About The Association of American Railroads
We are a trade group with nearly 90 years of experience representing North America’s freight rail industry. Through our work, we help the six major Class I freight railroads, Amtrak, some short lines, and some commuter rail, improve their efficiency, safety and service. In addition to representing our members on legislative and regulatory policy matters, we set the industry’s standards for rail cars and rail car components, certify manufacturing and repair facilities and audit facilities for compliance.
Our research subsidiary, MxV Rail – headquartered in Pueblo, Colorado – is the world’s leading railroad innovation hotbed where new safety and service solutions for global railroads and suppliers come to life through rigorous research and testing. Additionally, our IT subsidiary, Railinc, located in Cary, North Carolina, provides the same level of technological advancements and IT services to the freight rail industry.
About You
Our internship program provides a rare opportunity for you to be part of the highly-respected team that helps lead the legislative interests of North America’s freight rail industry, with hands-on experience in professional writing, researching and policymaking.
If you’re looking to advance your career in policy, government, or transportation, this is a great way to make professional connections by working closely with AAR member railroads, attending industry events and engaging with government offices. The members of our team all experienced internships that helped launch their careers and we are committed to providing the same experience to the young professionals who work with us. In fact, some of our former interns now hold positions at the law firms of Morrison Foerster and Cooley LLP, the U.S. Department of State, have full-time positions working for our freight-rail members companies, several attend top public policy graduate programs.
We are a small, but mighty team looking for an intern who possesses the same level, of enthusiasm, professionalism, and communication necessary to serve the industry’s membership and lawmakers. Interns should be prepared to approach a variety of different projects, work across many different government entities, as well as a variety of business functions, such as Policy and Economics, Communications and Finance. This is not a “go get us coffee” internship; it’s real work and can help launch your career down the right track.
Interested candidates should email their resume and cover letter to Emma McDowall at emcdowall@aar.org with the subject line “[Season] Internship Application – [Your Name].” Applications are accepted on a rolling basis:
Preferred Qualifications
- Undergraduates (preferably with at least 60 credit hours completed) working toward a degree in Political Science, Government, Communications or any Business-related field
- Knowledgeable in US government affairs.
- Outstanding attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
- Curiosity and strong desire to learn.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Congressional Committees You Will Work With
- House
- Agriculture
- Appropriations
- Energy and Commerce
- Homeland Security
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Senate
- Agriculture
- Appropriations
- Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Environment and Public Works
- Homeland and Governmental Affairs
Eligibility Requirements & Program Information
- This internship is unpaid, but academic credit hours may be available.
- Must have the ability to work 40 hours/week. If you are a student or part of a program, we accommodate all class and development learning sessions that are typically included in such programs.
- Approximate Timelines:
- Winter Internships: September – December
- Spring Internships: January – March
- Summer Internships: May – July
- While the job will be hybrid during the week, interns must be able to work on-site in Washington, D.C. and provide own housing and transportation.