Intern, Democracy

The Heinrich Böll Foundation Washington DC is looking for two Democracy Interns one in Spring 2026and one inFall 2026. Spring applicants will start onMarch 2 2026 and Fall applicants will start onSeptember 14 2026.

The Democracy intern will work closely with the Transatlantic Democracy Program Director. Note that the intern may also be paired with one of the following programs: Foreign & Security Policy Global Development and Communications.

The Transatlantic Democracy program brings together US and German policymakers activists experts civil society organizations and community leaders to explore challenges changes and also opportunities that face our democracies. The programs current activities focus on rights at risk domestic policy issues democratic resilience as well as opportunities for subnational diplomacy.

This internship is best suited for students with a background in international relations public policy history or German and European politics. Applicants should have a good grasp of the American and German political landscape and an interest in pressing policy challenges for democracy. We are especially interested in applicants who want to contribute to our global dialog formats (public events workshops study tours etc.) and want to pursue their own research and analysis on issues that are relevant for our program areas.

Applications will be accepted until November 2 2025.

Applicants must submit a US-style resume cover letter and challenge statement. Please include the challenge statement in the same document as your cover letter.

Challenge Statement:

Please write a short (max 250 words) reflection on a recent moment in U.S. or global politics that you think is significant for the future of democracy. What challenges and/or opportunities does it present (whether to civil society the public media law/policymakers etc.)

Basic Requirements

• experience in the relevant program area
• a genuine interest in the values and mission of the foundation
• competent command of English (German is not a requirement)
• a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week for 3 to 6 months (part-time only on a case-by-case basis)
• at least 2 years of university-level experience
• currently enrolled in a Bachelors or Masters degree program OR recent (< 1 year) Bachelors degree recipients

Applications from mid-career professionals or applicants who have already completed a Masters or Ph.D.will not be accepted.

Benefits

• a monthly stipend of $700 for full-time positions and proportionally less for part-time
• 5 paid vacation days per 3 month period for full-time internships
• If required the foundation can cover most costs associated with a J-1 visa for both the spring and fall interns

NOTE: Washington DC is an expensive city. We encourage all applicants to apply for external funding and scholarships. We also recommend applicants immediately begin looking for housing when they apply.

Administrative Responsibilities

• provide logistical support for preparation and implementation of visitor programs and events
• manage front desk duties (i.e. answer telephones respond to information inquiries)
• manage contact and program-specific databases

Communications

• develop social media content and communications strategies
• update content on our website and blogs

Research

• conduct background research on topical issues and current events
• prepare research for upcoming events tours and speakers series

Capstone Project

In addition to routine tasks interns are required to complete a capstone project on a topic of their choosing. Capstones can be one extensive piece or a combination of smaller pieces. Some examples include:

• 5-10 pagepolicy paper
• interview with policy experts (eitherarticleor video)
• script for a 2-3 min explanatoryvideo
• series of shortblog piecesor op-eds

Required Experience:

Intern