Internship Programs

Hudson Institute is one of the oldest and most respected think tanks in the world. Founded in 1961 by Herman Kahn and headquartered in Washington D.C. the Institute offers internships in our office in Washington, D.C. to undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduate students. Hudson has garnered local, national, and international acclaim with its hands-on research and offers a unique opportunity for its interns to work with Hudson researchers in policy areas such as Campaign Reform, Economic and Employment Policy, Middle East Studies, Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, National Security Studies, and Science in Public Policy.

Hudson interns are required to devote a minimum of 15 hours per week in an unpaid capacity, although particularly distinguished interns have gone on to become paid researchers and administrative staff members. Fall, winter, spring, and summer internships are available.

Please read the following for a description of one past intern’s experience: Download PDF

Please look below for some of Hudson's open positions. Some programs hire interns on an as-needed basis, so please take a look at Hudson's interest areas to see if we do work in a field that interests you. Unless specified below, to apply for a Hudson Institute Internship, please email a cover letter, résumé, and your area of interest to: interncoordinator@hudson.org

Current Open Positions

Marketing Communications Intern – Washington, D.C.

Description: This is an unpaid but valuable internship for majors in communications, journalism, marketing, and public relations. Responsibilities may include:

Assisting with media relations efforts, including various writing assignments and roll-out efforts.
Helping plan and coordinate briefings, luncheons, conferences and related programs.
Monitoring news coverage and maintaining news clip files and media database.
Updating and maintaining membership database.

Qualifications: Excellent verbal, writing and organizational skills are essential. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel also are essential. Interns must be able to work well independently. Contact Ioannis Saratsis at interncoordinator@hudson.org . Applications for the Spring 2011 period are now being accepted.

Media Intern—Washington DC

Description: Hudson Institute’s Communications Department has an open, full or part-time position for a media intern to work alongside the department’s staff and communications interns. Responsibilities include:

Assisting with the growth and maintenance of Hudson’s social media presence
Assisting with event videotaping
Editing electronic event materials into shorter clips for distribution via YouTube and other online outlets
Blog monitoring
Social media research
General communication intern duties (see notice above for communications interns)

Skills Required

Solid familiarity with social media
Analytical skills
Familiarity with Microsoft Office
Research and detail-oriented
Works well with others
Knowledgeable or willing to learn about new technology and web analytics
Innovative thinker
Excellent communication skills

Time Commitment: 15 hrs a week

To apply please send a covere letter and resume toIoannis Saratsis at interncoordinator@hudson.org . Applications for the Spring 2011 period are now being accepted.

Center for Employment Policy Intern

Description: The Hudson Center for Employment Policy has openings for an intern to work on a variety of economic policy issues, including books, weekly newspaper columns, and long-term research projects. Applications are considered for the fall and spring semesters, as well as the summer.

Qualifications: Candidates should be motivated and capable of working independently. Qualifications include excellent writing skills, basic knowledge of economics (especially employment and entrepreneurship issues), experience with Microsoft Word and Excel, and experience with computer research tools and statistical software.
Please contact Diana Furchtgott-Roth via email at DFR@Hudson.org.

Center for Political-Military Analysis Intern

Description: The Center seeks interns year-round to help research and analyze a variety of foreign, defense, intelligence, and homeland security/counterterrorism policy issues. Interns can work full-time or part-time.

The Center offers two types of internships. Many non-resident ("telecommuting") opportunities are available in which participants receive assignments, conduct research and analysis, and submit contributions via the Internet. Interns work as if they were independent consultants or contractors. Residential positions are also occasionally available for native Russian-speakers hoping to improve their English language skills. Both types of interns work directly with the Center director, Dr. Richard Weitz.

Qualifications: Desirable qualifications include good research and writing skills as well as an interest inpoliticaland military issues throughout the world. The ability to translate from English into Russian is especially needed for one project. Another involves analyzing Chinese foreign and defense policy.

If interested, please send resume and cover letter to Richard Weitz at weitz@hudson.org

Development Intern – Washington, DC

Hudson Institute’s Development Office is recruiting exceptional students who are working toward a business degree (or a related field) for a development internship. Students with a desire to work in the field of nonprofit think tank fundraising will excel in this position.

Intern will assist with development projects, while obtaining practical skills and experiencing first hand the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization. Interns are expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week. This is an unpaid internship. College credit can be arranged. Applications for the Spring 2011 period have closed.

Qualifications:
Applicants must have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Applicants should be organized and excel both individually and in group settings. Familiarity with Microsoft Office is essential and knowledge of basic website code is preferred. All applicants should be students who are currently enrolled in a college or university.

Responsibilities:

Conduct prospect research for foundation, corporate, and individual funding sources
Assist in donor cultivation and stewardship programs
Assist staff with development of donor events and briefings
Basic administrative duties

Please send a resume, cover letter and short writing sample to Gerardo Pantoja at gpantoja@hudson.org to apply.

Center for Global Prosperity Interns – Washington, D.C.

