Fall Intern: Data Analysis and Education Policy

Overview

The education policy team’s data intern will support the team’s cutting-edge research at the intersection of data, education policy, and technology. The data intern will research a variety of topics, including by:

• analyzing and drawing meaningful interpretations from state and national education data sets;
• using statistical modeling to estimate causal effects;
• using web scraping to construct novel education data sets;
• applying text analysis, machine learning, and other techniques to analyze unstructured data; and
• creating visualizations and written reports to communicate results.

Candidates are expected to:

• be highly interested in learning more about education policy;
• have keen attention to detail and be highly effective at communication;
• be highly proficient in Python and/or R.
• have a strong understanding of statistics;
• have a foundational understanding of machine learning;
• be comfortable working independently when given a project; and
• be able and eager to learn new skills on the job. 

Applicants who go above and beyond will:

• have taken coursework to understand, or have work experience in, education policy; and
• demonstrate fluency in both Python and R, and potentially other programming languages;
• have a strong understanding of regression and causal analysis; and
• have experience applying machine learning and/or natural language processing to unstructured, messy data sets.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a passion for understanding K–12 American education through multiple types of data, have a general STEM background with a foundational understanding of data science, and be driven by open-minded, intellectual curiosity.

The start dates for the fall program are September 9 and September 16. While the AEI Internship Program and all related programming will take place in-person in Washington, DC this fall, virtual interns may be accepted on a case by case basis. Please include your preferred start date and note your in-person/virtual preference in your cover letter.  Please note that a cover letter and writing sample are both required, in order for your application to be considered complete.

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 3.4 GPA or higher from a top-ranking college or university. The AEI internship program runs 12 weeks. Please see the internship program home page for updates about the program.