Senator Merkley's office offers winter internships for college students and individuals looking to gain experience in a Senate office. The internships are available in-person, hybrid, or remotely, with options to work in Washington ., Oregon, or from any location. The office encourages individuals from all majors and backgrounds to apply and is willing to work with colleges to allow students to earn academic credit during their internships. Both full-time and part-time internships are available.
Winter internship in Senator Merkley's office offers a unique opportunity to work with the entire team, and the staff is committed to facilitating professional development for the interns. The ideal candidate is someone who is curious, adaptable, has a strong background in community service, and supports progressive policies. Good communication and interpersonal skills, attention to detail, ability to multitask, and resilience to work in a fast-paced environment are essential for this role. The internship is open to anyone who wants to learn more about issues affecting their communities, state, and country, and has an interest in the political process. Prior experience or knowledge in policy and politics is helpful but not required.
FAQs:
- To learn more about internships with Senator Merkley, visit our FAQs page.
- Deadline to apply for winter internship is August 17, 2025.
- Interns are matched with legislative staff based on their interests and experience in specific policy areas.
- Interns are expected to attend briefings, write memos, draft constituent correspondence, and assist with community outreach and constituent services.
- The office also offers communications internships, which involve working with the congressional communications team in press and digital operations.
- Remote internships are similar to in-person or hybrid internships, with the main difference being that remote interns work online and do not go into a physical office location.
- All Senate work must be done on Senate equipment, and each intern will be provided with a laptop.
- Internships are offered year-round and are typically 10-14 weeks long, but can run for an entire semester.
- Interns are expected to work full-time (40 hours a week) or part-time (20-25+ hours) and should be available during regular business hours (M-F 9-5).
- A limited number of scholarship positions are available for full- or part-time remote interns.
- All individuals with an interest in government and the political process are welcome to apply, with preference given to Oregon residents or those with strong ties to the state.
- Housing is not provided for interns, but a list of housing options can be provided by the Intern Coordinator.
- Interns are expected to work primarily during regular business hours, but the office accepts remote interns from any time zone.
- The internship is not paid, but scholarships are available for some positions.
- The office does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or uniformed service.
How to Apply:
- To apply for a winter internship, follow the link below.
- Application deadline is August 17, 2025.
- Applicants must be able to intern full-time or part-time and should be available during regular business hours.
- To complete the application, applicants must submit a current resume and a cover letter.
- Applicants may save their application and complete it at a later time, but all checklist items must be completed for the application to be considered.
- For any questions or assistance with the application process, email **** or .
- The office is an equal opportunity employer and encourages members of all diverse communities to apply.
Senator Merkley's Personal Experience:
- Senator Merkley was the first in his family to go to college and interned for former Senator Mark Hatfield in the 1970s.
- He believes that his internship experience had a lifelong impact and hopes to offer the same opportunities to students in his office.
- Senator Merkley's own public service began at the age of 19 as an intern for Senator Hatfield.
- He never imagined that he would return to the Senate 33 years later to represent Oregon in the same seat once held by Senator Hatfield.
- He encourages students to take advantage of internships and believes that they can be life-changing opportunities.
FAQs:
- To learn more about internships with Senator Merkley, visit our FAQs page.
- Deadline to apply for winter internship is August 17, 2025.
- Interns are matched with legislative staff based on their interests and experience in specific policy areas.
- Interns are expected to attend briefings, write memos, draft constituent correspondence, and assist with community outreach and constituent services.
- The office also offers communications internships, which involve working with the congressional communications team in press and digital operations.
- Remote internships are similar to in-person or hybrid internships, with the main difference being that remote interns work online and do not go into a physical office location.
- All Senate work must be done on Senate equipment, and each intern will be provided with a laptop.
- Internships are offered year-round and are typically 10-14 weeks long, but can run for an entire semester.
- Interns are expected to work full-time (40 hours a week) or part-time (20-25+ hours) and should be available during regular business hours (M-F 9-5).
- A limited number of scholarship positions are available for full- or part-time remote interns.
- All individuals with an interest in government and the political process are welcome to apply, with preference given to Oregon residents or those with strong ties to the state.
- Housing is not provided for interns, but a list of housing options can be provided by the Intern Coordinator.
- Interns are expected to work primarily during regular business hours, but
