RAND Graduate Student Summer Associate Program (Public policy research internship)

RAND is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization focused on improving policy and decision making through high-quality research and objective analysis. At RAND, we empower our people to do their best work by fostering a culture in which different views, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued and respected, and staff have a sense of belonging with their colleagues, fair access to opportunities, and feel comfortable bringing their best selves to work each day. We welcome all applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Position Description

RAND's Summer Associate Program introduces outstanding graduate students across the social, behavioral, policy, and technical sciences to RAND, an institution that conducts research on a wide range of domestic and international social policy issues as well as national security problems. To learn more about research at RAND, visit www.rand.org.

Summer Associates typically work for a 12-week period (60 work days) during the summer, and receive a bi-weekly paycheck during their assignment with RAND. During that time they:

• Conduct research that can be completed during their time at RAND and present the results of this research to the RAND community via a 15-30 minute briefing at the end of their three-month assignment;
• Are closely mentored by one to two established RAND researchers;
• Are highly encouraged to network and interact with other researchers outside of their primary mentorship team and area of expertise;
• Are invited to attend a number of seminars from researchers both within and outside of RAND.

Please note: Our summer 2027 program will be a hybrid model including in person work at one of RAND's four offices with remote flexibility or working fully remote from where you live.

In-person positions are typically available in RAND's major U.S. offices—Santa Monica, CA; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh, PA; and Boston, MA. Office placement decisions depend on the availability of in-person mentorship.

Students must reside in the U.S. throughout their RAND summer assignment. International students who are planning to live in the U.S. during the summer of 2027 are eligible to apply. Any applicant who does not plan to live in the United States during the summer is not eligible for hire in the 2027 cycle.

Qualifications

This position is designed for full-time doctoral students who: (1) have completed at least two years of graduate work; and (2) are within two years of completing their doctorate. Master’s students are eligible to apply in the Engineering, Computer or Information Science, and Operations Research disciplines; all such students must graduate on or after December 2027.

A keen interest in working on applied, policy-oriented research questions is necessary. Applicants are strongly encouraged to explore RAND's website (www.rand.org) for details on RAND's ongoing research portfolio. Unfortunately, we do not know in advance which projects may require summer associates.

For many national security or defense projects, applicants must be eligible to receive, or currently hold, a security clearance from the United States government.

Additional qualifications required:

• Excellent analytic skills;
• Proven ability in quantitative and/or qualitative research methods;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team;
• Strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity;
• Proof of legal right to work in the United States is required upon hire;
• U.S. Citizenship is not necessary except when required for certain types of project work (e.g., the project contract requires it or the project work itself requires a security clearance)
• Residency in the U.S. (excluding U.S. territories) is required

Who is not eligible?

The program does not hire high school students, undergraduates, or postdoctoral fellows at this time. Graduate students who will graduate prior to the summer of employment are not eligible.

Security Clearance

U.S. Citizenship may be required for positions requiring a U.S. government security clearance.

Salary Range: $32.00/hour

RAND Summer Associate positions receive bi-weekly compensation for hours that are worked. The positions are also overtime eligible.

To apply:

RAND accepts applications only through our website, https://www.rand.org/jobs/summer-associates.html. Applications mailed directly to RAND or emailed to our SummerDirector will not be considered. All applications are due by December 1, 2026, 11:59pm Pacific Time.

Equal Opportunity Employer