Research Associate 

Cogent Strategies, a bipartisan government relations, communications and digital advocacy firm is seeking to hire a research associate to support the firm’s collaborative team and diverse client roster. This individual will support all aspects of our work, from conducting independent policy and political research projects to polling and online conversation analysis. The ideal candidate must have a passion for research, politics and policy with prior experience in these areas. The candidate will learn from Cogent’s experienced government relations, public relations and digital and research professionals and grow their career in any or all of these fields. The candidate is a self-starter and problem solver, with a good sense of humor, entrepreneurial spirit and strong writing skills.

Responsibilities include: 

• Providing analysis and informing advocacy strategy through quantitative and qualitative research methods.    

• Tracking the policymakers, media voices, activists, and corporations driving the conversation around client issues. 

• Designing, researching, outlining, writing, and proofreading written deliverables. 

• Understanding key client and industry information including business strategy, products and services, outlook, goals, key audiences and competitors. 

• Assisting in the creation of client communications plans, public affairs campaigns, and legislative strategies.  

• Conducting research into industries, organizations and companies for business development purposes. 

Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated skills to interpret, apply and explain complex technical information. 

• Experience doing research for and providing insights to clients facing crisis or major political and social issues. 

• Ability to analyze traditional media and online conversations.  

• Experience with media and legislative monitoring tools such as Meltwater, Cision, Quorum and other legislative tracking tools. 

• Experience with tools such as WordPress or similar content management systems; experience with analytics or publishing tools such as Tableau, Zoho analytics, Google Analytics, Buffer or Hootsuite. 

• Knowledge and passion for politics and advocacy.  

• Experience with competitive intelligence and/or market research.  

Requirements 

• Strong research and analytics skills. 

• One to three years of experience in policy, public affairs or politics.  

• Demonstrated experience synthesizing and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data.  

• Excellent communication skills, both internal and external. 

• Ability to manage time including under challenging circumstances and tight deadlines. 

• Adept to manage all aspects of project activities including reporting, tracking and measurement of project hours. 

TO APPLY 

Please submit a cover letter and resume to careers@cogent-strategies.com with “Research Associate” in the subject line. 

Cogent Strategies is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. 

Public Relations Intern 

Job Opening: Full or part-time fall internship  

Start Date: Early September 2024 

Experience Level: Enrolled undergraduate juniors, seniors, and/or candidates who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree within the past 12 months.  

Internship Program Components: 

• We ask for a commitment of 32-40 total hours (4-5 full days) per week. We will prioritize candidates who are available to be in-person in our Washington, D.C. office 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Draft and help manage the distribution of client communications, including newsletters, website and social media channels  

• Create client-specific media lists  

• Develop effective messages and produce and edit high-quality written deliverables, such as issue backgrounders, press materials, messaging toolkits, and social media content often under tight deadlines  

• Assist with other projects as needed (examples include information tracking, research projects, daily clips, congressional hearing coverage, etc.)   

Basic Qualifications: 

• Self-starter and detail-oriented individual with strong communication, interpersonal, research and organizational skills  

• Strong content writing skills are critical  

• Previous internship in a Capitol Hill press office, political campaign, or media outlet is a plus  

• Experience in marketing, integrated communications, and digital marketing programs  

• Ability to multitask and hit numerous deadlines simultaneously  

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)  

• Basic graphic design experience is welcome  

• Comfortable with social media administration  

• Willingness to tackle any task, including occasional administrative assignments, including occasional administrative assignments  

Please apply via Handshake or send resumes to jobs@cogent-strategies.com with “Public Relations Intern” in the subject line.  

Government Relations Intern 

Job Opening: Full or part-time fall internship   

Start Date: Early September 2024 

Experience Level: Enrolled undergraduate juniors, seniors, and/or candidates that have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree within the past 12 months 

Internship Program Components: 

• We ask for a commitment of 32-40 total hours (4-5 full days) per week and will prioritize candidates who are available to be in-person in our Washington, D.C. office.  

Primary Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Cover congressional hearings and summarize relevant discussion topics in high-quality, client-facing form  

• Monitor and track legislative bills, hearings, and rulemakings 

• Conduct legislative research  

• Engage with the government relations team and help generate client strategies  

• Draft, review and edit documents and other materials  

• Utilize and update various databases  

Basic Qualifications: 

• Self-starter and detail-oriented individual with strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills  

• Familiarity with both the legislative and executive branches of government  

• Strong writing and research skills  

• Preferably previous internship experience on Capitol Hill or in a government agency, think tank, or political campaign  

• Ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information in a cohesive and timely manner  

• Ability to multitask and hit numerous deadlines simultaneously  

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)  

• Willingness to tackle any task, including occasional administrative assignments  

Please apply via Handshake or send resumes to jobs@cogent-strategies.com with “Government Relations Intern” in the subject line. 

Amanda Kauffman

My 2021 internship at Cogent provided me with true hands-on experience that positioned me to make the transition into my professional career. While many internships consist of busy work and unrelated tasks, at Cogent my managers trusted me enough to provide me with the agency and space to own and contribute to meaningful projects. By involving me in both internal and client meetings, providing regular feedback, going out of their way to acknowledge my contributions and supporting me every step of the way, the team fostered my professional growth. Because of Cogent’s personable and supportive work environment, I also gained valuable mentors and friends in the process!

Addison Collins

I was a government relations intern at Cogent Strategies during my spring semester of my senior year, and I had an overall wonderful experience. The team at Cogent was very flexible and willing to work around my class and exam schedules, and allowed me to explore my professional interests and develop my writing, research, and communication skills. I had the opportunity to do meaningful work that directly impacted our clients while gaining exposure to different industries. Additionally, the people at Cogent were welcoming, supportive, and represented an impressive variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise. It was a pleasure not only to work with them, but to have meaningful conversations about career paths and areas of study, especially at a time in my life when many options lay before me.

Sarah Lev

I had the opportunity to do substantive and meaningful work on a wide range of issues, such as clean energy and environmental justice, gun violence prevention, banking, and telecommunications. The staff ensured that I could work on projects related to the issues that I care most about while also exposing me to new and interesting topics and projects. It was clear that the staff wanted the interns to feel like a part of the team, and they allowed us to attend briefings, write memos, and craft important work that was passed along to the clients. Every day I got to work with a new client or type of project, expanding both my knowledge and skills.