Spring Intern: Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility

Overview

The American Enterprise Institute’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility (COSM) seeks a driven, research-oriented intern for summer 2026. The intern will work closely with COSM research staff to research, identify, and promote policies that improve opportunity and mobility for low-income Americans. COSM scholars study the determinants of economic mobility and human flourishing in America through empirically driven and policy-informing research.

The COSM intern will interact with a variety of research and policy areas, including federal safety-net programs such as cash welfare, food assistance, and unemployment insurance; child welfare and the foster care system; and housing assistance. The intern will be expected to retrieve and analyze datasets, summarize research and curate content for a biweekly newsletter, and perform other research and writing tasks. Candidates who are able to participate in the program on an in-person basis for 20-40 hours a week are encouraged to apply.

Successful applicants should have:

• Interest in or experience studying anti-poverty policy;
• Excellent writing and communication skills;
• A strong grasp of US social assistance programs and current events.

About AEI Internships

AEI internships offer a unique opportunity for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates to gain experience in research, writing, business, and communications at one of the nation’s leading think tanks. Competitive candidates will generally have a GPA of 3.5 or higher from a top-ranking college or university. AEI’s internship program runs for 12 weeks, and all related programming will take place in-person in Washington, DC. Please see the internship program home page for updates about the program.

The spring program dates are either Tuesday, January 12, to Friday, April 2, or Tuesday, January 19, to Friday, April 9.