Careers, Fellowships, Internships

Thank you for your interest in joining the AU team. Our current openings are listed below.

For more information on our open positions, expand the list below.

Current Open Positions

Vice President of Public Policy

The Vice President of Public Policy oversees Americans United’s legislative program and serves as the organization’s foremost policy expert and analyst, lobbyist, and coalition leader. The VP defines public policy strategies and positions in support of AU’s mission and serves as a thought partner to AU’s CEO and other senior leaders.

The Vice President of Public Policy is a reliable expert on church-state separation policy, advising both internal AU staff and external parties including legislators, administration staff, and other officials. They build and strengthen relationships with legislators and agency personnel at all levels of government. The VP represents AU in coalitions and runs AU-led coalitions.

The successful candidate will possess deep experience in public policy advocacy, be passionate about church-state separation and related issues, be a detailed-oriented and thorough analyst, and have excellent communication skills. They will also be a highly collaborative and dynamic leader. The VP of Public Policy reports to the Chief Program Officer and oversees a team with four additional staff members.

This is a full-time, exempt position. The incumbent must be based in the Washington, DC metro area.

Background

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. It is a community that welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

Americans United uses high-impact litigation, powerful lobbying, visibility raising, and grassroots advocacy to ensure that religion does not dictate public policy; the government does not tell Americans what to believe or how to practice their faith; and discrimination is not justified under the guise of religious beliefs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Develop and implement AU’s public policy priorities, strategies, and positions in collaboration with other senior leaders within the organization and the public policy team.
  • Manage a cohesive, high performing team to effectively advance AU’s policy agenda and further the team’s professional growth.
  • Lobby and serve as AU’s top policy expert before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies.
  • Build and strengthen relationships within legislatures and with executive branch officials and staff.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert and policy strategy expert to partners, legislative and administration officials, and staff.
  • Expand AU’s lobbying and policy efforts at the state level.
  • Build and strengthen relationships with partner organizations: represent AU in coalitions, run AU-led coalitions, and build ad hoc coalitions as needed.
  • Analyze and research legislation and proposed regulations and policies; draft legislative language; draft and edit legislative and policy materials (such as congressional testimony, regulatory comments, and letters to public officials).
  • Speak as a leading policy expert to the media and at events.
  • Serve as a member of AU’s Senior Team, collaborating on organization-wide decisions, vision and strategy, and cross-departmental initiatives.

Skills and Experience

  • A minimum of 12 years of experience in federal and state public policy advocacy.
  • Expertise in civil liberties policy, First Amendment, and/or Constitutional law.
  • Ability to think creatively and strategically about the direction of a public policy program.
  • Strong organizational, analytical, writing, research, and speaking skills.
  • Demonstrated understanding of the congressional and regulatory process, and federal and state legislative strategy.
  • Experience building, leading, and working within coalitions.
  • Ability to forge relationships with key policymakers and administrative officials; existing relationships a plus.
  • High emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skills.
  • Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that manifests in strategy and management style.
  • Skilled and experienced in managing a team; dedication to mentoring and developing staff
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other senior leaders and departments across the organization.
  • Ability to plan and manage under tight deadlines and to be flexible and effective in high-pressure situations.
  • Demonstrated commitment to civil rights and civil liberties, with experience in church-state separation issues preferred.

Education

  • J.D. required.

Competitive Salary and Generous Benefits

The salary range is $189,000 to $215,250 for a candidate with 12 to 27+ years of experience. The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined by the number of years of relevant experience they bring to the role and their qualifications. Americans United offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy.

Work Location

This role can work remotely from the Washington, DC metro area or from our Washington, DC office. In-person attendance at events and meetings will be required throughout the year. Occasional travel is anticipated.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Americans United has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, we have implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. This policy states that all Americans United employees, fellows, and interns are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received a booster shot. If a candidate selected for hire desires a medical or religious exemption, the candidate should make a request to our human resources personnel, and the request will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and a thoughtful, relevant cover letter. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Individuals from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

AU is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Apply Today

Editor, Church & State

The Position

The Editor oversees the production of AU’s monthly membership magazine, Church & State. The Editor plans issues, maintains an editorial calendar, commissions and edits content written by others, and may serve as a contributor themselves.

