The Niskanen Center is searching for qualified interns to support our policy, outreach, and operations staff this summer. Internship opportunities are available in these policy departments: climate, immigration, poverty, and our social and economic policy department. Opportunities are also available in the traditional media / social media department, the federal affairs department, and the operations department. These are paid internships, based in our Washington, D.C. office, and will run from June to August, with flexible start and end dates.

Policy interns will be responsible for assisting in the generation of opinion content on a regular basis, in both blog post and op-ed form. They will assist Niskanen Center scholars in researching and writing policy papers. Candidates must be well-versed in their issue area, and prepared to participate in meetings with congressional staffers and coalition partners. Strong research and writing skills are a plus.

Media interns will help identify opportunities to promote Niskanen’s work to the appropriate journalists, and track the Niskanen Center in the news. Candidates should have a strong understanding of social media best practices, and will assist in developing and implementing social media strategy. Strong research and writing skills are required, and a degree in English, Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, and/or Marketing is a plus.

Federal affairs interns will assist in promoting Niskanen Center’s work in the halls of Congress. Interns will conduct research on members of Congress and upcoming legislation, in addition to attending and monitoring congressional hearings. Previous experience on Capitol Hill is required.

Operations interns will assist Niskanen’s Director of Operations on a variety of daily and weekly projects to ensure the organization is running smoothly. Candidates that are studying or have graduated with a business-related degree are preferred.

To Apply:

Please send the following (and any questions) in one PDF and one email to intern@niskanencenter.org:

  • Resume
  • Which department(s) you are applying for
  • Two short writing samples (less than 1,000 words each)
  • 300-word explanation of why you are applying to the Niskanen Center and the department(s) you chose

Due to high volume of applications, we are unable to notify unsuccessful applicants. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The deadline for the first wave of applications is March 15th. 

About the Niskanen Center:

Established in 2014, the Niskanen Center works to change public policy through direct engagement with the policymaking process. The Center looks to develop and promote pragmatic proposals for policymakers, build coalitions to facilitate action, and marshal the most convincing arguments in support of our agenda.

Where Are They Now? Former Niskanen Center interns now work for Booz Allen Hamilton, McKinsey, Foreign Policy, the Daily Caller, the Cato Institute, the Department of Defense, the Niskanen Center, and others. Other former interns are pursuing graduate degrees in public policy, public administration, and economics.