Getting on to the think tank job ladder can be difficult for young policy entrepreneurs. Universities do not prepare their graduates to work in policy research institutions and certainly do not endow them with the range of competencies and skills they would need to thrive in a think tank.
Internships are an excellent way to both learn about think tanks (and thinktanking) and to get a foot in the door.
The following list provides a brief summary (taken from the institutions themselves) and links to established internships of leading think tanks. These are formal internship programmes that offer support to the interns during their tenure. Some are, in fact, fellowships offering young thinktankers an opportunity to deepen their knowledge on a specific policy issue.
Other think tanks offer internships through informal arrangements and on ad-hoc basis. If you want to find a think tank near you or working on an issue of interest why not visit the Open Think Tank Directory?
If your organisation has a formal internship or fellowship programme for early career thinktankers please get in touch.
Brookings offers three types of internships – paid, academic for credit, and external sponsorship. Internships are offered during the Summer, Fall and Spring semesters. Internships are usually 10-12 weeks and located in Washington DC.
Specifically for unpaid Internships, Brookings has partnered with several colleges, universities and external sponsors to provide students’ academic credit or funding to ensure there is a purposeful learning program structured into the experience.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Each year, through the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers approximately 12-14 one-year fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year.
They are selected from a pool of nominees nominated by several hundred participating universities and colleges. James C. Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to Carnegie’s senior scholars.
The RSA’s paid interns have the chance to explore its distinctive interdisciplinary approach to social change in one of its research teams and the wider organisation.
The role is a varied one, encompassing policy creation, pioneering social projects combined with engaging our Fellowship and global audiences on the latest and most challenging ideas.
Internships generally last six months, and are usually advertised in the spring and autumn each year. The start and anticipated duration of internships will be advertised with each opportunity, along with details of how to apply. The majority of the RSA’s interns will be based at its head office on John Adam Street, London, although this might differ on a project-by-project basis.
WRI’s Internship Program offers learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, or other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of work. WRI offers a variety of paid and unpaid internship opportunities throughout the year in offices around the world.
WRI’s internships provide a learning experience for interns who are able to contribute to projects; many have received recognition in WRI’s published work. And while interns are at WRI, they will have also have opportunities to learn more about its work culture and to network.
If your organisation has a formal internship or fellowship programme for early career thinktankers please get in touch.