Government Relations Summer Intern (Hypersonic Defense)

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States; full-time summer 2027 position.

Salary: $28.00/hour for students in years 1–2; $31.25/hour for students in years 3–4.

Company

hirify.global engineers reusable, cost-effective air-launched Talon testbeds and conducts operationally realistic flight testing at Mach 5+ to generate data for hypersonic technology and national security applications.

What you will do

• Track and summarize congressional legislation, hearings, and markup activity related to hypersonic testing, missile defense, INDOPACOM, and Pentagon priorities.
• Research Members of Congress, congressional staff, executive branch officials, and activities affecting hirify.global and the hypersonic sector.
• Draft briefing memos, one-pagers, and meeting preparation materials for senior internal leadership and external stakeholders.
• Support meetings with congressional staff, Department of War officials, and allied government representatives.
• Maintain government relations tracking systems, including action items, contact databases, and distribution lists.
• Monitor open-source intelligence on hypersonic technology, the defense industrial base, and competitor activity.

Requirements

• Rising junior, senior, or graduate student in political science, public policy, government, international affairs, defense studies, engineering policy, or a related field.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Strong written and oral communication, with the ability to summarize complex material concisely and accurately.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with the congressional process and U.S. defense policy.
• Ability to obtain a security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Healthcare coverage including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drugs.
• Paid maternity and parental leave.
• 50% company match per contributed dollar into a 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• The position may involve operating company vehicles as part of assigned duties.
• Equal opportunity employment and a workplace that does not tolerate discrimination or harassment.