Public Administration Internship Jobs in Reston, VA

Description
2027 SUMMER ASSOCIATE INTERN (GRADUATE), PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES
Only hiring into Washington DC
**Accepting applicants until December 15th at midnight, EST.
About Alvarez & Marsal
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and assisting them in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact our clients and shape our industry. The collaborative environment and engaging work-guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity-are why our people love working at A&M.
Position Summary
The Summer Associate Internship is a 7-week engagement-based internship for graduate students (MBA, MPP/MPA, and other master's programs) completing their degree within one year. Summer Associates join engagement teams at a higher level of responsibility than undergraduate interns: owning workstreams, managing analyses end-to-end, and engaging directly with client stakeholders. The internship is the primary pathway to a full-time offer upon graduation.
How you will contribute

• Own a defined workstream within a client engagement, including problem structuring through analysis to recommendation
• Direct AI-augmented analysis: determine where AI tools accelerate the work, quality-check the output, and integrate results into client-ready insights
• Lead interviews and working sessions with client stakeholders, including senior level stakeholders
• Develop client deliverables and present findings to engagement leadership and clients
• Provide guidance to junior team members on shared analyses
• Contribute to a practice-development and or business development initiative during the summer (e.g., a reusable framework, tool, or point of view)
• Receive a dedicated mentor, a Performance Advisor, and formal mid-point and final evaluations

Who and What We Are Looking For
Critical thinking: Beyond analyzing well, you frame problems well: you ask whether we are solving the right question before solving it, and you weigh stakeholder, political, and implementation realities alongside the analytical answer.
Problem solving: You can run a workstream with limited supervision: plan the analysis, manage the timeline, flag risks early, and deliver a defensible recommendation.
Analysis that leads to action: Your analytical work directly connects to decisions. You quantify what matters, simplify without distorting, and can defend your numbers and financial modeling under scrutiny from experienced stakeholders. Quantitative confidence is required; however, a quantitative degree is not.
AI literacy and AI judgment: At the Associate level we expect more than tool familiarity. We will assess: (1) workflow design, including can you decide which parts of an analysis to delegate to AI tools and which require human judgment; (2) supervision, including can you quality-control AI output rigorously, catching errors before they reach a client; (3) responsible use, including do you understand confidentiality, data-handling, and disclosure obligations when using AI on client work; (4) leverage, including can you use AI to raise the quality bar of the work, not just its speed. Prior professional experience using AI in deliverables is strongly preferred.
Relationship building and client presence: You can sit with a client / stakeholder and listen more than you talk, earn trust quickly, and disagree constructively when the work requires it. Prior professional experience matters here, as we expect you to be credible from the get-go.
Leadership with maturity: You have professional accomplishments to draw on, including leading and managing stakeholders and delivering under pressure. You develop the people around you.
Mission orientation. You are choosing this internship because public purpose matters to you. Our clients' missions are the reason this work exists.
The Lifestyle - What This Job Demands
Everything in the undergraduate profile applies, with additions appropriate to the level:

• You will carry real responsibility: a workstream, client stakeholders who rely on your work, and deadlines that do not move because the pace matters to the work and the client
• Peak periods can be intense (40-50+ hours); we actively seek a degree of balance, but you should anticipate the consulting rhythm
• Travel to client sites is at least periodic and engagement-dependent (up to 4-5 days per week on some engagements)
• You will be evaluated as a future Associate, not as a student and the bar is professional-grade work
• The return on your investment includes accelerated leadership development, senior exposure, a platform of public sector work, and a clear path to Associate and beyond

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an MBA, MPP, MPA, or other relevant graduate program, graduating within ~12 months of the internship
• Typically, 2-5 years of professional experience prior to or during graduate study
• Record of academic and professional excellence
• Demonstrated experience applying generative AI tools in professional or academic work products
• Authorization to work in the United States; some engagements may require ability to obtain a public trust or security clearance
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

The Conversion Path
Summer Associates are evaluated on the same three dimensions as Analysts capability (problem solving, financial analysis and modeling, AI-augmented work quality), client skills (communication, presence, relationship building), and culture & teamwork. Strong performers may receive a full-time Associate or Senior Associate offer at the end of the summer.
Your journey at A&M
We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person's unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.
We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.
Compensation Statement
The hourly rate is $65 per hour.
Benefits Summary
Interns are not eligible to participate in Alvarez & Marsal's fringe benefits programs. Click here for more information regarding A&M's benefits programs.
#LI-DNI
#IND123