American Progress internships provide a unique opportunity to contribute to various policy areas, research projects, and progressive initiatives that shape the national conversation.

Internships are available in the following areas:

Climate and Energy

The Climate and Energy team works to increase U.S. climate ambition domestically and abroad and strengthen the nation’s relationships with foreign allies through participation in multilateral institutions and fora. The Climate and Energy Intern will conduct research, support the team’s policy experts, participate in coalitions, and author memos. The intern will also learn about how public policy is created and implemented. This position calls for a highly organized individual who is excited to expand their knowledge on clean energy and climate policy and the role of climate in international diplomacy. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: conducting research into a range of topics utilizing reputable sources and synthesizing information through written products, such as memos, press releases, and columns; learning and communicating with teammates about aspects of international climate policy, including international climate finance, trade, adaptation and resilience, loss and damage, and security; conducting research on state and local climate policies, programs, and initiatives; and contributing to memos, blog posts, columns, and reports covering a range of domestic climate policies, including but not limited to reducing greenhouse gas and toxic emissions from the industrial sector. The successful candidate will be at least one year into their pursuance of an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree; have a commitment to progressive values, including environmental and social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion; possess strong written communication and research skills; and demonstrate enthusiasm or experience breaking down complicated concepts in ways that interest a broad, nonexpert audience.

Digital Engagement

The Digital Engagement Intern will support the Advocacy department’s work transforming progressive ideas into policy through rapid-response communications, legislative action, grassroots organizing, political advocacy, and partnerships with other progressive leaders. To promote American Progress’ work, the Digital Advocacy team, part of the Advocacy department, distills complex ideas into digestible messages. The team uses traditional and digital media strategies to make sure that American Progress’ messages will reach leaders in Washington, advocates across the country, and everyday Americans. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: assisting in rapid-response moments, including clipping, captioning, and distributing video to partners as needed; pitching and creating TikToks and memes tied to the latest trends; working with the Digital Engagement subteam to draft and develop copy for Instagram, Facebook, and X; and keep content tagging and group membership databases up to date. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree; have an interest in progressive policy, advocacy, and digital communications; have an interest in how progressives can use social media to engage constituents; and be an avid user of social media that is up to date on platform trends.

Digital Technology

The Digital Technology Intern will support program evaluation and data analysis efforts, including by cleaning datasets, creating visualizations, and developing reports that track key metrics. The intern will work with the Digital Technology team to help analyze the impact of American Progress’ communications efforts, maintain key databases, and translate complex data into accessible insights for internal stakeholders. By the end of the internship, the Digital Technology Intern will be able to: apply basic analytics and data visualization techniques to real-world communications data, including by building simple dashboards and summary views for American Progress’ outreach work; describe how the organization’s MarTech and data infrastructure (e.g., CRM, web analytics, and data pipelines) work together to support AI-powered, data-informed decision-making across the Communications department’s functions; and communicate data-driven insights in clear, plain language to nontechnical stakeholders, including by drafting short written summaries that translate metrics into recommended next steps. The successful candidate will be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, or be a recent graduate, with coursework in data science, statistics, public policy, communications, or a related field and will have basic familiarity with Excel or Google Sheets, experience with data visualization tools, and a strong attention to detail and commitment to data quality.

Economic Policy

The Economic Policy Intern will support work on policy topics across American Progress, including those related to labor policy, economic mobility, and economic growth in the context of building an economy that works for all. The position will largely focus on trade, tracking the implications of tariffs and global trade policy for American consumers. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: supporting research on key policy areas; reading and summarizing existing research, reviewing state and federal legislation and regulations, analyzing data sets, and monitoring policy developments; and supporting the writing and editing of accessible op-eds, columns, issue briefs, reports, rapid-response statements, and memos. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree; be interested in and have background knowledge of economic issues, including labor and employment issues; be able to conduct quantitative and qualitative research with senior staff oversight; be interested in quantitative analysis, Excel, Stata, R, or other platform knowledge; be creative and rigorous in pursuing answers to questions with quantitative and qualitative evidence; have strong writing and editing skills; and have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to balance multiple projects at once.

