Policy Analyst - Internship

Overview GovCIO is currently hiring for Summer Interns to support NIH's Office of Science Policy. This position will be located in Bethesda, MD and will be a hybrid position.

The OSP Summer Internship Program provides an opportunity for undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional students to gain tangible science policy experience in support of the NIH mission. Interns will work side-by-side with leading policy experts to learn strategies for advancing national science and technology policy and obtain practical experience in policy analyses and development.

OSP will be hosting interns for a 12-week period beginning in June 2026. Interns will receive a stipend commensurate with their level of education.

Below are the descriptions for the two available intern positions:

Responsibilities

• Representative Functional Roles:
• Education specialist
• Research analyst
• Policy analyst
• Junior scientific researcher
• Medical officer
• Augments teams providing high level functional systems analysis, design, integration, documentation and implementation advice on exceptionally complex issues requiring an advanced specialist degree-level knowledge of the individual’s scientific field of study.
• Participates in multiple phases of the study with specific emphasis on higher-level issues requiring specific expertise in the subject matter.
• Prepares technical reports and documentation to support findings and study results.
• Prepares executive-level briefings, including charts and graphs to present findings to the managers.
• Analyzes data and information to find ways to improve operations
• Informs and advises various levels of management and stakeholders
• Meets with clients and vendors to discuss procedures
• Develops and conduct user surveys
• Analyzes habits and data available from competitors
• Researches market and industry trends and patterns
• Creates detailed reports of findings
• Simplifies findings into presentations
• Organizes and stores data for future research projects
• Documents all data and research procedures
• Organizes and conducts focus groups of project users
• Compares ROI with past data and reports
• Creates diagrams and documentation to pinpoint problems and find solutions
• Implements tests of processes, policies, and protocols
• Identifies and understands problems through forecasting, gap analysis, quantitative reporting, research, and statistical analysis
• Recommends changes and improvements based on research findings
• Writes reports, white papers, and other published documents
• Compiles and analyzes data points

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled at least half-time in an accredited university as a graduate or professional student (including PhD, MD, DDS, JD, PharmD, MS, MPH, and other programs) at the time of application*
• U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Able to commit to a 40-hour work week for at least 8 weeks
• Able to travel to the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD to receive their ID badge and laptop prior to starting the internship. Travel expenses will be covered by OSP.
• Individuals who are U.S. permanent residents must be attending or have been accepted into institutions in the U.S.

Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been underrepresented in health-related sciences; students with disabilities; students who are enrolled in Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); students who identify as LGBTQ+; and individuals disadvantaged by circumstances that have negatively impacted their educational opportunities, including recent natural disasters, are encouraged to apply.

• Clearance Required: All internship offers are contingent on an individual’s ability to successfully pass a federal background check, which is required for access to NIH systems. As part of the clearance process, individuals will be asked questions about a variety of topics including citizenship, criminal history, and other personal information.

Posted Salary Range: USD $23.00 - USD $26.46 /Yr.