The ideal candidate will have prior experience managing the production of a publication; be comfortable working independently to deliver a high-quality product; and have knowledge of and passion for church-state separation and related issues.

This is a full-time, exempt position. This position is a union role; it is included in the bargaining unit represented by AU Collective in connection with SEIU Local 500.

The position is fully remote. The Editor will report to the VP, Strategic Communications.

Background

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. It is a community that includes and welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

Americans United uses high-impact litigation, powerful lobbying, visibility raising and grassroots advocacy to ensure that religion does not dictate public policy; the government does not tell Americans what to believe or how to practice their faith; and discrimination is not justified under the guise of religious beliefs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Edit Church & State magazine:
    • Plan issues and maintain an editorial calendar; devise and meet issue deadlines.
    • Assign articles to freelance writers, track flow of manuscripts, and edit articles written by others.
    • Proofread copy and work with freelance proofreaders to ensure error-free copy.
    • Research and write articles.
    • Work with an in-house Graphic Designer to create an attractive, informative publication, including cover ideas.
    • Select photos, editorial cartoons, and other art.
    • Ensure mailing lists are up-to-date; coordinate with an external printer to facilitate delivery of the magazine to members.
    • Monitor developments in the church-state separation field.
  • Provide editorial support to the Communications department as needed:
    • Review and/or proofread press releases, op-eds and other materials as needed.
    • Write blog posts on current events, which can be repurposed for magazine.
    • Consult with staff about messaging and media approaches.

Skills and Experience

Americans United seeks a candidate with:

  • A minimum of 10 years of prior relevant experience in production of a monthly publication, in digital format or in print.
  • Proven ability to project manage the production of a monthly publication.
  • Excellent writing, editing and proofing skills.
  • Ability to work across departments in sourcing relevant stories regarding church-state issues and bring the work of AU to life in the pages of the publication.
  • Passion for church-state separation and knowledge of issues relating to this constitutional principle.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications or a related field; or equivalent experience.

Competitive Salary and Generous Benefits

The salary range is $125,000 to $150,000 for a candidate with 10 to 25+ years of experience, with a small upward locality adjustment for higher-cost geographic areas. The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined by the number of years of relevant experience they bring to the role and their qualifications. Americans United offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy.

Work Location

This role can work remotely from anywhere in the U.S. or locally in our Washington, DC office. Infrequent in-person attendance at events and meetings may be required throughout the year.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Americans United has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, we have implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. This policy states that all Americans United employees, fellows, and interns are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received a booster shot. If a candidate selected for hire desires a medical or religious exemption, the candidate should make a request to our human resources personnel, and the request will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter. Church & State does longform journalism; please include published writing samples of at least 1,000 words to show your capability in this area. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Individuals from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. AU is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Apply Today

Vice President and Legal Director

The Position
The Vice President and Legal Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) is a thought leader, litigator, and manager who will work collaboratively to lead the organization’s legal program, developing its legal strategy and supervising a team of lawyers to execute that strategy to a high standard. They will identify and develop potential cases and legal strategies; oversee the conduct of litigation, the drafting of amicus briefs, and the handling of legal inquiries; supervise and coordinate with outside law firms acting as co-counsel or providing litigation support to AU; litigate cases; and collaborate with the President & CEO to develop novel and creative strategies that secure and build a broader and more diverse movement around true religious freedom and church-state separation.

The successful candidate will be knowledgeable about First Amendment law and committed to upholding core constitutional values that protect the rights of all people, especially those most marginalized. They will demonstrate a commitment to ensuring religious freedom and incorporating a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal department’s internal and external work. They will also be emotionally intelligent and highly collaborative, with a high degree of empathy and exceptional listening skills.