Education

The Education department is devoted to generating pragmatic and progressive new policy ideas to advance education reform in the United States. The department’s work spans early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development. The Education Intern will provide research assistance in the production of products (e.g., original research papers, memos, videos, etc.), analysis of current and proposed policy, and support of other efforts. The ideal candidate will have strong research and writing abilities as well as good analytical skills and the ability to work effectively with others. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: supporting and conducting research and analysis of education policy issues, researching legislative issues relevant to the Education department and team focus areas, factchecking, proofreading and editing documents, coordinating outreach efforts and supporting the department’s work with coalitions, and compiling and maintaining department resources and databases. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree and possess strong research, analytical, and writing skills; excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as part of a team and across organizations in a fast-paced environment; and the ability to work under pressure and within tight deadlines.

Government Affairs

American Progress is seeking an intern to work on the Government Affairs team, which works to advance the broader External Relations and Programs’ department’s mission to promote progressive policies and ideas among members of Congress; state, local, and regional organizations and elected officials; and advocacy organizations and think tanks. The intern’s responsibilities will support the work of multiple policy teams and could include focusing on the issues of economic policy, national security, energy and environment, health care, democracy and government, and/or race and equity. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: assisting with research, contributing to outreach plans and drafting correspondence with external stakeholders, collaborating with internal teams and partners to advance American Progress’ strategic priorities, and attending and summarizing events, briefings, and congressional hearings. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree and have interest in progressive policy, advocacy, and government affairs.

Health Policy

The Health Policy department advances health coverage, health care access and affordability, public health and equity, social determinants of health, and quality and efficiency in health care payment and delivery. The Health Policy Intern will support American Progress’ work to expand affordable health coverage, advance health care affordability, strengthen public health systems, and advance access to reproductive health care. Working closely with members of the Health Policy department, the intern will help translate complex policy developments into clear, accessible materials that inform policymakers, advocates, and the public, while gaining hands-on experience in federal and state health policy analysis. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: supporting policy research and analysis on health coverage, affordability, and access and public health; assisting with drafting, editing, and fact-checking policy materials such as issue briefs, fact sheets, memos, and rapid-response content related to health care and public health policy priorities; and tracking and summarizing legislative, regulatory, and administrative developments affecting health coverage, affordability, and public health systems. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree; possess excellent research, writing, and fact-checking skills; possess outstanding project management, communication, and interpersonal skills; have thorough knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook applications; and have experience utilizing data analysis tools (i.e., STATA, R, Excel).

Human Resources

The Human Resources Intern will have a strong work ethic and passion for change and value diversity, equity, and inclusion; innovation; integrity; and social responsibility. The selected candidate will support the HR team on a variety of projects, including by providing administrative and logistical support for the onboarding process, performance management, and benefits. This internship provides opportunities for students to gain real-world experience by working on a wide range of HR projects and programs in a professional office environment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: helping post open positions using the applicant tracking system, assisting with onboarding and new hire orientation, completing employment verifications and background checks, maintaining employee records, and assisting with the preparation of training materials. The successful candidate will currently be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree or be a recent graduate within six months from their graduation date; have a keen attention to detail; have outstanding communication and interpersonal skills; have the ability to diagnose problems and identify creative solutions; and be interested in human resources at a mission-driven organization.

Legal

The Legal Intern will support the Legal department in research, compliance, and day-to-day legal operations while gaining hands-on exposure to how law intersects with public policy, government relations, and advocacy. This role is ideal for 1L law students or advanced undergraduates with a strong interest in pursuing law school. Applicants will gain an understanding of how legal issues affect public policy advocacy and how an in-house legal department operates in the nonprofit sector.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: conducting research on nonprofit law, election law, civil rights, and advocacy regulations; assisting with drafting research summaries, memos, and compliance guides; reviewing advocacy and communications materials for legal considerations; assisting with prepublication review; supporting contracts and administrative projects; and assisting with government filings. The successful candidate will have strong research, writing, and critical thinking skills; have an interest in law, public policy, advocacy, and nonprofit management; and have strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

