The Institute for Justice (IJ) is seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Recruiting Intern to join our team for Summer 2026. IJ is a nonprofit, public interest law firm dedicated to ending widespread abuses of government power and securing the constitutional rights that allow all Americans to pursue their dreams. Through strategic litigation, communication, and outreach, IJ advances freedom and protects individual liberty nationwide.

The Recruiting Intern will play an integral role in supporting IJ’s hiring efforts for law students, lateral attorneys, and professional staff who are committed to our mission. This internship provides meaningful, hands-on experience in a fast-paced, mission-driven public interest law environment.

This internship is a full-time, temporary, in-person position for a total of 10 weeks and is not eligible for benefits. Interns are paid at a rate of $17.50 per hour paid in semi-monthly payments subject to applicable federal and state taxes. The 10-week program generally runs from late May through early August, though exact start and end dates are flexible to fit the intern’s academic calendar.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure candidate materials are labeled and filed in SharePoint;

• Track candidates in JazzHR, our applicant tracking system;

• Review historical applications and compile information for reports;

• Post positions on job boards;

• Update various goal tracking documents;

• Research new candidate sources;

• Support outreach to law schools and public interest career offices;

• Assist with interview schedules, feedback collection, and reference checks;

• Provide on-site logistical and administrative support at the Law Student Conference;

• Provide general administrative support to the HR/Recruiting team.

As an intern with us, you will gain:

• Proficiency with our Applicant Tracking System and recruitment processes by supporting IJ’s hiring efforts. This could include scheduling interviews, updating applicant trackers, and posting and updating positions on external sites;

• Experience assisting with recruiting event planning and execution;

• Valuable technical office skills, including basic Office 365 administration with SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams;

• Exposure to Human Resources (HR) tasks, including onboarding and orientation for new hires;

• Mentorship from Recruiting and HR professionals in a close-knit, team environment;

• Exposure to the inner workings of a fast-paced public interest organization and opportunity to attend select training sessions and summer speaker sessions along with our law student Dave Kennedy Fellows;

• Professional communication skills through drafting and editing internal communication and external candidate communication.

Our ideal candidate is:

• Pursuing a degree or work experience in Human Resources, Business Administration, or another related field; 

• Committed to, or least interested in, IJ’s values and our work ensuring Americans have the right to control their own destinies as free and responsible members of society;

• Able to follow up and follow through on tasks;

• An excellent verbal and written communicator who is motivated to continue perfecting these skills;

• Highly organized and detail-oriented;

• A superb time manager who can meet deadlines even when faced with numerous competing priorities;

• A self-starter with a knack for devising creative solutions to any obstacle that comes along;

• Trustworthy with a high degree of integrity, and the ability to work with confidential information;

• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Outlook, and Excel specifically);

• Able to work from our Arlington, Virginia headquarters office.

To be considered, please complete the application and submit a resume and cover letter.

IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At IJ we value a diverse workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

To learn more about our culture and benefits, visit our Working at IJ page. No phone calls please.

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