IfG internship programme

The IfG runs two 12-month paid graduate internship programmes: one focused on research and one focused on communications. Our interns play an important part in supporting our work and start making real contributions to the projects they’re working on very quickly – they are key members of our team.

We usually recruit for interns once a year. Applications normally open in February or March, with each new intern cohort beginning their contracts in the following September.

Research internships

Our research internship programme is an outstanding opportunity for anyone looking to start a career in policy and government research to learn about the sector and gain experience in an organisation working on some of the thorniest problems that the UK government faces. 

As a research intern with us, you’ll be allocated to a team working on a particular strand of our research, such as the civil service, ministers, devolution or public finances. Depending on the needs of the projects your team is working on, you could find yourself carrying out literature reviews, conducting interviews with MPs and civil servants, organising public events and private roundtables, undertaking data analysis, writing explainers or contributing to published reports. Most of our interns get a chance to do all these things and more over the course of their year with us.

Meet the 2022–23 research interns

Communication internships

From 2023, we are offering an internship based in our busy communications team. Working across this team and the wider IfG staff, our communications intern will provide crucial website management, event delivery, and digital marketing and content development support. You’ll get a great insight into what communications work in the think tank sector is really like, from helping to manage the IfG website and our social media channels to supporting our varied events programme – both organisation and on-the-day delivery.

Working in communications in the policy and government sector can mean lots of different things – this internship is perfect for someone wanting to explore a career in that space, and gain experience in lots of different facets of a communications team’s work. 

What’s next?

We support our interns to develop a whole host of skills and knowledge that put them in a really strong position for their next career move.

Former interns go on to a variety of different roles and sectors after their 12 months with us. Some move into roles at other think tanks, while others join the civil service, start postgraduate study, or begin working for political parties, consultancy firms, media organisations or charities. A smaller number stay on at the IfG in either fixed-term or permanent positions across the research, communications and partnerships teams.  

For more information, read our FAQs on IfG internships and the selection and application process, or get in touch via recruitment@instituteforgovernment.org.uk if you have other questions. When applications next open for the programme, they will be advertised on our current vacancies page. You can also sign up to receive recruitment updates from us, which will include when applications open for the internship programmes.

The IfG also takes part in an annual cross-think-tank outreach webinar aimed at demystifying the world of think-tanks for undergraduates, especially those from groups currently underrepresented in the sector. If you’re interested in finding out more, watch the recordings of this year’s event.