Fall 2026, Applied Research Internship, Brookings Metro (Job ID: 2026-3865)

The Brookings Institution • Washington, DC

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

Thinking about a career in public policy? Committed to improving the world we live in? Think Brookings - one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks! Interns spend approximately 1-2 weeks working alongside leading experts in government and academia from all over the world. Brookings also offers students the opportunity to intern in departments such as communications, human resources and central operations management. The mission of the Internship Program is to provide students with a pre-professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work experience related to their field of study or career interest. Students engage in career exploration and development as well as learn new skills. Interns will have the opportunity to attend meetings, think tank events, professional development workshops, and public Brookings events. In addition, interns will have the opportunity to network with other interns throughout the Institution. This internship is an opportunity for undergraduate students in their junior or senior year and graduate students pursuing a masters degree with an interest in research and policy work being done by the Applied Research team. Interns will apply principles and theory learned in the classroom in a professional environment. PhD students are not eligible for internships; please visit our Careers page for current open positions. This internship pays an hourly rate of $18.40, and applicants must be willing to commit to a minimum number of hours per week (no less than 30 hours per week, during regular business hours), with some flexibility around an academic course schedule. To learn more about Brookings research programs, click here.

Requirements

• Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year or masters degree students with an interest in engaging workers, employers, and policymakers to ensure the rapidly expanding digital economy delivers greater opportunity for women, people of color, and Heartland regions.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Experience with data management and visualization, preferably with Excel, R, and ArcGIS.
• Some demonstrated interest in urban policy and built environment issues.
• Must be located in the U.S. for the duration of the internship.
• Must be able to live and work in states other than Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
• Commitment to a minimum of 30 hours per week, during regular business hours, with some flexibility around an academic course schedule.
• Successful completion of a background investigation.
• Submission of a cover letter and resume.
• Submission of two letters of recommendation or two professional references if selected as a finalist.

Responsibilities

• Assist with research and writing tasks.
• Gather information from literature, data sets, and local and state practitioners.
• Incorporate gathered information into blog posts, reports, or briefs.
• Apply skills relevant to economic analysis, labor market studies, demography and race studies, geography, and regional development.
• Advance projects aimed at exploring digital participation gaps and identifying promising solutions.

Benefits

• Hourly rate of $18.40
• Opportunity to attend meetings, think tank events, professional development workshops, and public Brookings events.
• Opportunity to network with other interns.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern