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American Compassā€™s mission is to restore an economic consensus that emphasizes the importance of family, community, and industry to the nationā€™s liberty and prosperity. Our research, commentary, and events foster debate about the future of American conservatism and development of a policy agenda that applies conservative principles to modern challenges.

Applications for Summer 2025 are now closed.

Summer Internship Program Overview

This summer, we will host a small program in our Washington, D.C. office, offering the opportunity for interns to work closely with our team across research and policy, coalition building, and communications. Interns will be full participants in all facets of our work, gain skills and experience, and build lasting relationships. Additional programming will provide opportunities to learn more about substantive policy issues and career paths in the field, and to socialize with coworkers and interns at other institutions. 

Positions are intended to be full-time and run for 10 weeks, from mid-June to mid-August, with a salary of $750 per week. Some flexibility exists to accommodate the scheduling constraints of individual interns.

How to Apply

We are seeking intellectually curious, enthusiastic, self-motivated candidates who are committed to advancing the Compass mission. Applicants must have prior work experience or be a rising college senior or recent graduate, and be available to work in-person in Washington, D.C. 

To apply, please send: (1) cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) writing sample of no more than 1,500 words to hiring@americancompass.org. Please specify your areas of interest (research and policy, coalition building, or communications). Attach all materials to a single email. 

Please note any limitations on your availability for the summer.

To apply, please send:

  1. cover letter,
  2. resume, and
  3. writing sample of no more than 1,500 words

to hiring@americancompass.org. Please specify your areas of interest (research and policy, coalition building, or communications) and note any limitations on your availability for the summer.

Attach all materials to a single email. 

Application Timeline

  • Accepting applications until March 7
  • Invitations for interviews extended by March 14
  • Job offers extended by March 24
  • Program dates: Mid-June to Mid-August 

Please note that we do not provide housing.

Questions? Email: hiring@americancompass.org.

What Will I Be Doing?

American Compass operates as a tight-knit team working closely together on our top priorities. Summer interns will have opportunities to work on a range of projects, with assignments based both on the organizationā€™s needs and individual interests. Illustrative examples of projects include:

Policy

  • Develop questions for a public opinion survey, test and field the survey, analyze the resulting data, and help to prepare a published report on the findings
  • Select statistics for measuring key economic outcomes and construct a dashboard and data visualization presenting trends in the data over time
  • Prepare a case study of how a policy innovation was implemented either within the United States or in another country and what outcomes were achieved
  • Track the progress, and assess the strengths and weaknesses, of key legislative measures moving through Congress

Coalitions

  • Develop materials that introduce the relevant portions of American Compassā€™s work and message to a broad range of audiences
  • Identify key organizations and leaders in various factions of the American political landscape and develop outreach plans
  • Attend meetings with other organizations and Capitol Hill staff to discuss policy and messaging priorities

Communications

  • Draft public communications for newsletters, press releases, etc.
  • Conduct research for podcast episodes and pitch ideas for essays/commentary
  • Review live events and interviews for excerpts that can be shared on social media
  • Work with the Commonplace team on editing, sourcing new writers, and building the new publicationā€™s audience