Hudson Institute's Center for Global Prosperity’s internship program offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the annual Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances through research, writing and data analysis. Interns will have the chance to work with CGP’s editor and write articles for CGP’s annual Index. Interns will also conduct research and data analysis on different international development issues, meet with experts in the field of international development and play an integral role in the Index’s production. CGP interns have gone on to work for the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, the Academy for Educational Development, the Koch Foundation, Booz Allen Hamilton, the United States Institute of Peace, the U.S. Department of State, the Catholic Diocese and the Whitaker Group.

Responsibilities include:

Identifying successful development projects, conducting interviews with key program staff and publishing results in the 2010 edition of the Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances,
Researching international philanthropy, remittances and international development,
Assisting staff with research projects and presentations, and
Assisting with administrative tasks, event planning and execution.

Qualifications:
CGP interns are self-starters with a strong interest in what creates economic growth in the developing world. Candidates should be able to work autonomously as well as be part of a team, manage their time wisely and meet deadlines. Candidates must be reliable, professional, and possess excellent writing, communication and interpersonal skills. Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

Compensation: Unpaid

Fall Semester: September -- December
Spring Semester: January -- May
Summer Semester: May -- August

Application instructions: If you would like to apply for the Spring 2011 Semester please send a cover letter and resume to KMarano@hudson.org. Applications are closed for the Spring 2011 period.

Center for Housing and Financial Markets Intern - Washington D.C.

Description: The Hudson Institute Center for Housing and Financial Markets seeks a public policy student for an unpaid summer internship to work on projects in housing and housing finance. The Center expects to be engaged in analyzing proposals for reform of the housing finance system, an issue now beginning to receive attention in Congress. The Center also will be continuing work on an analysis of the long-run dynamics of the housing market, particularly during the present severe economic downturn.

It is also the case that new issues arise, sometimes quickly, and the currently planned summer agenda may be modified, as summer approaches.

Qualifications: Desirable qualifications include good research skills, including quantitative techniques and the ability to track down and interpret the literature on a particular topic; and advanced courses in urban economics, housing, or housing finance. Although unpaid, interns enjoy flexible schedules and opportunities to meet many leading experts in the field.

Interested candidates should send their resumes, references, course listing and a writing sample by e-mail to interncoordinator@hudson.org. No phone calls, please.

Project Speficic Internship Positions

Obesity Solutions Initiative

The Hudson Institute Obesity Solutions Initiative (OSI) internship program offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of innovative policy, business and public health solutions to the nation’s overweight and obesity crisis through research, writing and data analysis. Interns will have the chance to work with OSI’s director on policy proposals designed to address obesity via free-market forces, and on the construction of the first Business Case demonstrating the financial upsides to corporations as a result of marketing healthier products. Interns will have the opportunity to meet with experts in the field of food, nutrition and obesity and will play an integral role in preparing for the public unveiling of the OSI’s findings.

Responsibilities include:

Identifying “success stories” of food companies demonstrating augmented financial performance concurrent with improving the health of their products and/or marketing practices,
Researching food industry products and marketing practices and identifying links to obesity,
Assisting staff with research projects and presentations,
Data compilation and analysis of patterns and trends, and
Assisting with administrative tasks, event planning and execution.

Qualifications:
OSI interns are self-starters with a strong interest in contributing to the solution of one of the biggest public health issues in the world. Candidates should be able to work autonomously as well as be part of a team, manage their time wisely and meet deadlines. Candidates must be reliable, professional, and possess excellent writing, communications and interpersonal skills. Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Power Point and Excel.

Compensation: Unpaid

2011 Timing:

Spring Semester: January -- May
Summer Semester: May – August
Fall Semester: September -- December

Application instructions: If you would like to apply for the Spring 2011 Semester please send a cover letter and resume to interncoordinator@hudson.org. Applications will be accepted through December 31, 2010.

Future of Health Care

Description: Hudson Institute seeks individuals interested in unpaid internships for a project on the implications of growth in health care costs. The intern will gather information about a variety of areas that will have an impact on the rate of growth in health care costs. Some information requirements will be precise and directed while others will require independence and imagination. Demonstrated ability to think broadly and independently is more important than knowledge of or experience with the health care sector. The time period for the internship is open. We are open to inquiries from individuals who would telecommute for part or all of their internships.

Application instructions: Please send cover letter, resume, and, if you wish, transcript to interncoordinator@hudson.org. In your letter, please indicate (1) if you have taken any courses in economics and what those courses covered; (2) your experience, if any, with statistical software.

Understanding Federal Fiscal Influence

Description: Hudson Institute seeks individuals interested in unpaid internships for a project on the federal budget. This project will reconceptualize the federal budget to include all resources that are allocated by the federal government. These resources include both dollars allocated from the Treasury and dollars allocated by operation of the tax code (tax expenditures.) The project will provide an opportunity to become familiar with budget concepts and the tax code. Part of the internship will involve entering data into Excel spreadsheets. We are open to inquiries from individuals who would telecommute for part or all of their internships.

Application instructions: Please send a cover letter, resume, and list of courses (or a copy of your transcript) to interncoordinator@hudson.org. Please indicate what experience, if any, you have had with Microsoft Excel.

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