Policy Data & AI Intern

National Journal•Washington, DC

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

We are hiring a Policy Data & AI Intern to build custom AI applications, design lightweight workflows, and synthesize policy research and data into clear, decision-ready deliverables. 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 working at the intersection of policy, data, and AI, contributing to research that informs senior decision-makers. You will leverage and build AI tools to support and enhance policy analysis, strengthening our ability to translate complex information into clear, actionable insights.

Requirements

Current graduate or undergraduate student with an interest in politics or public policy (economics, statistics, data science, or a related quantitative field is a plus).
Experience working with datasets and AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) to support research, data analysis, and policy insight generation.
Strong analytical and communication skills, able to synthesize complex quantitative and qualitative research into clear, accurate, and concise insights.
Proficient with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; highly skilled in creating graphical and visual representations of data for executive audiences.
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 team player with an â€œAI-firstâ€ approach to problem-solving.
Are excited by policy research and analysis, and driven to apply data and AI tools to strengthen insight generation.
Are a policy wonk conversant across multiple issue areas who is also excited by technical experimentation.
â€œNerd outâ€ on data outputs and enjoy identifying patterns, trends, and anomalies.
Enjoy building lightweight workflows or prototypes to scale our research capabilities.
Move comfortably between research, analysis, synthesis, and systems thinking.

Responsibilities

Builds custom AI applications and workflows to support research, summarize reporting, and surface key insights.
Bridges editorial and analytical workflows, refining AI-assisted outputs into newsletter-ready insights.
Applies AI-driven approaches to synthesize datasets and reporting, contextualizing findings within broader policy and political trends.
Leverages AI and automation to create high-quality presentations and executive-ready visual summaries from diverse news and information sources.
Develops and deploys daily newsletters that spotlight the teamâ€™s content using AI tools.
Evaluates AI outputs for accuracy, handles administrative duties, and supports broader team research as needed.