Spring 2026, Research & Project Coordination Internship, Center for Universal Education, Global Economy and Development (Job ID: 2026-3740)

Overview

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 12 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 sophomore, junior or senior year and graduate students pursuing a masters degree with an interest in gaining exposure to a broad set of education research and policy topics while developing their project management, communication, and analytical thinking skills to 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 $18.00, and applicants must be willing to commit to a minimum number of hours per week (no less than 20 hours per week, during regular business hours), with some flexibility around an academic course schedule. 

To learn more about Brookings research programs, click here. 

Position Location: This position is open to hybrid and/or remote applicants. Hybrid work combines regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC, office with the option of remote work. Remote work applicants may not work from the following states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. Please only apply if you can live and work in states other than those listed above for the duration of the internship. 

Responsibilities

The Global Economy and Development (“Global”) program at Brookings aims to shape the policy debate to improve global economic cooperation and fight global poverty and sources of social stress. The intern will join Global’s Center for Universal Education, a leading policy center focused on universal quality education and skills development around the world. The intern will support the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education initiative, which focuses on identifying the benefits and risks associated with AI in education.

Applicants should expect a range of responsibilities, broadly defined under the following categories:

Administration: The intern will support with preparation and materials for meetings, events, presentations, and publications, and will organize and input data into databases. The intern should be prepared to help with general office support, assist with special projects, and perform other duties as assigned.

Communications and Social Media: Assist in creating social media and communications content. Intern should know how to utilize Canva and other tools to design engaging social media posts. Interns should understand LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and X as communication platforms.

General Research and Writing: The intern will conduct background research on topics such as education technology and family and community engagement in education, and will draft summaries of research findings that may be used in blog posts or reports. The intern will support with dissemination and presentation preparation for a recently released report and associated briefs, blogs, and other materials.

Qualifications

Education/Knowledge/Skills:

Open to undergraduate students in their sophomore, junior or senior year, or graduate students pursuing a masters degree in a relevant field (i.e. education, public policy, international development, or a related social science). Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in public policy and education, have some working knowledge of statistics, and proficiency in Excel and other MSOffice. Strong written and verbal communication skills required.

Additional Information: 

This internship requires you to be located in the U.S. for the duration of the internship. 

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for interning at Brookings. 

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please submit your resume as instructed and include your cover letter as a separate attachment when you apply. You are required to submit/attach a separate cover letter for each internship application. Your cover letter should highlight your educational experience and skills, along with an explanation of how this internship will contribute to your professional goals. Please address your cover letter to Hiring Manager.  

If selected as a finalist for the internship, you will be required to submit two letters of recommendation or provide two professional references.   

Please note: Applications will be accepted until November 1, 2025. Applications not completed and submitted by the application deadline date will not be considered. Your application is considered complete when you receive an email confirming that your application was successfully submitted. 

As you are applying, please be sure to click here to learn more about the Brookings Internship Program, deadlines, and directions on how to successfully submit your internship application(s).  

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms, including diversity of experience, thought, and personal background.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. All selection decisions are based upon merit, skills, abilities and experience.