You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Summer Internship Program

Congressional Budget Office
Email

The Congressional Budget Office’s internship program provides an excellent opportunity for students to experience and observe the budget process and policymaking at the federal level. Most of CBO’s employees are in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and the internships will be operating in a hybrid workplace. The summer internship program runs from May 27, 2025, to August 1, 2025; there may be some flexibility in those dates.

Specific duties vary by project. Interns will contribute to CBO’s work and will have opportunities for networking with budget and policy professionals. Please see CBO’s page on internships for additional information.

Qualifications

All CBO internships require solid writing and communication skills. Most projects require familiarity with computer programming, statistics, or quantitative methods. U.S. citizens and permanent residents seeking citizenship are eligible.

Students must:

  • Be enrolled in an undergraduate (sophomore, junior, or senior) or graduate program, unless specified below.
  • Have a major or graduate study in economics, data science, public policy, mathematics, computer science, physics, engineering or a related field (MBA or JD students are not eligible).
  • Be proficient in data analysis software (e.g., Excel, SAS, STATA, Python, R).

Potential Projects

  • AI application for reviewing legislation: Graduate coursework in NLP AI.
  • Python microsimulation for student loans: Strong Python skills (NumPy, Pandas), object-oriented programming, collaborative coding experience.
  • CHIP take-up rates in immigrant households: Graduate coursework in econometrics or public health, knowledge of Medicaid/CHIP, and statistical software experience.
  • Venture capital and early-stage drug development: Graduate coursework in microeconomics, game theory, econometrics; coding in R or Python.
  • Legal status model updates: Experience with large datasets (e.g., CPS, ACS) and Stata.
  • Military aircraft performance analysis: Extensive experience in data analysis/visualization with Python or R.
  • Future military aircraft options: Major in physics or aerospace engineering with modeling skills.
  • Cost estimates for policy legislation: Strong analytical and writing skills; advanced Excel skills.
  • Corporate financial report analysis: Familiarity with corporate financial reports (e.g. analyzing 10-Ks or using SEC EDGAR/Compustat), strong Python skills.
  • Distributional analysis of taxes and transfers: Graduate coursework in economics; familiarity with tax or transfer programs.
  • Federal spending for infrastructure, research and development, and education:  Strong coding skills in Python or R.

How to Apply

Students must submit:

  • A cover letter.
  • A résumé.
  • Contact information for two references (who may know the applicant either from academic work or from employment).
  • An unofficial copy of transcripts that include coursework for the spring semester. First-year graduate students must submit both an undergraduate transcript and a graduate transcript.

A complete application must be submitted through CBO’s website by March 3, 2025, EST, to be considered; there will be no exceptions.

This position is covered by the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998, as made applicable to CBO by the Congressional Accountability Act, as amended.

Salary and Benefits

The hourly rate ranges from $17 to $35 and will be commensurate with educational attainment and related experience. Selections will be made by April 18, 2025.