Background
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. AU includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. It is a community that includes and welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, classes and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

Americans United uses high-impact litigation, powerful lobbying, visibility raising and grassroots advocacy to ensure that religion does not dictate public policy; the government does not tell Americans what to believe or how to practice their faith; and discrimination is not justified under the guise of religious beliefs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Vice President & Legal Director include:

Strategy and Leadership

  • In collaboration with the President & CEO, develop and refine the overall strategic direction for AU’s legal program, tying AU’s legal work to the overarching strategic goals of the organization.
  • Develop novel and creative strategies to leverage the law and legal systems to advance and build a broad and diverse movement around religious freedom and church-state separation.
  • Serve as a member of the organization’s senior team and a strategic partner to the Chief Program Officer and President & CEO.
  • Maintain existing external partnerships and identify and build relationships with potential new partners, coalitions, and allies.
  • Resolve strategic issues and questions relating to legal program development and implementation.
  • Represent the organization at external events and conferences and in media interviews as needed.

Program Administration and Team Leadership

  • Implement a realistic and concrete plan for the execution of the vision for the legal program.
  • Oversee a team of seven lawyers and manage a full docket of cases, with support from outside firms.
  • Supervise legal department staff, with assistance from the Associate Vice President and Associate Legal Director.
  • Provide management, coaching, and mentorship that inspires excellence and promotes a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture; oversee the performance and professional development of the legal team.
  • Work with the legal department staff to screen and develop promising cases and manage a substantial docket of cases, including ones protecting students from government-imposed religion in public schools, preventing religion-based discrimination, opposing governmental support for religion, supporting abortion rights, and connecting church-state separation to other progressive issues.
  • Supervise outside law firms acting as co-counsel or providing litigation support to AU.
  • Interface with AU’s public policy team on litigation involving federal rules and AU’s policy work on Capitol Hill.
  • Collaborate with the communications team to develop and deploy creative, sympathetic messaging on our litigation.
  • Partner with the outreach team to mobilize local advocates around AU’s litigation.
  • Oversee the preparation of amicus curiae briefs and the selection of cases in which to file amicus briefs
  • Oversee non-litigation advocacy efforts such as letter-writing, calls, and representation of individuals in non-courtroom settings to remedy First Amendment violations and educate school officials, legislators, and others about constitutional requirements.

Litigation

  • Litigate cases in federal and state courts, both at the trial level and on appeal.
  • Oversee preparation of briefs, motions, and other filings.
  • Oversee or conduct discovery, including depositions.
  • Conduct trials and hearings; argue trial-court motions and appeals.
  • Communicate with clients and opposing counsel.
  • Negotiate settlements.

Desired Qualifications:
Americans United seeks a candidate with:

  • J.D. degree with at least 12 years of litigation experience; preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated experience in constitutional or public interest law.
  • Ability to think creatively and strategically about the direction of a legal program.
  • Skilled and experienced in managing others in litigation, including lawyers, legal fellows, legal interns, and paralegals.
  • High emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
  • Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
  • Ability to plan and manage under a tight deadline with the ability to multitask and be flexible and effective in fast-paced and high-pressure situations.
  • Ability to collaborate across departments and work effectively with senior colleagues in the organization.
  • Understanding of the important role litigation plays in raising visibility and building a movement.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to promote the legal program.
  • Demonstrated commitment to religious freedom and civil rights, public interest work, and a willingness to develop an in-depth understanding of the issues that drive AU’s core mission.

Competitive Salary and Generous Benefits
Salary is $180,000-$205,000 commensurate with experience, with a small upward locality adjustment for higher-cost geographic areas. Americans United offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid premiums for health care, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy.

