Internship: Public Policy (Fall 2026)

ABOUT NCOSE & INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) exists because people should be free to live and love without sexual abuse and exploitation! If you share this vision and want to help create a culture where all individuals can thrive, then we invite you to join us!  

The Exploitation Prevention & Advocacy Internship program enables you to participate in the ongoing work of defending human dignity. Internships offer a unique opportunity to combat sexual abuse and exploitation while gaining new skills through hands-on opportunities that seek to prevent exploitation before it begins. Interns also enjoy abundant opportunities to meet nationally recognized leaders in the field of anti-sexual exploitation and attend education briefings. The program also offers interns an opportunity to investigate their individual strengths and develop new skills.
NCOSE is focused on mass-scale prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation and deploys the tactics of corporate advocacy, public policy, civil litigation, and grassroots mobilization to reach this.  Read about some of our recent victories here.

ABOUT THIS POSITION:

NCOSE’s legislative policy efforts aim to defend dignity and combat sexploitation through political advocacy at the national and state levels with bi-partisan support of all legislative solutions. We believe this task is both offensive and defensive in that we must prevent bad legislation from being enacted while working to proactively educate Congress and state legislatures so that policymakers instead produce good legislation that will help protect victims of sexual exploitation as well as prevent sexual exploitation. Interns play an important role in this collaborative work. 

*We are typically inundated with applications. We greatly appreciate your patience as we carefully review each candidate and ask that you hold your questions until contacted for an interview.

TERM: September 2- December 10, 2026; possible extension: six months or 1 year

RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE*:

• Perform work on special projects as assigned by the Public Policy Department or the CEO. Such work may include:
  • Research state and federal legislation, stakeholders, and assist with legislative policy efforts.
  • Help conduct advocacy campaigns to advance legislative efforts.·
  • Write blogs on sexual exploitation issues and NCOSE legislative priorities.
  • Assist in writing letters and emails to state legislators, members of Congress, and key stakeholders as needed.
  • Assist with grassroots roots mobilization, strategic planning, and other aspects of legislative advocacy.
  • Draft memos, fact sheets, and/or PowerPoint presentations.
  • Help organize NCOSE events.
• Represent NCOSE (as an observer) and report on events at coalition meetings, as well as congressional hearings as directed.
• Keep abreast of current developments in state legislation and conducts research (as directed) using various media outlets.
• Assist NCOSE at conferences, meetings, events, and/or committees as directed.
• Assist as needed with office management including answering telephones, responding to email or other written requests, drafting correspondence, and filing.

*Tasks may shift based on the organization’s current need and opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Passionate about opposing sexual exploitation, as well as a passion for NCOSE’s mission, vision and values.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects.·
• Independent worker: must be able to complete tasks without constant management from staff.
• Proficiency with basic Microsoft Office applications; mail merge, formatting letters, data management in Excel, etc.
  
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Can provide their own working laptop and charger.
  

BENEFITS:

• Hands-on work with passionate, talented team members
• Mentorship from some of the movement’s kindest and most passionate leaders and in-depth 10-week training on various exploitation issues
• Incredible networking opportunities with movement leaders
• A creative, collaborative, and inclusive company culture
• Opportunities to develop professionally and uncover skills you didn’t know you had
• Real-life experiences that will provide you with the confidence to delve into your next adventure

COMPENSATION:

NCOSE internships are unpaid. However interns may be provided a small monthly stipend based on qualifications and hours in the office ranging from $500-$700 per month.

SCHEDULE:

This position requires 24-40 hours per week. Candidates must be mostly available during NCOSE’s office hours of Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST in order to coordinate with the team. Our team is in the office on M, W, & Th and remote on T & F. Evenings and weekends are typically not eligible for a NCOSE internship. 

LOCATION:

This internship is at NCOSE’s office headquarters in Washington, DC. 

TO APPLY:

To apply, submit the checklist items and complete the questionnaire.

· Cover Letter describing your interest in a NCOSE Internship

· Resume

· Two Letters of Reference

· Unofficial Transcript

· Writing Sample 

Incomplete applications, including those without reference letters, will not be considered. 

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About the National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Please visit our About Page to learn more.

You can find impact reports from previous years here.