Intern, Regional Engagement & Research

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Location: Remote - preference given to candidates residing in CA, OR, WA, HI, & AK 

Compensation: $15.00 per hour (or min. wage in jurisdiction if higher)  

Time Commitment: 10-15 hours per week for 4 months (2/24/25-6/27/25) 

Recruiting Timeline: This position will remain open until 12 pm EST on 11/21/24 or until we receive 100 applications, whichever comes first.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:  

Best Friends Animal Society is a national non-profit focused on ending the killing of cats and dogs in America's shelters by 2025. Best Friends is leading the no-kill movement by running lifesaving community programs for dogs and cats, providing support and training for animal shelters and rescue groups, and mobilizing community members on behalf of pets in need across the country.  

The communities we partner with are diverse and multicultural – and we want that to be reflected within our organization. We welcome our employees’ unique wisdom, special skills, passion, and whole self to the workplace. We believe that our differences are pivotal to uniting the movement and achieving our mission. Our hiring practices are based on kindness and treating all living things, people, animals and the planet, as we would like to be treated. We encourage candidates who can add to our culture by bringing their fresh perspectives and unique lived experiences to apply. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION:  

Regional work for Best Friends consists of building and maintaining relationships with animal shelters, rescue organizations, and policymakers. The Pacific Region covers the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Hawaii. As an intern working with the Pacific Regional Team, you will have the opportunity to build on your research and analytical skills in order to identify priority demographics and stakeholders in the communities the Regional Team is working in. You'll also be able to help develop data-driven strategies to engage with stakeholders and policymakers. 

The Regional Intern reports to the Pacific Region Manager, and will receive weekly supervision and regular feedback. The minimum time commitment for this position is 10-15 hours per week at $15.00 an hour for 4 months. This is a remote internship with a region-specific focus. Students seeking college credit are welcome to apply. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Work with Regional Team to identify priority research projects 
• Conduct basic research on priority demographics and stakeholders 
• Analyze data and present findings to team 
• Pitch plans for communication to stakeholders based on findings 
• As needed, attend internal and/or external meetings  
• Treat people around you with Kindness and Compassion, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, prioritize your well-being, and work to build strong inclusive relationships with your colleagues by participating in communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:    

• Improve research, writing, communication, and networking skills 
• Build and strengthen professional relationships with influential members of the animal welfare movement both inside and outside Best Friends 
• Become knowledgeable in local and state legislative structures 
• Gain the ability to use data in targeting program support 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Strong interest in animal welfare. Previous experience a plus but not necessary. 
• Interest in community engagement and desire to learn about civic affairs as they pertain to animal shelters in the Pacific region.  
• Strong interpersonal communication skills 
• Excellent writing abilities (clear, professional, error-free writing) 
• Analytical and research skills, especially in summarizing and presenting complex information more simply 
• Professional work ethic and independent time management skills in a home-office environment 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint 
• All Best Friends interns receive a company issued laptop to use during their internship 

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society.   Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.  

Applicants for employment in the US must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the US by Best Friends Animal Society. 

Best Friends employees may only hold one compensated position at any time.   Current employees are not allowed to hold another position and this internship position at the same time.  If a current employee would like to apply for this internship, the employee would be required to resign from their primary position, with no guarantee of re-employment, if the employee wanted to accept this position.