Who we are:
The American Institute of Physics (AIP) is a federation of 10 Member Societies which in turn have more than 130,000 members across the globe. AIP was founded in 1931 in an effort to alleviate societal and economic turmoil and to better humanity through science. Today, almost 100 years later, we further our positive impact through our mission: to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity. We want you to become a part of this mission!

AIP’s science policy news service, called FYI, is a premier source of updates on federal science agencies and legislation. Published by AIP since 1989, FYI is trusted by policymakers and prominent figures in the scientific community nationwide. At FYI, we seek to clarify policy activity and deliver nuanced insight into its impacts on the scientific community.


What you’ll do:
FYI is seeking candidates for its fall 2024 internship program. This program lasts 14 weeks and runs three times per year, roughly aligning with spring, summer, and fall semesters. The start date for this internship is flexible, but the target is September 1. Applications are due midnight August 18, 2024.

As an intern at FYI, you will gain valuable experience studying and writing about science policy developments in Washington, DC, and beyond.

FYI’s internship has a strong educational focus:

• You will be trained to write original content for FYI, including short news summaries and deep-dive articles.
• You will learn to distill complex policy topics for non-specialists. You will participate in the team’s editorial planning meetings.
   

What You’ll Gain:
Interns with FYI receive a stipend for the duration of their internship. As a member of the FYI team, you’ll gain hands-on experience reporting on federal policy developments. FYI staff will coach you on our reporting and writing techniques.

If you are a scientist, this internship is the place to learn how policy impacts your work and how to write about policy in a compelling manner.

If you are a reporter, this internship is an opportunity to gain experience with a compelling beat at the nexus of science and society.

Whatever your goals, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the federal legislative process. You’ll learn how to read funding legislation and how to find stories in dense reports and bills. Finally, you’ll learn about the processes that the U.S. government uses to allocate billions of dollars in research funding each year. You’ll be exposed to intersections of science, money, and politics.

In addition to your stipend, you’ll enjoy a positive work-life balance and a supportive staff.


Applicant requirements:
This internship is part-time and open to current undergraduate and graduate students.

Applicants must reside in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia and may be asked to attend 1 day per week in person at AIP’s offices in the DMV area. Otherwise, the internship is predominantly remote.


To Apply:
Include a resume and a cover letter. In your cover letter, tell us why you want to work with FYI and what you aim to learn by interning with us. Your letter can be short, as little as 100 words if you’re a concise writer.

Please resist the temptation to lean heavily on AI when writing your letter. Boilerplate platitudes are unlikely to help your application. What will help your application is a bespoke explanation of how your unique goals and experience intersect with work at FYI and the American Institute of Physics, text that AI can certainly proofread but is unlikely to produce on its own. Applications without cover letters are typically summarily dismissed.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience does not fully match the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.


Why join us:
AIP embraces a flexible hybrid work environment to balance in-person collaborative work with remote work. The team works in a hybrid schedule, so this role will work remotely 4 days per week and report to our offices in College Park, Maryland 1 day per week. That one day per week is somewhat flexible, depending on the intern’s schedule for a given week. Employees are required to reside in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC.

We offer comprehensive benefits, including generous paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, an annual retirement contribution of 10% of base pay, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and more.

Your colleagues at AIP are welcoming, gracious, and eager to help each other succeed. With our commitment to community service, institute-wide social opportunities, and ongoing learning and development, AIP is a rewarding place to work.


About AIP:
The American Institute of Physics is a dynamic, forward-thinking 501(c)(3) membership corporation of scientific societies. Our mission is to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity. AIP is a trusted and reliable source of information and analysis and is a center of excellence that advances the physical sciences enterprise through research and analysis aimed at improving the understanding of our heritage and promoting future progress.

Diversity welcome! Diversity is integral to our mission and is ingrained in everything that we do at AIP. We encourage and invite people of all backgrounds to apply and join our team. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, creed, marital status, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, personal appearance, national origin, ancestry, protected veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

AIP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer  
EOE, including disability/Vets