National Security and International Policy

The Larry Korb National Security and International Policy Internship offers an aspiring foreign policy professional a unique opportunity to contribute to critical research and policy development in national security. This intern will work alongside experts to address pressing global challenges, with a focus on defense, foreign policy, and strategic studies. This program honors the legacy of Larry Korb, a distinguished public servant and scholar and one of CAP’s founding foreign policy experts. Throughout his career, Dr. Korb has shaped public discourse and policy direction on key defense and national security issues, while offering generous mentorship to his junior colleagues. This internship continues Dr. Korb’s work by fostering the next generation of national security leaders, offering opportunities to engage with thought leaders and practitioners in the field. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: conducting research on topical national security issues; drafting, editing, and contributing research to memos, columns, event summaries, and reports; providing administrative support for events and large meetings; and attending and reporting on policy meetings, seminars, hearings, and lectures. The successful candidate will be pursuing an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree; have demonstrated interest in national security issues; and possess strong research and writing skills, willingness to dive into both substantive and operational issues, and a strong attention to detail.

Rights and Justice

American Progress is a leader in addressing issues of public safety, disability justice, immigration policy, LGBTQI+ policy, and racial equity and justice by driving research, messaging, and policy to defend and advance progressive policies that protect Americans’ rights. The Rights and Justice Intern will have the opportunity to complete substantive research, policy, and communications work across the department’s policy focus areas. Within this framework, the intern will develop skills and experience to contribute effectively to the national conversation. The intern will work closely with the following teams in the department: Public Safety, Disability Justice Initiative, Immigration Policy, LGBTQI+ Policy, and Racial Equity and Justice. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: contributing to memos, blog posts, columns, event summaries, and reports; fact-checking departmental research products; monitoring and summarizing relevant congressional activities such as hearings; assisting with identifying opportunities to affect agency actions by monitoring the Federal Register; compiling and manipulating data in Microsoft Excel; carrying out web-based research; and compiling news clips on issue areas. The successful candidate will be pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree or be a recent graduate within six months from their graduation date and possess excellent research, writing, and editing skills; an interest in public policy, advocacy, and communications; an ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines; and familiarity with different types of traditional and social media. Applicants should ensure their cover letters include availability, describe which aspects of the department’s work they find most interesting, and describe what aspects of policy they would most like to learn about.

Structural Reform and Governance

The Structural Reform and Governance department is dedicated to taking swift action to safeguard elections, make government more responsive, combat corruption, strengthen the rule of law, and ensure that technology is a powerful force for good that benefits all Americans with the necessary guardrails to minimize harm. The intern will support the department’s mission and work while learning many of the skills it takes to become a policy professional at a policy nonprofit. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: conducting research and analysis on emerging policy issues; drafting memos, fact sheets, issue briefs, and talking points; attending seminars, hearings, and lectures and reporting key takeaways to the department; and contributing to coalition and advocacy work. The successful candidate will be pursuing a master’s or doctorate degree or be three to four years into their pursuance of an undergraduate degree; have excellent research, writing, and editing skills; and be a self-starter who takes initiative.

This announcement will remain posted until the position is filled. No phone calls, please.

Please note that only those individuals whose qualifications match the current needs of this position will be considered applicants and will receive responses from American Progress.

This is not a remote position.

Thank you for your interest in American Progress.

American Progress operates two separate nonprofit organizations to maximize the progressive agenda: the Center for American Progress and the Center for American Progress Action Fund. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “American Progress.” The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) tax-exempt research and educational institute. It undertakes research, public education and a limited amount of lobbying. The Center for American Progress Action Fund is a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization dedicated to achieving progress through action. It works to transform progressive ideas into policy through rapid-response communications, legislative action, grassroots organizing, political advocacy, and partnerships with other progressive leaders. The organizations share office space and employees.

American Progress is dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity is more than a commitment at American Progress—it is the foundation of what we do. American Progress recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, and all the other characteristics that make us unique.

For more information on the Center for American Progress, please go to www.americanprogress.org. For more information on the Center for American Progress Action Fund, please go to www.americanprogressaction.org.