Government Affairs Office Intern

he Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) is offering an exciting opportunity for a student or emerging professional to serve as a Government Affairs Office (GAO) Intern. This position will provide hands-on experience supporting the daily operations of the Government Affairs Office and assisting in managing a high volume of legislative information related to social services.

As a GAO intern, you will gain valuable insight into the inner workings of public policy and government affairs within a large, mission-driven organization that administers essential social services. This role offers a meaningful introduction to county government, legislative tracking, and program administration.

The intern will have the opportunity to:

Learn about the California legislative process and how state policy impacts local government
Support key initiatives aligned with DPSS priorities
Contribute to the continued development and expansion of the Government Affairs Office
Develop professional skills in research, writing, and stakeholder communication
This internship is based in Riverside, CA, with a flexible schedule of approximately 20 hours per week to accommodate academic commitments. The position is expected to last a minimum of six months.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Under close supervision the intern's duties will include, but are not limited to:

Assist monitoring/tracking day to day legislation relevant to DPSS (human services portfolio) utilizing the Quorum online database
Ensure relevant notes/department stances are attached to bills, and pull tracked bill list weekly for GAO to review and analyze
Solicit monthly feedback from internal DPSS legislative network on provided CWDA bill list prior to Leg Committee Meetings
Send bill stance results following meetings to internal network and updated accordingly in the Quorum database
Keep appraised of automated email communications from State with relevant HHS updates, including ACLs, CDSS/DHCS Division Letters and Notices, etc. and track internally 
Regularly review policy updates across the divisions
Other administrative activities including monitoring/collecting responses to DPSS Staff Insights Legislative Survey, monitoring the general GAO inbox, etc. 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average: 2.5 GPA required. Proof of most current unofficial/official transcript with cumulative GPA must be provided at time of application.

Education: Applicants must be currently enrolled/attending school at an accredited college or university, in a certificate, bachelor's or master's degree program, or preparing to transfer into a bachelor's degree program during the entire duration of the internship. Recent college graduates are also eligible to intern for up to one year from their graduation date. Graduation date must not exceed a twelve month maximum during the duration of the internship.

Areas of Study: Public Policy, Government, Public Affairs, Pre-law; Public or Business Administration, Human Resources, Organizational Studies or similar; Psychology, Sociology, or other Behavioral Sciences; Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or similar; Arts or Humanities

Minimum Qualifications:

General knowledge of and/or interest in government policies, legislative processes, and public affairs
Basic skills in research and ability to learn user-friendly database tool to assist with policy analysis
Ability to learn and use the Quorum tool to interpret legislation, track policy developments, and engage with Government Affairs Officer and other stakeholders (including senior leadership)
Strong written and verbal communication abilities paired with practical professional judgement to ensure effective interactions and decision-making
Preferred Qualifications:
Educational or professional background in social sciences, government, public affairs, public policy, or a related field preferred
**Applicants, including recent graduates, are required to include a resume and most recent unofficial/official transcript. All documents must be uploaded as attachments at the time of application to be considered.**