Audio/Visual Production Intern

To be considered for this role, you must apply directly through our online application. 

About the Role

This paid, in-person internship in Washington, DC (25–37.5 hrs/week over 12 weeks) places you with Cato’s Audio/Visual team to plan, capture, and edit mission-advancing video and audio.

You’ll get hands-on experience across studio, field, and livestream workflows under Jonathan Fields (Director of A/V Production) and Lena Popilieva (award-winning senior producer), contributing to publish-ready pieces and a refreshed b-roll/archive library that helps communicate individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace to broad audiences.

Responsibilities

• Work with the production team to create and pitch original content videos
• Log and archive existing video footage and update b-roll for archives as needed
• Work with the production team to help with live studio productions

Qualifications

• Demonstrates interest in using media to communicate Cato’s principles—individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace—to the public.
• Working knowledge of camera operation, audio capture, and basic studio/field lighting.
• Experience with non-linear editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro preferred).
• Dependable under tight turnarounds; comfortable in fast-paced set-to-strike workflows.
• Collaborative and receptive to feedback; communicates clearly with producers and talent.
• On-set production experience (preferred).

Finalists may be asked to share a portfolio or video-editing sample.

The Cato Internship Program

Cato’s paid internships are available for undergraduates, recent graduates, graduate students, law students, and early-career professionals who are strongly committed to individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace—principles that together form libertarianism, also known as “classical liberalism,” “market liberalism,” or, to many of our international friends, simply “liberalism.” 

All Cato interns participate in the same intensive seminar series, which covers a wide range of history, philosophy, policy, and professional development topics. Interns also assist with events and occasionally support Cato staff with other daily tasks. 

Interns receive competitive pay. Part-time roles are adjusted accordingly and require a minimum of 25 hours per week. Program participants must be able to attend in person in Washington, D.C.  

For more information about the internship program and experience, we encourage you to explore our website. If you have any questions, email studentprograms@cato.org.