Public Safety Performance & Strategy Intern

Salary: $24.78 - $31.41 Hourly
Location : Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA
Job Type: Intern
Job Number: 2026BHC27326
Department: EXEC - Executive's Office
Opening Date: 05/22/2026
Closing Date: 6/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours/Week: 40 hours/week


Summary
The Public Safety Performance & Strategy Graduate Intern will play a foundational role in building data and performance management capacity for the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the Pacific Northwest. Your performance strategy research and recommendations will directly shape performance management tools and meetings.

KCSO is starting from the ground up on performance metrics, data collection, and Monthly Business Review (MBR) practices. While a Senior Business Analyst has been hired to lead implementation, that position is not expected to begin until July or August 2026 due to an extensive background check process. The intern will work ahead of that hire to conduct the foundational research and landscape analysis needed to hit the ground running - including identifying industry best practices, mapping relevant audit and oversight findings, and developing a recommended metrics framework grounded in a clear theory of change.

Depending on project needs, the intern may also conduct parallel research for the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) and the Department of Public Defense (DPD), departments they may benefit from similar benchmarking across peer agencies.

The intern will gain experience working with Executive and department clients through the delivery of a structured landscape analysis and accompanying metrics recommendation memo that will serve as the foundation for an implementation plan covering performance metrics selection and data collection priorities. This is the kind of work that analysts embedded inside government and management consultants routinely do when shaping recommendations.

Interns will have the opportunity to be part of a high-performing team and take advantage of County training and learning opportunities. Opportunities to engage as part of an intern cohort, network with leaders across the organization, andparticipatein outings to various County operations add to the intern experience on the Executive Office team.

Commitment to Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents thatrepresentcountries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures. The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all - in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our work. We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. The Executive Budget Team is committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.


About the Office

Under ExecutiveZahilay'sleadership, we are building an adaptable, mission driven team. A team that will put 'boots on the ground,' prioritize outcome over optics, build coalitions that drive progress, align resources with needs, solve problems with a 'yes, and' mindset, andseekand use feedback to grow. These elements will ensure King County is a high performing government that is urgently and transparently delivering services that center those most impacted and improve the lives of residents. To support this vision, the Executive Budget team serves as a resource to the County's departments and agencies in developing and implementing budgets, financial plans, and policies. The Executive Budget Team is committed to becoming an inclusive, collegial, and open organization that models the County's values.

Job Duties


Under manager guidance, the intern will:

• Research best practices in law enforcement and public safety performance management, with particular focus on how peer sheriff's offices (in comparablejurisdictions) have built metrics frameworks and MBR processes
• Identifyand analyze relevant findings from the King County Auditor's Office and the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) to understand existing accountability gaps and data needs at KCSO
• Conduct outreach and information-gathering from similar sheriff's offices and public safety agencies that have implemented performance management systems, documenting lessons learned and transferable models
• Develop a theory of change for KCSO performance management - mapping how specific inputs (staffing, training, resources, process changes) connect to measurable outputs and community outcomes
• Draft a recommended set of input and output metrics that could realistically be tracked, reported, and used by KCSO management to set business targets and hold the department accountable
• As capacity allows, conduct parallel research for DAJD and DPD, focusing on peer agency benchmarking and metrics frameworks relevant to their functions
• Compile findings into a structured landscape analysis and metrics recommendation memo that will serve as the foundation for the Senior Business Analyst's implementation plan
• Present findings and recommendations to King County Executive Office leadership at the close of the internship

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• This position is open to graduate students with an interest in performance management, government administration, public safety administration or management consulting. Students in other programs with relevant interests and skills are also encouraged to apply.

• Flexibility and the ability to adapt to new situations while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Demonstrated work ethic, ability to get things done, and independent time management skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365.

Supplemental Information
WHO MAY APPLY:

This position is open to graduate students currently enrolled and continuing in the fall of 2026 in full-time status at an accredited university or college. Candidates with coursework or concentration in public administration (MPA),public safety,public policy, urban planning, organizational management, or related fields are strongly encouraged to apply. Public safety expertise is notrequired. Strong research, strategic thinking, and writing skills are essential.

WORK SCHEDULE:

The work schedule will be Monday-Friday. During the school term, the work week will consist of 10-20 hours at the discretion of your supervisor. During summer, the work week may consist of up to 40 hours. This internship is expected to run through mid- to late-August 2026, though the position may begin earlier or end later depending on project needs. Interns are expected to work in the office at least three days per week.

FORMS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Please fully complete the online application, including all supplemental questions, and attach a letter of interest and resume. To be considered for the role, it is essential that yousubmita complete application. Please ensure all required materials are included beforesubmitting. Oncesubmitted, you cannotmodifyor addadditionalinformation. If you accidentally omit a required element, you may apply again with the correct information.

CONTACT:

If you have questions about this recruitment, please contact Brittany Hagen Crosser at or View phone number on click.appcast.io.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Applicants meeting qualifications will be screened based on clarity, completeness, content, writing quality, anddemonstratedanalytical thinking in their applicationmaterials. The selection process may also include a writing or work sample, interview(s), and reference checks.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to travel throughout King Countyin a timely mannerisrequired.
This position is not eligible for King County leave, holiday, insured, or other benefits. Please contact the recruiter on the posting for any additional questions regarding associated benefits.
01


Are you enrolled and can you provide proof of enrollment in full time graduate level education for the quarter/semester of Fall 2026.

• Yes
• No

02


Are you able to be in-person in Seattle at least 3 days per week during this internship?

• Yes
• No

03


Are you interested in pursuing a career in management consulting, public sector management, or public safety administration? What draws you to any of these paths, and how does this internship connect to those interests?
04


Describe a research project or analysis you have completed that required you to synthesize information from multiple sources and make a recommendation. What was your process, and what did you learn?
Required Question