Fall 2023: Dnc Tech Team Internship

Welcome to the DNC Technology Internship Application!

The DNC Technology department is accepting applications for our Fall 2023 Internship Program. This is a separate application from the General DNC Internship Application because it requires specific experience. We are accepting applications for internships on two teams within our Technology department:

• The Security team
• The Data & Analytics team

Please select within the application which team you are interested in!

Interning at DNC Tech is a unique opportunity for future leaders and civic technologists to gain real life, hands-on experience in Democratic political technology, learn and experience industry data & analytics processes and/or expert information security processes, strengthen understanding of the political process, and prepare for future career opportunities.

The program will run from Monday, September 11, 2023 to Friday, November 17, 2023 and can be conducted in in-person, hybrid, or remote format. Interns who are based in the Washington D.C. area will have an opportunity to perform in-person work for the DNC at the Democratic National Headquarters and DNC events. You must be located in the United States to apply for this internship.

The DNC Internship Program provides a stipend of $3,000. Housing is not provided. During the upcoming term, interns are expected to work 20 hours per week. The deadline for applications is Sunday, August 13, 2023.

As an intern with DNC Tech, you will work on a project or projects designed to support the work of the overall Tech team and your own skills and experience. You will build your skills as a technology professional, in either data or security. You will participate in team meetings and work closely with mentor(s). In addition to working on project/s, you may work on a variety of additional tasks relevant to the team you’re interning with. As an intern with DNC Tech, you’ll learn a lot about the interesting ways in which technology impacts politics.

As part of the internship program, you will also be expected to assist the DNC Operations team by attending weekly phone shifts and any mandatory onboarding/offboarding sessions.

In addition, through the internship program, you will have opportunities to participate in grassroots organizing, assist at DNC functions, receive personal development training, and network with DNC leadership and staff.

NOTE: The Data & Security teams at the DNC are fully remote teams. Tech Interns may work from any contiguous US time zone. If working from AK or HI, you must be able to work during either Pacific, Mountain, Central, or Eastern time working hours. You will arrange a schedule with a supervisor. Technology interns still have the opportunity to choose among in-person, hybrid, or remote work like every DNC intern, but be aware that your supervisor and mentors will likely be remote.

An internship at DNC Tech may be a great fit for you if:

• You’re willing to learn new things, and you feel comfortable learning and problem-solving on your own, with guidance from a mentor
• You enjoy problem-solving and have strong communication skills
• You have previous experience in politics, e.g. using Votebuilder, or volunteering for a Democratic campaign. (This is NOT required.)
• You are excited to learn about the ways that tech can support Democratic politics, and to work on things that help others

For a data internship, we recommend:

• Our team uses a lot of SQL, Python and R but it is okay if you’ve never used one of those before, as long as you have some familiarity with programming or spreadsheet software including Excel or Google Sheets. If you’ve used one of languages or software, or something else similar to one of those, we encourage you to apply!
• You have completed at least a semester, ideally two semesters, of computer programming-related courses, OR have equivalent experience
• We expect interns on the Data team to have done some computer programming or data manipulation/ analysis previously

For a security internship, we recommend:

• You have at least an entry-level skill-set in using MacBooks, Google Suite applications and knowledge of security specific tools like SIEMs (Splunk, etc.) and Vulnerability management platforms (Tenable, Rapid7, etc.)
• Have knowledge of basic cyber-security standards, vulnerability & risk management, and some DevOps, with a desire to expand that knowledge
• Our team constantly has to adapt to industry changes that happen almost daily – therefore, having a passion for technology and industry related news is preferred, but not required

In your cover letter:

• Tell us about a time you solved a problem or learned something new. (Briefly - 1 paragraph or less is fine!)
• Tell us: Why do you want to intern here, specifically?
• Share in your resume or cover letter what software / technology / programming skills and experiences you have.
• What are the titles of a couple relevant classes you’ve taken? What technology-related project/s (ex. an assignment from a class) have you worked on? This information helps us determine whether we have a project that will match your experience and interest

About the team:

• The DNC Technology department (aka DNC Tech) is a small, collaborative, multi-disciplinary tech team – we provide the tech foundation for Democratic politics. You can learn more about the team HERE. We build tools and applications that help to elect Democrats year over year. Our work is an incredibly important background part of running successful Democratic campaigns around the country, including:
• Building tools so that people working hard on campaigns and in other political roles can save time and energy, making it possible for those with voter protection expertise to share accurate information about how to vote,
• … and much more.
• Ensuring we have accurate, accessible data,
• Ensuring permissions and onboarding/offboarding work properly and that our data and tools are secure,
• Supporting people throughout the Democratic ecosystem with secure hardware, software, device management and other technology problems,

Eligibility Requirements:

• Graduated from an undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two-to-four year institution) no more than two years before the first day of the internship
• Applicants must be 18 years of age on or before the first day of the internship and meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two-to-four year institution). It is highly recommended that applicants complete at least one full term prior to submitting an application
• A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time, in the two years preceding the first day of the internship
• Applicants must meet all of the following criteria: Commitment of 20 hours per week during the program and physically present in the United States to participate in this internship program

Required Application Materials:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• References

Due to the volume of applications, we cannot review additional materials sent outside of the application form. All applicants must fully complete the application to be considered. To ensure you have the most recent information, we encourage you to read our FAQ page before reaching out with questions. If you have a specific question, please email us at [email protected].

The DNC requires all employees to be "up to date" on COVID-19 vaccination status as prescribed by the CDC as a condition of employment, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law. If you seek a reasonable accommodation in relation to the DNC’s COVID-19 policy, you should speak to the HR team prior to reporting to an office location.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC), is committed to diversity among its interns. The DNC internship program is provided on an equal opportunity basis without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or expression, ethnic identity or disability, or any other legally protected basis. The DNC is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities in the application process and during the internship, as required by applicable law. The DNC will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination and any such conduct is strictly prohibited.

The DNC requires all employees to be "up to date" on COVID-19 vaccination status as prescribed by the CDC as a condition of employment, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law. If you seek a reasonable accommodation in relation to the DNC’s COVID-19 policy, you should speak to the HR team prior to reporting to an office location.