Environmental Research Intern Jobs in Silver Spring, MD

Description

About McAllister & Quinn

McAllister & Quinn, LLC is a grants consulting and government relations firm headquartered in Washington, DC. We serve more than 200 clients through grant consulting, strategic advising, and government relations services. Our team helps clients identify federal and private foundation funding opportunities that align with their priorities, develop competitive 

applications, expand funding through the congressional appropriations process, and build public, private, and international partnerships that advance their missions.

We are committed to helping clients secure funding that creates meaningful impact for their organizations, their teams, and the communities they serve. That mission drives our work every day and reflects our commitment to better outcomes, stronger institutions, and a more equitable future.

About the Healthcare Practice

Our Healthcare Practice partners with hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, integrated medical research organizations, and other research-intensive institutions to support, expand, and diversify sponsored research activity. Within the practice, the Healthcare Core team provides strategic intelligence, operational support, and client-facing products that strengthen the work of the broader team and the clients we serve.

Position Summary

McAllister & Quinn's full-time, paid intern supports the Healthcare Core team in Washington, DC. This role is ideal for an undergraduate or graduate-level candidate with an interest in public health, health policy, biomedical research funding, or government relations. The internship offers hands-on experience in research funding, strategic analysis, operational support, and client service within a fast-paced consulting environment. This internship is designed to provide meaningful exposure to the landscape of grants consulting and government relations in Washington, DC. It is well suited for candidates who want to build professional experience in public policy, sponsored research, healthcare strategy, or federal funding.

Internship Details

• This is a full-time, paid internship supporting the Healthcare Core team
• Internships are offered primarily in the spring and fall based on business needs
• Candidates must be available to work at least 30 hours per week, with a preference for 35-40 hours per week. 
• The internship is intended for full-time candidates who are not receiving course credit, although we are happy to work with universities to support academic credit requirements when possible
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills are required, and prior office experience is a plus
• Interns are responsible for securing their own housing for the duration of the internship
• Interns are expected to work in the office throughout the internship

Responsibilities

The intern will work both within the Healthcare practice on targeted initiatives and deliverables, and for the firm at large with administrative tasks. 

Healthcare tasks may include:

• Monitor funding activity across federal health agencies, including NIH, HRSA, CDC, AHRQ, and others, and identify opportunities relevant to healthcare clients
• Support business development (BD) efforts through the development of BD profiles of healthcare institutions detailing organizational statistics, priority areas, funding history, and delegation information
• Conduct data management activities such as updating institutional contact details in Excel profiles to support outreach efforts
• Assist in preparing daily opportunity emails and funding newsletters for the broader Healthcare Practice team
• Conduct research on healthcare policy, federal budget priorities, and emerging funding trends in the biomedical and health sciences space
• Support the development of internal memos, funding summaries, and strategic intelligence briefs
• Assist with prospect research using tools such as GrantForward, Grants.gov, NIH Reporter, and USA Spending
• Create organizational profiles to support business development efforts
• Provide administrative and operational support to the Healthcare Core team as needed

While the internship is primarily practice-focused, interns provide the following routine office support: 

• Assisting with team-wide meetings or multi-day retreats 
• Greeting visitors or supporting front-office logistics. 
• Managing incoming/outgoing mail and maintaining office supplies. 
• Maintaining a professional and organized office environment

Requirements

Qualifications

• Candidates should be in their junior or senior year of college or currently pursuing a graduate degree, preferably in public health, health policy, biology, or a related field
• Familiarity with federal health agencies, biomedical research funding, or healthcare policy is preferred
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and contribute with limited supervision
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Ability to synthesize and accurately summarize complex and detailed materials
• Strong verbal communication skills by phone, email, and in person
• Strong attention to detail and effective project management and planning skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Teams, Word, and PowerPoint

At McAllister & Quinn, we're challenging the status quo. When we connect different perspectives, we open ourselves to new possibilities, inspire innovation, and allow us to achieve the full potential of our people. We're building an employee experience & engagement that includes appreciation, belonging, growth, and purpose for everyone in our team