RAND Corporation Internships: Launching Your Policy Research Career

The RAND Corporation, a non-profit institution dedicated to improving policy and decision-making through research and analysis, offers a premier internship program for graduate students: the Summer Associate Program. This program provides a unique opportunity to gain real-world policy research experience, connect with leading researchers, and contribute to impactful projects.

Overview of the RAND Summer Associate Program

Since 1960, the Graduate Student Summer Associate Program has introduced outstanding graduate students to RAND, serving as a pipeline for future staff. The program has a rich history, having recruited over 1,700 students from more than 100 graduate programs both in the United States and internationally. Each year, the program attracts a diverse cohort of students, with approximately 40-50 individuals selected from a pool of over 600 applicants. This highly competitive program offers a unique and immersive experience for those interested in pursuing a career in policy research.

The Summer Associate Program is designed to provide each participant with real-world policy research experience and mentorship from senior RAND researchers. Summer Associates are matched with ongoing, funded projects based on their educational background, skills, experience, and the needs of the available projects. This matching process ensures that students are placed in roles where they can make meaningful contributions to the research.

Program Structure and Experience

The mentor(s) and summer associate collaborate to design an experience where the summer associate contributes to larger, ongoing research project(s). This collaborative approach ensures that the summer associate's work is aligned with the project's goals and that they receive guidance and support from experienced researchers.

Beyond project work, the program offers regular opportunities for Summer Associates to connect with each other, participate in RAND seminars, events, and social activities, and build networking and research skills. This immersive experience exposes them to what it is like to work at RAND, fostering both professional and personal development. At the end of the summer, students are expected to deliver a short presentation that summarizes their research findings.

The program typically spans 12 weeks of full-time research, with associates working 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. While there is some flexibility in start and end dates, the program must be completed between May and October. Shorter assignments are possible on a case-by-case basis, with compensation adjusted accordingly. The minimum program length is 10 weeks.

Hybrid Model and Office Locations

The Summer Associate Program embraces a hybrid model, incorporating both in-person work at one of RAND's four offices and remote flexibility. The four RAND offices are located in Santa Monica, CA; Washington, DC; Pittsburgh, PA; and Boston, MA. Office placement decisions depend on the availability of in-person mentorship. Many aspects of the summer associate program will be the same whether you participate in-person or remotely/virtually. You will be assigned a mentor who will meet with you regularly and facilitate collaboration with your project team. You will have the opportunity to engage with other summer associates, attend seminars and workplace events, participate in workshops, and have the opportunity to network with RAND researchers. Participation in these activities will be in-person, remote, or both. At the end of the summer, students will be expected to deliver a short in-person and/or virtual presentation that summarizes their research findings.

Eligibility and Application

The program is designed for full-time graduate students who have completed at least two years of work toward a doctorate (e.g., PhD, EDD, DRPH, SciD, etc.) or a professional degree (e.g., law or medical degree, professional engineer certificate). The program typically does not consider master's degree students except in the engineering, computer or information science, and operations research disciplines. Exceptions are occasionally made for first-year doctoral students with significant research experience or prior graduate work. In specific fields like computer science and engineering, students pursuing a master's degree may be considered.

To be eligible for the program, students must be enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program during the spring and fall. Students must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. (including U.S. territories) for the duration of their summer assignments. Any applicant who does not plan to live in the United States during the summer is not eligible for hire. Graduate students who will graduate prior to the fall semester following employment are not eligible. The program does not hire high school students, undergraduates, or postdoctoral fellows at this time.

The application process requires candidates to identify two individuals who can provide letters of recommendation, typically professors or advisors familiar with their research work. Note that recommenders will only be contacted if the applicant is selected for an interview, and applicants will be notified before their recommenders are contacted. Applicants should choose the one position that best matches their background and interest. Submitting more than one application will not increase the chances of being selected as one application will be randomly withdrawn.

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Compensation and Benefits

Summer Associates receive bi-weekly compensation for their work, which is competitive with other research fellowships. For example, the summer earnings for the summer will be approximately $15,000 (before taxes) for the 12 weeks (60 work days) of full-time research. RAND also provides some local housing information to assist students in their housing search.

The Selection Process

Potential mentors with currently funded projects select Summer Associates whose interests, expertise, and skills align with their project. The selection process carefully matches candidates with mentors and projects based on their qualifications. Students whose applications are under consideration will be contacted for a phone or video interview.

Applicants will be notified of RAND's interest in conducting an interview after the extensive application review period has ended. You will be contacted directly only if you are selected for an interview. Interviews will be conducted beginning in late January, continuing as late as February and March.

Life as a Summer Associate

Each Summer Associate is matched to a research project and a mentor. A student is offered a full-time position only after the student and RAND agree that a good match exists between the student's interests and skills and the needs of an ongoing RAND research project. Mentors work with students to curate a meaningful, project-based experience that is aligned to the Summer Associate's background and qualifications. Past Summer Associates have worked on a wide range of projects. See more projects summer associates participated inThe program also provides regular opportunities for Summer Associates to connect and develop relationships with each other, participate in a range of RAND seminars, events, and social activities, and build networking and research skills. Summer Associates also have access to RAND's research facilities as needed to support their project work.

Diverse Research Areas

RAND's research spans a wide array of critical policy areas, including:

National Security: Defense and Political Sciences, Engineering and Applied Sciences
Health Care: Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Social and Economic Well-Being: Behavioral and Policy Sciences, Economics, Sociology, and Statistics
Education and Labor: Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Homeland Security: Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Global and Emerging Risks

This broad scope ensures that Summer Associates can find projects that align with their academic interests and career aspirations.

Impactful Research and Real-World Experience

Working at RAND offers the opportunity to make a difference and have a real impact on the world. The institution's commitment to advancing the public good creates a rewarding and intellectually stimulating environment.

Examples of Summer Associate Projects

Recent Summer Associates have contributed to projects across various RAND divisions, including:

Engineering and Applied Sciences: Working on projects related to national security, environmental science, and biostatistics.
Defense and Political Sciences: Researching topics such as international relations, political science, and public policy.
Economics, Sociology, and Statistics: Analyzing health policy, public economics, and social well-being.
Behavioral and Policy Sciences: Focusing on areas like criminal justice, education, and climate change policy.

These diverse projects highlight the breadth of research opportunities available to Summer Associates.

Beyond the Summer Associate Program: Other Educational Opportunities at RAND

In addition to the Summer Associate Program, RAND offers several other educational opportunities, including:

The RAND School of Public Policy: Offers master's degrees in technology and national security policy, as well as M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in policy analysis.
RAND Fellowships: Focus on areas such as AI, security, technology, and nuclear security.
RAND/DARPA Geoeconomics Summer Study: Aims to generate new insights in geoeconomics through collaboration with emerging scholars.
Center on AI, Security, and Technology Fellows Program: Develops policy analysts and implementers at the intersection of technology and security issues.
Policy Intensive: Nuclear Security: A certificate-granting course covering key issues related to contemporary nuclear security and missile defense policy.
Coast Guard Fellowships: Selects senior DHS personnel to work and study at RAND.

A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion

RAND is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and strives to ensure that it is accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds. RAND's staff includes people from more than 50 countries, representing diversity in work experience; academic training; political and ideological outlook; and race, gender, and ethnicity. To ensure that RAND research incorporates many perspectives, projects typically include diverse, multidisciplinary teams. Some research projects bring together economists, psychologists, statisticians, and health professionals, for example, whereas others bring together engineers, operations researchers, and students of organizational behavior. Research and analysis is enriched by diversity of talents and perspectives.

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