Political Science Internship Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
Basic Job Scope:

• Leading the world's sustainable energy future, First Solar interns work around the globe/country in research and development, marketing, project development, information technology, engineering, energy services and much more. When you work at First Solar, you will be challenged every day and provided real world experience. You will be given the opportunity to find new solutions and develop new skills to further advance your skillset. At First Solar we strive to foster a culture that encourages innovation through collaboration, urging colleagues to take smart risks, learning from failures and course correcting, and owning personal accountability for contributing to our mission.

Expected Length of Internship:

• Fall 2026 semester
• As an internship company, we allow flexibility to enroll in classes while working as an intern, as long as it doesn't interfere with the essential functions of the position.

Education/Experience:

• Junior/Senior student in Political Science, Public Policy, Government, Law, or a related field.
• Prior coursework or experience in legislative research, policy analysis, or government relations preferred.
• First Solar encourages all interns to register their internship with their university.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to track and synthesize complex legislative and regulatory developments at both the state and federal level.
• Comfort using AI tools and digital platforms to accelerate research, build tracking systems, and produce clear written outputs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate policy content for executive audiences.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.

Basic Internship Scope (Project):

• Design and build a legislative and regulatory tracking system - spanning state and federal activity relevant to solar energy, domestic manufacturing, permitting, and grid policy - that enables the Government Relations team to monitor, prioritize, and act on developments in near real time.
• Develop a prioritization framework that scores and ranks tracked legislation and rulemakings based on criteria such as business impact, likelihood of passage, First Solar's policy positions, and timeline - turning a broad legislative landscape into a focused, actionable watchlist.
• Create standardized reporting templates and cadences (e.g., weekly digests, monthly legislative scorecards) that translate the tracker into clear, executive-ready summaries for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Use AI tools to automate information gathering, flag new bill introductions and regulatory filings, and generate first-draft summaries for human review - documenting the workflow so the system remains useful after the internship ends.
• Identify gaps or emerging policy trends - such as state-level incentive programs, federal rulemaking timelines, or legislative threats to clean energy supply chains - and surface findings in a structured format for the Government Relations team.

Estimated Salary Range:

• $20.00-$23.00/hr.

US Physical Requirements:
All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.
Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.