Government Relations Intern

Vannevar is a defense technology company building AI to deter our adversaries. In the 21st century, conflict moves at algorithmic speed and foresight equals firepower. Our agentic AI is purpose-built to compete with China—from cross-Strait conflict to gray zone coercion. Trained on the most mission-relevant datasets in defense, our technology models adversary behavior, simulates campaigns, and recommends the best course of action to decision makers. Our AI systems are some of the most trusted in the industry and actively used on the front lines of the Indo-Pacific to keep the peace and save lives.

Exceptional technology starts with exceptional people. Vannevar is a small agile team combining world-class engineers with veteran strategists who bring deep expertise in defense and tradecraft. We’re building a company defined by mission impact, user empathy, and disciplined growth. In just three years, we grew from $3M to $80M in ARR, achieved early profitability, and reached unicorn status—proving that disruption doesn’t require an ego, and staying power doesn’t mean standing still.

About the role

We are looking for an intern to join our Government Relations team in Washington, DC during the summer of 2026, to drive Vannevar’s government engagements and advance Vannevar’s business objectives. This role would partner closely with our Director of Government Affairs, our VP of Public Policy & Strategy, and our external advisors to identify legislative and executive branch stakeholders, research and summarize key legislative activities and outcomes, and craft plans with the government relations team to achieve favorable policy, partnerships, and multi-year program funding outcomes. This internship will include ample opportunities to learn about different government processes in the legislative and executive branches and apply this learning to support Vannevar’s different business teams.

What you'll do

• Enable key government relationships. Support Vannevar’s engagement with leaders and their teams to achieve legislative and business growth goals by monitoring federal legislation, summarizing congressional activities, drafting briefing documents, conducting legislative research, and shaping engagement strategies.

• Support the Public Policy & Strategy team. Support Vannevar’s government affairs strategies by offering government relations perspectives, developing senior-level briefing materials, and attending engagements with Congressional and government representatives.

• Represent Vannevar to the government. Support engagements with the Director of Government Affairs to communicate our strategic vision, differentiated technology, and mission impact to senior decision-makers and Congressional offices, tailoring messages to their specific concerns and agendas.

• Strengthen critical functions of the Government Affairs team. Provide assistance with meeting scheduling and event preparation, support program research and analysis of government activities, and provide general administrative support to the Government Affairs team.

What we're looking for

• 2+ years of experience working in a Congressional or government office, or in a position directly engaging with Congressional or government offices.

• Incoming, first, or second year graduate student pursuing an advanced degree.

• Passion for the defense technology ecosystem and our mission of building next-generation capabilities for our public servants

• Proven ability to prioritize, track, and accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.

• Strong research, writing, and verbal communication skills

• U.S. Persons status is required

• Located in the Washington, DC metro area

What we offer

The salary range for this position is competitive with market rates. Individual pay is determined by experience, relevant education, and/or training and interview performance.

Vannevar is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or disability status.

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, even if you don't feel like you're a perfect fit. If you're passionate about contributing to our mission, we'd love to hear from you!

IMPORTANT NOTICE
We are committed to protecting the privacy of all applicants. Official emails from the company will come from an @vannevarlabs.com domain. Under no circumstances will a legitimate representative from our company contact you to request passwords, financial information, or other sensitive personal data. Please be vigilant of potential scams.