Consultant, Career, and Internship Opportunities
Approved Consultant Opportunities
​PNWER has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for consulting services to support its Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) program. The RFQ was released on June 4, with responses due by June 20. The contract is expected to run from 2025 through 2027, with the maximum contract value dependent on available funding and the scope of work. Each selected consultant will support PNWER RIA’s mission through deliverables focused on regional outreach, stakeholder coordination, and strategic planning.

Activities and tasks may include identifying candidate projects for RRIF and TIFIA credit financing and conducting outreach to state and local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and industry partners in coordination with RIA staff. Consultants will assist in convening and supporting PNWER RIA Work Groups focused on High Performance Rail, Critical Port and Bridge Connections, and Supply Chains and Logistics Hubs. Additional responsibilities include supporting the formation and development of the public and private Build Northwest (BNW) Council and helping organize and participate in the 2025 Build Northwest Forum in Portland, OR, other related conferences, and PNWER’s 2026 state capital visits.

Consultants will also assist with stakeholder briefings by supporting legislative and industry outreach, including briefing PNWER’s Executive Committee alongside key legislators and building bipartisan, regional support across rural and urban areas and both legislative chambers. Finally, they will engage private sector and industry leaders to support priority RIA projects across Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho. Minimum qualifications apply.

Proposal requirements:
Each response should include:
  • Cover letter (max 1 page)
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Brief statement of qualifications (max 2 pages)
  • Description of relevant past experience (max 2 pages)
  • Hourly rate and estimated time availability
  • Three references​ ​

​Click the link below for all the details
Request for Qualifications

Submission Instructions: Responses must be submitted electronically to [email protected] by June 20th, 2025.
Questions may be directed to: [email protected] or [email protected]

Internship Opportunities

Current Internship Openings:
PNWER is currently accepting interns. 
Are you interested in:
  • U.S. - Canada partnerships? 
  • Learning more about the Pacific Northwest economy? 
  • Networking with regional leaders? 
  • Working in a small, policy focused non-profit organization? 
What to expect as a PNWER intern:
  • Work closely with U.S. and Canadian legislators and business leaders in the Pacific Northwest region (including Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Oregon, Washington and Yukon)
  • Become acquainted with the operations of a small, non-profit organization engaged in regional economic cooperation 
  • Receive mentoring in the achievement of your goals
  • Hands-on experience in the operation of PNWER's working groups 
What PNWER expects from interns:
  • Commitment to the mission of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region
  • Willingness to work on a wide variety of activities
  • The ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Competent research and writing skills
  • Excellent communications skills, written and verbal
  • Fluency in written and spoken English
Project Areas
PNWER interns will be supporting specific projects and tasks tied to PNWER's areas of focus. Specific working groups include topics such as: Agriculture, Arctic Caucus, Border & Trade, Cross-Border Livestock Health, Disaster Resilience, Economic Development, Energy, Energy & Environment, Forestry, Infrastructure, Innovation, Invasive Species, Mining, Transportation, Tourism, Water Policy, Workforce Development. 

The internship will provide the opportunity to gain experience in areas that are of interest to you, while broadening your perspective on regional economic opportunities. 

Sample projects include: 
  • Research and update regional economic data report
  • Maintain up to date working group website pages, and help facilitate working group correspondence; includes note-taking and scheduling conference calls. 
  • Provide general communications support for social media, content for newsletters
  • Compile contact lists of key players in working group policy areas
  • Monitor local and national news
  • Other administrative and research tasks as determined by supervisors
Compensation:
The position is unpaid, but students will gain valuable experience and insight into policy-making within Canadian / U.S. relations in their specific field. Upon successful completion of the internship, letters of recommendation will be provided. Internships may be eligible for school credit hours through your university. Please contact your university for more information.
How to apply:
Please send a brief cover letter, resume, and 2-6 page writing sample to:

Rachael Kopp
Senior Program Manager
​[email protected]

Be sure to include the PNWER working groups or CRDR projects most relevant to your areas of interest.
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Fall 2019 Interns enjoying a reception at the Amazon Spheres as part of the Economic Leadership Forum
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2019 Interns enjoying a bit of downtime during the Summit Reception at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon
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2018 PNWER Interns during the Annual Summit at the Historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA
PNWER is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.