Policy Innovation Fall 2024 Internship

Who We Are
United States of Care (USofCare) is a non-partisan non-profit organization on a mission to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of health status, social need, or income. We champion fair and commonsense policy changes to meet people’s urgent needs: the certainty that their health care will be affordable, that their coverage will be dependable and there when they need it, that their health care is personalized, and that the system is easy to understand and navigate.

In order to achieve our people-centered mission, USofCare has developed highly intentional organizational values and we are committed to building a diverse team at all levels of our organization, cultivating an inclusive culture, and engaging with people who bring different perspectives and lived experiences to our efforts. Our values are how we work internally and externally, what we hold up and celebrate, and what we are constantly striving for and aspiring to be as an organization. View our values at unitedstatesofcare.org/who-we-are. 

In building our team, at every level we value and prioritize inclusion and diverse perspectives. Seeking unity over uniformity, we pay attention to the diverse interests, abilities, needs and backgrounds of each person, and strive to create an environment where everyone is heard and feels that they belong. We strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply to our internship program. 

Position Overview and Responsibilities 

USofCare seeks an intern to join our Solutions Innovation Team for Fall 2024 semester.  Fall internships are part time, up to 20 hours per week. Policy Innovation Interns will spend a majority of their time with the policy innovation team, but may occasionally partner with the Operations, Development, Communications, Research and Community Engagement, and Policy and External Affairs Teams. 

Interns support the USofCare team in research, planning, and operational support. Interns should be able to read, understand, and summarize dense research and policy writing in a concise manner; and stay up to date with current health policy changes at the state and federal levels. 

USofCare’s Innovation work focuses on elevating long-standing problems people experience with the health care system and identifying data-driven, evidence-based policy solutions to address these structural and systemic issues in order to build a better health care system for the long-term. Our work starts with people, listening and understanding intentionally and authentically to what is and is not working in their health care and what they would like their health care system to be. We then bring together diverse groups of stakeholders–from people to policymakers to private sector leaders–to innovate on solutions to address people’s health care needs. Through our work, we pair what we learn from people with what the research evidence and the experts say so we can see: what we’re missing and what more we can do to ensure we are building a more equitable health care system into the future.

Potential projects may include assisting with research and product development for USofCare’s people-centered priorities, specific to maternal and child health policies; and supporting execution of innovation solution tables–gatherings of diverse groups of stakeholders, from people to policymakers to private sector leaders, who come together to innovate on solutions to address people’s health care needs. During the internship, each intern is encouraged to take advantage of local and virtual health care and networking events and to bring their learnings back to share with the team.  

Responsibilities and Duties

• Contribute to relevant policy research and writing for reports, resources, blog posts, op-eds, and other external communications materials in collaboration with the Solutions Innovation team;
• Analyze and track health care policy related to United States of Care’s people centered priorities;
• Prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion principles, including utilizing the organization’s equity lens to inform all work;
• Collaborate with the Research and Community Engagement team to support design and implement United States of Care’s people centered policies;
• Support the members of the Solutions Innovation team as necessary;
• Other duties as assigned by the Solutions Innovation team.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled student, or will be by the start of the internship, in a graduate level program, preferably with a focus on Public Health, Public Policy, Health Care, Social Sciences, or another other applicable program;
• Must have a strong commitment to ensuring everyone in the U.S. has access to quality, affordable health care, and be open to operating in a bipartisan atmosphere exploring multiple policy solutions to achieve that mission;
• Commitment to addressing, and understanding of, health inequities across underserved communities and their implications on access to quality affordable health care;
• Flexible and enthusiastic and willing to take on a wide range of tasks necessary to support a growing team;
• Relevant work, volunteer, or internship experience. Is self-directed, takes initiative, and able to manage competing priorities;
• Strong writing, research and communication skills with the ability to produce high quality writing and research under time pressure when required;
• Familiarity with health care policy issues.
• Must live in one of the following states/locations: CA, CO, DC, GA, IL, KS, MA, MD, MN, NC, NH, OH, OK, VA.

Commitment

Fall internships are part time, and require up to 20 hours per week. All working hours must be during the business hours of 9:00am – 5:00pm. All internships at United States of Care require a full three month commitment and are fully remote. You will need to provide your own computer and have reliable access to a stable internet connection for the duration of your internship.  

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required eligibility verification document form upon hire. United States of Care is unable to commence (“sponsor”) an immigration case in order to hire an applicant.

Compensation

Interns are temporary employees, and are paid $17.50/hour. There is also the opportunity for school credit if permitted by your college or university.

How to Apply
Submit your application on our website at www.usofcare.org/careers. Must live in one of the states listed in the qualifications section. In your application you will be asked to submit a resume, and to respond to questions about your interest and experience.  The application deadline is May 13, 2024. 

United States of Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values a multicultural, diverse working environment. Applicants of diverse backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged to apply.  We prohibit discrimination of employment, promotion, compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment based on gender, disability, race, age, national origin, color, creed, sexual orientation, sex (including marital and parental status), gender identity and expression, religion, economic status, ethnic identity, veteran’s status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.