[Hiring] Economic Research Intern @Stand Together

Role Description

The Fulcrum Foundation seeks an intern to support research on state government regulatory policy and its effects on economic growth, entrepreneurship, labor markets, housing, occupational licensing, permitting, and related public policy issues.

• Work closely with senior researchers to gather and organize data.
• Review proposed rules and administrative records.
• Assist with research for public comment letters submitted to state agencies and legislatures.
• Contribute to policy briefs and reports intended for policymakers and the broader public.
• Designed for undergraduate students, recent graduates, and early-stage graduate or law students interested in public policy, economics, law, or government.
• Prior research experience is helpful but not required; looking for careful, curious people who write well and can work independently in a remote setting.

Research Areas

• Administrative law, rulemaking, and the public comment process
• Occupational licensing
• Business permitting and approvals
• Housing and land-use regulation
• Small business and entrepreneurship policy
• State economic development
• Regulatory impact analysis
• Government modernization and process reform
• Labor market regulation
• Institutional determinants of economic growth

Responsibilities

• Assist with research for public comment letters on proposed state rules and regulations.
• Help draft and fact-check sections of comment letters, compile supporting evidence, citations, and data appendices under the direction of senior staff.
• Track state regulatory proposals, legislative activity, and agency actions relevant to Fulcrum’s research agenda.
• Collect, organize, and document data from government websites, administrative records, and other publicly available sources.
• Help maintain measures of regulatory burden, permitting processes, occupational licensing requirements, and related policy variables.
• Conduct literature reviews and summarize academic and policy research for ongoing projects.
• Draft sections of policy briefs, research summaries, and other written products, and assist with editing and citation.
• Assist with basic descriptive analysis, tables, and charts using spreadsheet or statistical software.
• Participate in research team meetings and contribute to project planning.

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate, graduate, or law student, or recent graduate, in economics, public policy, political science, law, public administration, or a related field.
• Strong writing skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to read and accurately summarize dense material such as proposed rules, statutes, and academic research.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a remote environment.
• Located in and authorized to work in the United States for the duration of the program.
• Able to attend all required KIP programming, including the two-day summit in Arlington, Virginia.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework in economics, statistics, public policy, or administrative law.
• Familiarity with R, Stata, Python, or another statistical program (not required).
• Prior research experience through coursework, a research assistant position, or an internship.
• Interest in state government policy, regulatory institutions, and economic development.

Compensation

Stand Together Fellowships pays participants a stipend of either $7,500 for full-time participants working approximately 32 hours per week at the partner organization, or $5,500 for part-time participants working approximately 24 hours per week at the partner organization. Attending the entirety of the online and on-site KIP programming is required for both full and part-time participants.

Diversity and Inclusion

Stand Together Fellowships believes that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge, and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. Our admissions office treats all program participants and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect, and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances.

AI Tools in Hiring

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.