STUDENT INTERN - MAYOR'S FELLOWS- Washington, DC - City of Chicago

Job Number:

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program (Washington, D.C.)

Mayor’s Office

Number of Positions: 3

(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $25/hour

Work Location:

Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 11/25/2024

The Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program is the premier opportunity for bright, motivated, and civic-minded graduate students from all disciplines to apply their coursework to the greatest municipal laboratory in the world: the City of Chicago. Fellows serve the people of Chicago by supporting policy, legislative, data, communications, and public engagement initiatives within city government. By working hand-in-hand with senior staff in the Office of the Mayor and leaders from various departments and sister agencies throughout the city, Fellows deliver recommendations and implement programs that improve the lives of Chicago’s 2.7 million residents.

The City of Chicago Mayor's Office Fellowship Program offers fellowships to students interested in learning about City government and public policy. The program provides an in-depth view of how City government operates. Fellows will have the opportunity to:

OBJECTIVES

Through the Mayor's Office Fellowship Program, you may accomplish the following: 

• Develop new initiatives that keep Chicago green.
• Research ways to keep Chicago affordable.
• Work on workforce development initiatives targeting specific industries. 
• Outline best practices in public safety programs and youth engagement. 
• Research and compare housing-related policies in U.S. cities.
• Create innovative solutions to traffic and infrastructure challenges.
• Recommend ways to better integrate technology with City functions. 
• Analyze information on regional issues and Great Lakes policies.
• Create new programs that connect City residents with the great cultural resources of Chicago.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Work directly with senior staff from the Mayor’s Office, participating in budgetary, legislative and programmatic areas of city government
• Research policies and evaluate their potential benefit to Chicago
• Participate in developing new program initiatives in a number of diverse areas including affordable housing, the environment and the City’s cultural resources
• Create innovative solutions to the City’s traffic and infrastructure challenges
• Interact with and attend meetings with Commissioners, Aldermen, and senior level management in a variety of public policy areas
• Attend press conferences, City Council hearings, senior staff meetings and strategic planning sessions  
• Conduct research and analysis and prepare position papers on new programs and public policy issues
• Perform related duties as required

NOTE:  The list of essential duties is not intended to be inclusive; there may be other duties that are essential to particular positions within the class. 

Location:         Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

Days:               Monday - Friday

Hours:              Varies

Internships are limited to one academic year.  Students are limited to working one internship (lasting no more than one academic year) per City Department.

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

·        Must be a graduate student in good academic standing, currently enrolled in an accredited college, university, or law school.

·        Must be enrolled in school with a minimum of 6 credit hours (or quarter hour equivalency) throughout the duration of internship, with the exception of academic breaks, i.e. summer

·        Proficiency using Microsoft Office Applications – Word, Excel and Power Point

DISCLAIMER- "Accredited" means any nationally or regionally accredited college, university, or law school where the applicant is enrolled in or has completed a master’s or Juris Doctorate degree program.

NOTE:  At the time of application, you must attach a current transcript (or letter of acceptance or current class schedule if first term graduate student), resume and letter of enrollment for your application to be considered complete.  You will be required to provide a current letter of enrollment verification from the school's registrar/dean confirming enrollment (or National Student Clearinghouse Proof of Enrollment Certificate) at the time of application AND at time of hire.  You must be enrolled in school (with the exception of academic breaks) throughout your internship if you are selected.

NOTE: Only applicants who submit all the required documents (current transcript or letter of acceptance / class schedule for first term graduate student), resume and letter of enrollment AND hit the "Submit" button at the end of the online application process will have a complete application and will be considered for a position.  Employment applications lacking the required documentation will not be considered.

NOTE:Applicants who are chosen for an interview will be provided with instructions on how to submit a personal statement December 2024 Only candidates selected for interviews will be notified of further processing instructions for submitting these required supplemental documents.  Additional documentation should be sent to: MARGARET GACH, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, CITY OF CHICAGO. 121 NORTH LASALLE STREET, ROOM 406, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 60602

NOTE:Zoom Interviews: The Mayor's Office will then contact the short-listed applicants to schedule a 30-minute interview with Mayor's Office staff, via Zoom.

NOTE:Notification: Selected Fellows will be notified by March 2025.

NOTE:International students must have an F-1 Student Visa and must be a full-time student.  International students are required to have a social security number/card which states "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION." The college or university can assist international students with obtaining authorization.   (DHS = Department of Homeland Security).

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview. In addition, the applicant must provide a personal statement.  The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview, as well as their personal statement will be selected.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Experience with government programs/services, and/or policy
• Participation in community service, volunteer, and/or extracurricular activities
• Research and analysis skills
• Public speaking and presentation experience
• Technical, project management, and event coordination skills
• Degree program preference/interest

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION:Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. If you received your degree internationally, all international transcripts/diploma must be accompanied by a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted.  Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date.  Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:  To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075.  The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders.  For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practicesclick here. 

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor

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