Work Location
This role can work remotely from anywhere in the U.S. or locally in our Washington, DC office. Occasional in-person attendance at events and meetings in Washington, DC will be required.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
Americans United has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, we have implemented a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy. This policy states that all Americans United employees, fellows, and interns are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and to have received a recent booster shot. If a candidate selected for hire desires a medical or religious exemption, the candidate should make a request to our human resources personnel, and the request will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

Individuals from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. AU is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Apply Today

Senior Litigation Counsel/Litigation Counsel

The Position

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is seeking a Senior Litigation Counsel or a Litigation Counsel to serve as lead counsel in trial and appellate litigation of church-state cases around the country. Your work will include defending the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial and religious minorities against religion-based discrimination and oppression. And you will fight to keep religion out of governmentincluding through challenges to religious activities in public schools, public financing of religious institutions, and government-sponsored religion in the public square.

Background

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan educational and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure freedom of religion, including the right to believe or not believe, for all of us. Founded in 1947, Americans United is a diverse and dynamic organization composed of people from all walks of life: lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. Americans United includes people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. Americans United uses high-impact litigation, powerful lobbying, visibility raising, and grassroots advocacy to ensure that religion does not dictate public policy, that the government does not tell Americans what to believe or how to practice their faith, and that discrimination is not justified under the guise of religious beliefs.

Americans United’s legal department litigates church-state issues in federal and state courts across the country, with a substantial practice before the federal courts of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Most of our cases involve novel, cutting-edge First Amendment and other constitutional issues. In recent years, for example, we have litigated lawsuits and submitted amicus briefs challenging or opposing:

  • Religion-based refusals by businesses, foster-care agencies, and government officials to provide services to LGBTQ+ people and religious minorities.
  • Efforts to deprive women of access to abortion and contraceptives.
  • Race-based and sex-based employment discrimination by religious employers.
  • Coercive religious practices in the public schools.
  • Demands for religious exemptions from Covid-19-related public-health orders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Litigation Counsel or Litigation Counsel will:

  • Serve as lead counsel in church-state cases throughout the country.
  • Serve as principal counsel for Americans United in church-state cases co-counseled with pro bono teams from law firms or with other public-interest organizations.
  • Draft and edit pleadings and briefs, take depositions, deliver oral arguments, conduct trials and evidentiary hearings, and prosecute appeals.
  • Develop new cases by investigating the applicable facts and law, formulating case strategies, and identifying plaintiffs with standing.
  • Draft and edit amicus curiae briefs; evaluate amicus opportunities to determine whether to file briefs.
  • Guide, mentor, and train junior lawyers and legal interns.
  • Make public-speaking and media appearances.
  • Help determine strategic vision and direction for Americans United’s litigation program.

Desired Qualifications

Americans United seeks an attorney who ideally:

  • Has at least ten years of litigation experience (for Senior Litigation Counsel) or at least five years of litigation experience (for Litigation Counsel). (Judicial-clerkship experience counts toward those years.)
  • Has substantial experience serving as lead counsel in litigation (for Senior Litigation Counsel) or has demonstrated the ability to assume that role (for Litigation Counsel).
  • Has exceptional analytical and writing skills.
  • Is a persuasive oral advocate.
  • Is a self-starter who takes initiative and gets excited about identifying and developing new cases and opportunities to assume representation on appeal.
  • Is able to travel as their cases require.
  • Has the interpersonal skills to work well with our staff and co-counsel and to serve as a trusted adviser to clients and partner organizations.
  • Is committed to advancing the public interest and the separation of religion and government.

Americans United welcomes applicants of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions and beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and abilities. Because we work on a wide variety of issues and with many different communities, we value what diversity and diverse perspectives bring to our work.

Competitive Salary and Generous Benefits

The salary range is $92,500 to $168,000 annually, depending on experience and location. Americans United’s compensation system is described in detail below. We provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) with match, and commuter subsidy.

This is a full-time, exempt position. This position is within a union; it is included in the bargaining unit represented by AU Collective in connection with SEIU Local 500.

