The OSP Summer Internship Program provides an opportunity for two (2) undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional students to gain tangible science policy experience in support of the NIH mission. Interns will work side-by-side with leading policy experts to learn strategies for advancing national science and technology policy and obtain practical experience in policy analyses and development. OSP will be hosting interns for an 8–12-week period beginning in May or June 2026. Interns will receive a stipend commensurate with their level of education.

All internship offers are contingent on an individual’s ability to successfully pass a federal background check, which is required for access to NIH systems. As part of the clearance process, individuals will be asked questions about a variety of topics including citizenship, criminal history, and other personal information.

Positions Available for 2026 NIH OSP Summer Internship Program

• OSP Science Policy Coordination, Collaboration, and Reporting Division: This intern will create and contribute to high-impact policy materials that reach communities inside the NIH and across the scientific enterprise. Meaningful pieces of this portfolio include teaming up with experts to create and review policy digests and highlights that NIH leaders read; writing and editing NIH’s progress report on Gold Standard Science; developing resources to support the next generation of policy fellows; and reviewing and crafting materials to advance scientific partnerships between NIH and organizations nationwide (1 position available).

• OSP Innovation Policy Division: This intern would work on cross-cutting policy efforts that support a broad range of innovation, promote access to the fruits of NIH-funded research, and help the agency fulfill its mission of promoting the application of knowledge to enhance human health. The intern could assist with a variety of projects like exploring how biomedical innovators learn about their customers and researching how NIH might bolster innovation centering patients and public health outcomes. Additional tasks could include researching approaches that various institutions are taking to advance patient access to emerging biomedical technologies to facilitate policy implementation efforts, particularly related to the NIH Intramural Research Program Access Planning Policy (1 position available).