools and protects the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide. Our stewardship ensures vital natural and financial resources contribute to a vibrant, healthy Oregon now and forever. The DSL team makes a difference for Oregonians every day. As our Legislative Affairs and Policy Intern, you will too. The primary purpose of this position is to provide research, tracking, and administrative support for the Department's policy and legislative activities. The successful candidate will assist with monitoring policy developments, organizing information, preparing materials, and supporting projects related to state and federal legislative and regulatory issues affecting DSL. This position provides support to the Government Relations managers on issues concerning the Department’s authorities, responsibilities, and resources as directed by the Director and the State Land Board. This position is not represented by a union and is expected to last through June 30th, 2027. We invite you to join us for an informational session to learn more about this opportunity: When: Monday, September 21st, 2026 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (PST) Format: Virtual session via Microsoft Teams (link below) Purpose: This session is designed for individuals interested in learning more about DSL, the Legislative Affairs and Policy Internship, and to meet our recruitment team. Please note that this session is not part of the interview process and is open to the public. To join the session via your computer, mobile app, or room device, simply click this link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/258440016065534?p=WhPlPZWFyB7kVaOIrk Meeting ID: 258 440 016 065 534 Passcode: W4rN9Da2 We look forward to having you join us and to providing valuable information about this exciting opportunity. Thank you for your interest! What’s in it for you? Learn about the legislative process and policy development in the state’s oldest natural resource agency! Receive 1-on-1 mentoring and support from natural resource experts. Join an organization with collaborative and engaged co-workers who care about Oregon’s economy, environment, and communities, and their co-workers. Gain full benefits with 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums paid by the agency for full-time employees after 3 months of minimum hours worked. Automatically enroll into the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) after 6 months of full-time service or after working the equivalent number of hours. Accrue 8 hours of sick leave per month. Earn $20.26 per hour for employees new to public service; current PERS employees earn $21.57 per hour.

Working Conditions

Much of the work is in a hybrid office setting; occasional travel may be required. DSL provides agency-maintained vehicles, reimbursement for field gear, and travel expenses for authorized, on-the-job travel.

What you will be doing

As our Legislative Affairs and Policy Intern, you will have the opportunity to: Gain exposure to state and federal legislative processes. Learn how public agencies monitor and respond to policy developments. Develop skills in policy research, legislative tracking, government relations, professional writing, and public-sector administration. Conduct background research on legislative, regulatory, and public policy topics relevant to the Department. Monitor and track state and federal legislation, agency actions, and policy developments. Review State legislative policy committee agendas, hearings, and meeting materials to identify topics of potential interest to the Department. Assist in maintaining calendars of legislative deadlines, hearings, and policy-related events. Gather publicly available information related to legislative and regulatory activities. Assist with preparing presentations, handouts, briefing packets, and meeting materials. Minimum Qualifications: Must have a bachelor’s degree or be enrolled at least half-time in a graduate degree program. Candidates with academic backgrounds in political science, public policy, law, English, communications, environmental science, biology, natural resource management, engineering, planning, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Desired Attributes- tell us which of the following skills, experiences, and related talents you have by highlighting them in your application materials: Excellent written and oral communication skills to interact with a variety of internal and external partners Strong research, data entry, and organizational skills Ability and motivation to learn about legislative processes, public agencies and policy development Mastered knowledge of proper punctuation, spelling, and capitalization, with exceptional attention to detail and a demonstrated ability to consistently proofread and produce polished, error-free work Ability to perform assigned tasks quickly and accurately from oral and written instructions Ability to operate office equipment such as dictation equipment, computer terminal, word processor, calculator, and photocopier Microsoft 365 experience, including skills in Excel to create Gantt charts, pivot tables, and project management tools Please be sure to attach a resume and a cover letter of two (2) pages or less describing the above desired attributes you bring to this position.

How to apply

Complete the following required steps

Fill out the application or attach a resume. Please contact the recruiter if you have any questions about how to fill out the experience fields or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer, and any relevant volunteer and/or internship experience. Attach a cover letter. Your cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your experience and training relates to the qualities that you have under the “Desired Attributes” section above. Your cover letter must be limited to Alexa Piscanio, Government Relations and Policy Analyst. Generic cover letters that do not address the qualities that you have under the “Desired Attributes” section may receive lower scores than those that addressed the desired qualities. You must upload your cover letter in the ‘Resume/Cover Letter’ section of the application. Please answer the following questions in your cover letter: Why are you interested in this position? What academic or graduate-level experience have you had that relates to the desired attributes for this position that you would like to share? Complete questionnaire. Answer the checkbox-style questions before submitting your application. If you are applying as an existing state employee for the Job Rotation option, please upload permission from your current supervisor. Respond to requests. After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and ge