Research Intern - Economic Policy

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

Overview

The General Economics team produces research and commentary on a wide range of US economic policy issues — including the cost of living, affordability, housing regulation, labor markets, fiscal policy, price controls, trade, industrial policy, and state-level freedom. 

Ryan Bourne's work focuses on making economic reasoning clear to the public and policymakers, with recent analysis examining how government regulation affects living standards, tariffs influence prices, and the economics of affordability. Stephen Slivinski manages the Freedom in the 50 States project, an annual index assessing personal and economic freedom across all 50 states. 

Interns support the entire team with research, data analysis, writing, and policy tracking, directly contributing to published analyses, media commentary, and ongoing research projects.

Responsibilities

• Monitor federal, state, and local economic policy developments — including legislative proposals, regulatory actions, and executive agency announcements — and prepare clear, organized summaries for scholars.
• Gather, organize, and analyze data from BEA, Census Bureau, Federal Reserve, BLS, and other official sources, then create clearly labeled charts and tables that support policy arguments for public audiences.
• Maintain and update active databases of policy proposals—covering affordability, housing, tax, and regulatory developments—at federal, state, and local levels for ongoing use by scholars.
• Conduct background research and gather supporting materials for op-eds, papers, and public commentary under scholarly guidance.
• Draft initial versions of short-form written content such as blog posts, op-eds, and analytical summaries.
• Support ongoing research projects, including data collection and organization for the Freedom in the 50 States index and related state-level policy analysis.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of and genuine interest in US economic policy and institutions — including labor markets, cost of living, fiscal policy, regulation, and the case for competitive, open markets — grounded in and aligned with Cato's principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace.
• Strong research and policy writing skills, with the ability to produce clear summaries and initial drafts for public audiences, including accurate citations from official sources.
• Ability to locate, reconcile, and visualize official economic data from BEA, Census, Federal Reserve, and BLS to support policy analysis
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including filters, sorting, XLOOKUP or INDEX-MATCH, and PivotTables.
• Ability to handle quick-turnaround tasks alongside longer projects with sound independent judgment and minimal supervision.
• Professionalism, reliability, and attention to detail — the work requires accuracy in both data handling and written output, and consistent follow-through on assigned tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in economic policy, public policy, or related fields, through a research assistantship, policy organization internship, published or submitted paper, or independent project with verifiable results.
• Familiarity with the team's current research areas, including housing and affordability policy, Freedom in the 50 States, cost-of-living regulation, and trade economics; applicants are encouraged to review the team's recently published work before applying.
• Familiarity with R, Python, or Stata is a plus; coding tools may be used depending on active projects
• Coursework or independent study in microeconomics, public economics, or regulatory policy.

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, DC.

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.