Morning Edition & NPR Politics Intern

Internship Program Duration: October 5th, 2026 - April 16th, 2027

Application Instructions: Applications close on Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 pm ET.

Intro to Position

This internship will be divided into two phases: first at Morning Edition, NPR’s weekday morning newsmagazine, and then at NPR’s Washington Desk, which covers  the White House, Congress, politics, national security and other critical beats.

From October through January, the intern will be at Morning Edition, where they will learn what it takes to put on a daily news magazine program, as well as learn the basics of radio production and editing. This will include learning to craft and pitch story ideas, helping identify guests for program interview segments, prepare questions for host interviews, assisting  in the production of individual stories both inside the studio and in the field, working on digital stories and other tasks that may be assigned. In addition, the intern may have the opportunity to work the various show shifts  and work on a longer-term project such as a host trip or special coverage involving the upcoming Midterm Elections. 

From January through April, the intern will be at the NPR Washington Desk, where they will continue to build on the skills they learned in the first part of the program. As NPR Politics Intern, they will play a key role in conducting research for reporters and editors, maintain the desk’s calendar of events, build clipboards for radio pieces, build digital story pages, log interviews, and have the opportunity to write for the web. Candidates must have a demonstrated interest in journalism, as well as government and politics.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff is defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.    

The intern will have the opportunity to experience and support the team's work in the following areas:

• Pitching ideas for host interviews on news and feature topics for Morning Edition
• Pitching news and feature stories
• Booking guests for the programs, including doing phone pre-interviews
• Conduct research for Washington Desk editors and reporters
• Assisting with the recording, producing and editing of host interviews and  radio pieces, including learning how to gather sound  in the field,  build radio pieces, cut interviews, construct audio clipboards and log tape
• Writing host copy and interview questions
• Writing digital stories
• Producing live and pre-recorded host interviews, including managing recordings and editing audio
• Learning NPR News’ radio journalism ethical standards and practices
• Developing radio reporting and producing skills that will prepare the intern for careers at NPR member stations and at NPR itself
• All work performed by the intern is to be done under the close supervision of the host teams

The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

Qualifications 

• Strong interest and familiarity with news, politics, government and current events
• Ability to own a  task from concept to completion
• Willingness to learn and interest in honing journalism, reporting, producing and editing skills
• Excellent research skills and an eye for a new angle/perspective major news stories
• The ability to find the right expert or first-person voice to illustrate a complicated news topic
• Some journalism/news reporting  (such as an internship at a local public radio station or a job at a college radio station)
• A keen interest in journalism
• Specific interest in public media

Application Requirements

• Resume 
• Cover Letter

Education Requirements

Must be a current student in an accredited degree program or a recent graduate of no more than 12 months from the month of the start of the internship.

Work Location & Requirements

This is an on-site role based in Washington, D.C.

Job Type

This is a full-time, non-exempt internship.

Schedule

Please note that the work schedule for this internship will vary and include swing and weekend shifts across both phases of the internship.

• At Morning Edition: 40 hours per week on a schedule that rotates through the show’s production shifts across all day parts, to gain exposure to all aspects of show production. The intern will start off on a Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm schedule.
• At the Washington Desk: 40 hours per week,  generally Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm, though the exact timing can be flexible around the intern’s schedule.

Compensation

Hourly Rate The U.S.-based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $20.00 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits: NPR offers interns a robust package of benefits and resources designed to foster their professional development and support their overall well-being. Interns are eligible to make elective contributions to the NPR 403(b) retirement plan. As an intern, you have access to Transit Commuter benefits through HealthEquity, which allow you to set aside pre tax funds for eligible commuting expenses.  You are also eligible for membership with the Signal Financial Federal Credit Union, giving you access to a range of financial services and resources. At our DC Headquarters, interns enjoy free access to on-site Wellness Center, free fitness center membership, secure bike facilities, garage parking, and onsite cafeteria. Other benefits include the Employee Assistance Program with up to six face-to-face counseling sessions per issue, Global Guardian worldwide assistance, and Business Travel Accident coverage. Additionally, interns working 30 or more hours per week receive holiday pay for 10 observed holidays plus one floating holiday per year and accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave each pay period with no waiting period.  NPR also supports career growth and work-life balance through professional development opportunities, flexible work hours, and telecommuting options.

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

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