Summer Research Assistant

OVERVIEW

The Cicero Institute seeks ambitious, talented part-time Summer Research Assistants to experience practical policy development for a summer in Austin, Texas. Summer RAs will identify a system-level social and/or public problem related to Cicero’s issue areas and develop a policy response. They will achieve this while immersed in our entrepreneurial culture in tandem with other projects that advance Cicero’s goals. RAs will gain professional development under the mentorship of our experienced policy team. All are encouraged to apply: philosophers and data scientists, writers and engineers, welders and policy students. Applications for the internship will be considered on a rolling basis through March 15, 2026.

REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must be:

• A high school graduate, not currently enrolled in a graduate program, and not the recipient of a graduate degree;
• Willing to relocate to Austin for the duration of the summer program;
• Ideologically aligned with the mission of the Cicero Institute;
• Detail-oriented;
• Intellectually curious;
• Skilled at grappling with and conveying complex concepts and processes;
• Self-driven and entrepreneurial;
• Organized and able to manage multiple tasks; and
• Genuinely enthusiastic to learn about and apply their skills to public policy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Interns will be expected to:

• Work approximately 6 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, in our Austin office;
• Support the Cicero Institute’s policy development through research, drafting, editing, and more at the direction of Cicero staff and under the supervision of the program directors;
• Collaborate with the Cicero Institute’s staff to identify a system-level social and/or public sector problem and develop a policy response;
• Present the aforementioned identified problem and policy response for feedback with Cicero’s policy area lead;
• Attend weekly check-ins with the program directors to receive support and discuss progress with the understanding that the program directors will create tailored assignments to RAs’ interests, providing broad exposure to policy verticals, and ensure all staff requests are completed in a timely manner;
• Share and present work, collaborate on projects, and gain familiarity with research across all policy verticals; and
• Write posts for Cicero staff to share upon completion of major assignments.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development opportunities for summer interns will include:

• Professional development events with Cicero staff and guest speakers, to include advice for navigating a career in public policy and exposure to top innovators in the Cicero network;
• Publication of an opinion piece on the Cicero Institute’s website or in an external publication under guidance from the policy area lead, communications and media lead, and the program directors;
• Individual writing workshopping with the communications and media staff and/or program directors;
• Causal inference literacy and data workshop;
• Alerts of events with other Austin-based policy organizations over the summer;
• One-on-one career advising from a Cicero staff mentor; and
• An exit interview with personalized professional development advice.

PROGRAM DATES

June 15, 2026 through August 14, 2026