Applied Public Policy Graduate Intern

University of Massachusetts Medical School • Quincy, MA

20h

About The Position

Under the direction of the Executive Director, Workplace Equity & Inclusion or Designee, the Applied Public Policy Scholarly Project Graduate Internship Program is a collaboration between ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School and Massachusetts’ Medicaid agency (MassHealth). The program offers a unique opportunity for currently enrolled master’s students or Doctoral students or candidates to participate in a scholarly project aligned with their academic calendar, program requirements, and the needs identified by MassHealth.
Under the direction of the assigned MassHealth manager, the Applied Public Policy Scholarly Project Graduate Intern (APP Graduate Intern) is responsible for project-based tasks to support a designated department under the on-going tutelage of a professional mentor. These tasks may be administrative or research oriented and require advanced analytical and communications skills. Primary communications will be in a team environment with a focus on collecting input for assigned projects. Specific job responsibilities will vary by department and include information gathering, analysis, writing, and editing.
This is a temporary, unbenefited position. Selected interns are compensated at a competitive rate and expected to work 15 to 18 hours each week of a traditional 14-week semester or up to 40 hours per week for 10 weeks over the summer.
APP Graduate Interns work in one of these MassHealth departments:
Integrated Fiscal Strategy (IFS): The IFS team develops and implements managed care rates and risk adjustment for MassHealth, overseeing approximately $14 billion of the $20 billion annual program budget. IFS works at the intersection of policy and finance, collaborating closely with program teams to translate key policy goals into managed care payment structures. The Summer 2026 APP Graduate Intern will complete two main projects:
Develop a case study explaining the MassHealth primary care sub-capitation model and its methodology for publication on the MassHealth website. This model includes many technical components, so the intern will need to analyze, synthesize, and present complex information in a clear and accessible way for diverse stakeholders.
Prepare a report on the service mix and care management needs of Dual-eligible MassHealth members, which will help inform future rate-setting methodology.
Chief of Staff: For Summer 2026, the MassHealth Chief of Staff’s Office is seeking a graduate intern to support a growing body of work focused on understanding how the healthcare sector contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in the Commonwealth. This includes assisting with the collection and analysis of emissions data reported by approximately 60 acute care hospitals, and helping refine methods for producing clear, actionable analyses that can guide internal planning and statewide climate initiatives.
This internship does not require a subject-matter expert in climate science. Instead, the ideal candidate will bring:
Interest in public health, epidemiology, environmental health, or climate‑related issues
Strong analytical skills and comfort working with datasets
Curiosity about how healthcare systems measure and report environmental impacts
Ability to summarize findings and communicate data in a clear and accessible way
The intern will work closely with the Chief of Staff and designated team members, gaining exposure to high‑level agency operations while contributing to an emerging priority area for both MassHealth and the broader healthcare system.
MassHealth Strategy Team:The MassHealth Strategy Team serves as an internal consulting group that supports the executive team in leading initiatives to improve member health outcomes, enhance member experience, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the Medicaid program — driving tangible impact for communities across the Commonwealth. Strategy projects typically involve conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess the current state, identify opportunities, solve problems, and develop strategic recommendations.
For Summer 2026, the Strategy Team is seeking an intern to contribute to one or two high-priority, fast-moving projects. Interns often have opportunities to present findings and recommendations directly to MassHealth executives. Because the team works on short-term engagements (typically 3-6 months), the specific project assignment will be determined closer to the start of the internship, with efforts made to align the work with the intern’s interests and strengths when possible.

Requirements

• Master’s degree candidate formally registered in final year of an academic program with 18 or more credits earned working towards the completion of a graduate degree, including but not limited to public health, public policy, health professions including nursing, medicine, and allied health, human services, economics or finance, health management or administration, law, statistics, informatics, or social and behavioral health.
• Advanced analytical and communication skills.
• Attention to detail with the ability to collect and record information from a wide variety of sources
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and standard office tools.
• Reliability and ability to set consistent work hours.

Nice To Haves

• Doctorate candidate formally registered in a program pursuing their terminal degree in certain fields, including but not limited to public health, public policy, health professions including nursing, medicine, and allied health, human services, economics or finance, health management or administration, law, statistics, informatics, or social and behavioral health.
• Experience working at the intersection of health care and social services.
• Familiarity with Massachusetts health care and/or social services sectors.
• Background in policy design, data analysis, or project implementation.

Responsibilities

• Perform complex and varied executive and administrative tasks that require a high degree of independent action and the setting of priorities and procedures.
• Conduct advanced research to assist other team members.
• Create reports and perform in-depth data analysis.
• Implement and manage tasks in accordance with departmental objectives.
• Create and deliver basic presentations highlighting policy choices, challenges, and decision options discovered during the course of the work performed.
• Perform assigned project tasks within specified timeframes.
• Meet and Report weekly to an assigned professional Mentor.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern