US Policy Internship (Fall 2026)

FPF seeks legal, policy, and technical interns to support the US Policy team and its policy staff. The US Policy team engages in a wide variety of issue areas related to the intersection of privacy, emerging technology, and evolving commercial business practices. This includes, for example, researching and analyzing the impact of new technologies, advising companies on emerging data practices, engaging with policymakers and partners, and conducting a variety of legal, technical, and policy research and thought leadership. Issue portfolios may include - but are not limited to - connected vehicles, online advertising, deidentification standards, algorithms, artificial intelligence (AL/ML), biometrics, and emerging regulation (law). 

Please read this page carefully for information on the internship structure, compensation and requirements. 

Internship Structure:

• Fall: Fall interns typically join FPF for a 14-week period during the Fall semester, part time (10-20 hours/week) (not including Thanksgiving Week) with flexible start and end dates depending on the student's academic calendar. Fall interns are often fully remote (although we welcome you to our Washington DC office) and are hired on an as-needed basis to support specific projects. 

What We Look For: 

• We welcome students of any graduate-level academic or professional background (typically, this includes law students, MA/MBA, PhD students in a policy-related field, and/or career professionals). The only "must-have" is a demonstrated interest in privacy and data protection. We are not currently accepting applications from undergraduate students. 

Compensation:

• Fall 2026 internship opportunities are available to students who are receiving external funding (e.g., through their institution) or who will receive academic credit for the internship. 

Application Requirements and Process:

• Please submit: we require candidates to submit a Cover Letter and Resume in PDF format through the FPF Career Center. Writing samples are optional. No academic transcripts please. All materials must be in PDF format to be considered. Please submit each document separately in the field provided. 
• Top candidates will be contacted with an invitation to join a 30-minute Zoom interview. Candidates for the FPF Center for AI may also receive a short writing prompt assignment.  

Deadline:

We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Early applications are encouraged.