AI & Automation Research Intern

National Journal•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are hiring an AI & Automation Research Intern to build and apply AI tools, agents and automation to scale how our research is produced and delivered. Join our team of experts producing insight and intelligence on how Washington works. National Journal is a premier research and insights company helping organizations navigate Washingtonâ€™s political landscape. Best known as a trusted media brand for more than 50 years, our expertise spans government affairs, communications, political research, and exceptional journalism. Our mission is to equip government and business leaders with the intelligence, insights, and connections they need to save time, increase efficiency, and deliver success. What is the National Journalâ€™s Presentation Center? We analyze, synthesize, and visualize policy and political information exclusively for senior public policy practitioners and government affairs executives. Serving a diverse membership of policymakers and leaders from the worldâ€™s top companies, nonprofits, and associations, we publish hundreds of easy-to-edit slides and charts each week. Leveraging this expertise, we also create custom content, delivering 40â€“60 bespoke deliverables tailored to our members' specific needs. Why this role? You will gain hands-on experience building and applying AI tools in a real-world policy and research environment, contributing to systems that directly support how insights are produced and delivered. You will work at the intersection of AI, data, and political research, with the opportunity to test, iterate, and see your work used in live outputs.

Requirements

Current graduate or undergraduate student, preferably in computer science, data science, engineering, or related field.
Proficient with AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini); experience or strong interest in building custom workflows (e.g., NLP, Python, APIs).
Strong analytical and communication skills, able to translate complex findings into clear, concise, audience-ready outputs.
Proficient with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience with structured and unstructured data; experience creating graphical and visual representations of data.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive about testing and implementing new tools.
Entrepreneurial, creative, and resourceful problem-solver, with a prodigious work ethic and spirit of generosity for independent and collaborative work.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Are an exceptionally organized and analytical team player with an â€œAI-firstâ€ approach to problem-solving.
Are excited by both research and systems thinking, and are driven by how AI can improve how work gets done.
Enjoy experimenting with technical tools and building lightweight workflows or prototypes.
â€œNerd outâ€ on data outputs and are interested in how automation, agents, and models can scale insight generation.
Know when to shift between building, testing, and refining, and when to translate outputs into clear, usable insights.
Are comfortable working independently while also collaborating with a team in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

Builds and iterates on AI agents and automated workflows to support research, summarization, and content production.
Leverages structured and unstructured data to improve speed, consistency, and quality of outputs.
Develops and refines NLP-driven workflows to extract key phrases, identify key figures, and surface themes in large datasets.
Supports the development of internal tools and templates to streamline team workflows.
Designs, builds, and tests automations for repetitive tasks across slide creation and data collection, connecting sources and streamlining workflows.
Evaluates AI outputs for accuracy, creates deliverable content, and supports broader research as needed.