Work Location

The Senior Litigation Counsel or Litigation Counsel can work remotely from anywhere in the United States or locally in our Washington, D.C. office. Occasional in-person attendance at events and meetings in Washington, D.C. will be required, most likely twice per year.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

Americans United has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, we have implemented a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy. This policy states that all Americans United employees, fellows, and interns are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and to have received a recent booster shot. If a candidate selected for hire desires a medical or religious exemption, the candidate should make a request to our human-resources personnel, and the request will be considered in accordance with applicable law.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter, a resume, a law-school transcript, and a writing sample through our web-based application portal at https://americansunited.bamboohr.com/careers/48. The cover letter should highlight why you want to work with us and what perspectives you would bring to strengthen our practice. The writing sample may be of any length; it should be your best example of comprehensive and detailed legal argument or analysis, should be your own work, and should not be substantially edited by anyone else. Please include your transcript and writing sample in the same PDF file as your resume. Please also be prepared to provide a list of three references upon request at a later stage of our hiring process. If you have any questions about the position, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Deadline

Open until filled. We encourage you to apply by March 31, 2024.

Apply Today

AU Compensation Framework FAQ

What are the main elements of AU’s compensation program?

In AU’s compensation framework, all positions in the organization have been mapped to roles that correspond to a defined pay range for that role. The roles reflect positions that are similar in terms of skill level and scope of responsibility, based on an analysis of job competencies. Grouping positions into roles promotes consistency and transparency around position requirements and clarifies the differences in expectations from one role to another. This makes it easier to determine the appropriate compensation level, to understand the work that is expected for each role, and to identify career paths for employees from one level to another.

Why did AU adopt this particular compensation framework?

AU’s compensation program, developed in partnership with Working IDEAL, is designed to ensure that our program is competitive, aligns with our organizational values, and eliminates bias in setting salaries at hire and providing annual raises. Many choose to work at mission-driven organizations because of their commitment to social change, and we know that fair, transparent, and equitable compensation practices are key to attracting and retaining their talent.

AU’s compensation program seeks to provide clear, measurable, and reasonably objective criteria for setting pay within a role and pay band for employees and job applicants. It also seeks to provide competitive compensation linked to an individual’s role in the organization and level of experience and expertise. In addition, the compensation program aims to define salary growth opportunities over time, enabling individuals to see how their salary will increase if they remain with the organization.

How do you decide which role to place an individual in?

An individual’s placement within a particular role (Manager, Director, etc.) is determined by their skill level and scope of responsibility In entry-level roles, an individual’s level of skills will be still developing and their scope of responsibility will be smaller than in more senior roles (e.g., focused on individual tasks and supporting rather than leading projects or programs).

How do you decide where to place someone within the range for their role?

Each role has defined experience benchmarks for placement that correspond to a point in the pay range, from zero to 100 percent. As an individual gains additional experience, they will move to a higher placement (step) in the pay band. An individual’s placement within the range or pay band for their role is based on their related experience, as calculated under criteria set by Americans United.

Why is related experience the main factor in setting pay?

For most jobs, experience is an important factor in determining someone’s level of compensation, and it is a standard practice to pay individuals who have more experience a higher salary than someone with less experience in the same role. Experience is also a measurable factor that is reasonably objective and provides consistency and transparency. In addition, incorporating experience allows us to provide more defined opportunities for salary growth for individuals who stay with the organization over time, as accumulating more experience leads to regular pay increases at set times.

Does where an individual lives affect their pay?

All individuals will have their salaries benchmarked according to national level salary bands. These data, however, are based in part on data for larger urban areas and therefore are higher than the “true” national average. Individuals residing in certain specific high-cost locations, such as the Washington, DC or New York metropolitan areas, will receive a 5% add-on to raise their pay above the national benchmark. If an individual who has been living in a high-cost area and receiving the add-on moves to a lower cost area, they will no longer receive the add-on. The 5% add-on supplements the “national” salary bands but is also based on budgetary constraints and not intended to fully reflect all differences in wage rates or cost of living in places like DC or New York.

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