We will not be hosting an internship program for summer 2024. We look forward to welcoming interns in the summer of 2025. Information about summer 2025 internship opportunities will be posted in December 2024.
Our paid summer internship program is a learning and networking opportunity for undergraduate students. A goal of the program is to help interns develop as professionals and teach them how to enter and navigate the workplace. Our interns are “learners” who get to do real work by working collaboratively with our colleagues on a variety of projects.
Summer interns will belong to a cohort and attend programs which will allow them to meet staff from across the Center, as well as expose them to a variety of careers such as: public opinion research, polling, methodology, computational social science/data science, economics, sociology, political science, communications, non-profit management, and data journalism. Candidates with interest in the Center’s mission and values, as well as a desire to learn more about careers in these fields are encouraged to apply, regardless of traditional experience in this type of work.
Interns can expect substantial and challenging work. For example, an intern may learn or master statistical software, be a part of the research lifecycle, work on a report, or publish a blog post.
Our interns make valuable contributions to our work, and as such, undergraduate interns are paid $17/hour. Interns are not eligible for benefits, including paid time off, but a relocation stipend is available to those who need them. Interns are responsible for finding their own housing.
Our work
Whether a social scientist writing survey questionnaires, a designer visualizing complex findings or a survey methodologist ensuring our methods are the gold standard, everyone at the Center has a hand in our work.
Our empirical research on a wide range of topics helps policymakers, civic leaders, educators and the public at large understand and address some of the world’s most challenging problems. Our public opinion surveys allow the voice of the people to be heard, and our demographic, economic and political analyses show how the world is changing.
Life at Pew Research Center
We are led by political scientist Michael Dimock and have a staff of more than 170 people. Our experts combine the observational and storytelling skills of journalists with the analytical rigor of social scientists. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds, including social science researchers, data scientists, survey methodologists, journalists, graphic artists, web developers, communications professionals, and administrative support and operations staff.
Pew Research Center is a great place to work, learn and grow. Our culture is open, collegial, collaborative, supportive and down-to-earth. Our staff is made up of smart, talented, mission-driven people who care deeply about the work they do.
As a preeminent research organization with national and global reach, the Center provides a wide range of opportunities for personal and professional growth. Continuous growth and development are critical to maintaining the excellence of our staff and supporting the mission of the Center, now and in the future. We place a high priority on creating an environment where people can thrive and contribute their best work.
To hear from former interns about their experience, watch the video below.
Additional internship information
Summer internships are typically posted in January with interviews occurring during February and hiring decisions made in March. Summer internships run for approximately 12 weeks, from June through August. We occasionally offer internships during the Fall and Spring semesters, and they are posted on an as-needed basis. All interviews are conducted via video conference. Our summer internship program is designed for undergraduate students. We may post graduate internships on an as-needed basis throughout the year.
Interns are expected to work at least 30 hours a week during regular office hours (9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) unless otherwise arranged with their managers. Our intern experience is hybrid, with the expectation that interns work at least 2-3 days per week in-person, out of our Washington, DC office.
For more information, check out our Handshake.com employer profile.
Please refer to our career page for application procedures.