Internships.

IEA INTERNSHIP.

The IEA Internship is a temporary, unpaid and voluntary position with commuting expenses covered, which is based in our Operations Team where as an Intern, you will have the opportunity of supporting all aspects of the IEA’s work.

This programme is aimed at all those with an interest in free-market economics who wish to expand their horizon while contributing to the IEA’s objectives. Candidates are expected to be team players who are happy to work on a range of different tasks and possess a good knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities may include: 

  • Operations support – conducting mailouts, stocktaking, helping with ad hoc requests from other staff members, and hosting events such as IEA Book Club, webinars, lunches, dinners, or awards ceremonies.
  • Office support – manning the Front Office, providing hospitality experience to the stakeholders, preparing the meetings and interviews, or helping with recruitment.
  • Departmental support – data gathering, briefings, proofreading, summaries, press releases and research projects.
  • Personal research – writing blogs, debating and presenting the topics of your interest to the IEA Staff. You will be supported by senior researchers throughout your time working as an intern.
  • Project management – operating systems such as Kanban and Scrum in real-time. Interns led projects such as the digitalisation of the IEA’s phone system or organising a temporary office.

The goal of this internship is for you to develop and expand your skillset, as well as support the operational functions of the think tank. We will therefore attempt to tailor the internship to your personal interests and ambitions, where this is an option. In particular, you will have the chance to work with all departments and different researchers, depending on your areas of expertise and interest. The internship lasts three months. However, depending on your performance, you will have the possibility of extending your time at the IEA further. The internship will be fully on-site at our office in Westminster, London.

If you wish to apply for the Spring 2024 IEA Internship programme (8th April to 28th June 2024, 12 weeks), you must apply by 11:59 PM on Friday 1st March 2024. 

Please address your cover letter to Samuel Cruickshank and fill out this form to apply; Apply here

Applicants are also being considered on a rolling basis for other intakes:

  • Summer 2024 IEA Internship Programme (1st July to 20th September 2024, 12 weeks).
  • Autumn 2024 IEA Internship Programme (23rd September to 13th December 2024, 12 weeks).

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE ABLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, WE DO NOT SPONSOR VISAS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS.

“The internship at the IEA was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. During my time there, I had the opportunity to develop a diverse range of skills such as logistics, blog writing, event planning, and conducting research. It was particularly inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who shared a passion for economics and policy. I also had the privilege of interacting with influential figures from the House of Lords and the House of Commons, which broadened my perspective on the field. The IEA fostered a welcoming and friendly community, and I am eager to participate in future events and continue building on the valuable experiences gained from the internship.” – Emily Glezer (19), Events Intern in the Spring 2023 IEA Internship programme.

DIGITAL INTERNSHIP.

The IEA’s Media Department is looking to hire an intern to support the team’s digital output. This is a full-time internship, with expenses paid.

The primary responsibility will be to record, edit and post all of the department wide media content, later promoting this content across the IEA’s social media channels. The content will support the Institute’s wider mission of improving the understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems. There is no “typical day” for the IEA’s Media team, and the successful candidate may be asked to perform a range of duties.

Desirable skills and experience:

  • Editing digital content on a range of mediums
  • Commitment to accuracy and meticulous attention to detail
  • Experience using editing software such as Adobe Creative Cloud is desirable but not essential
  • Experience in social media marketing is desirable but not essential
  • Passion for free markets
  • Keen interest in digital content and marketing
  • Keen interest in social media content and marketing

There is scope for the role to be part-time. If this is of interest, please state it in your application.

HOW TO APPLY: Applications for the Digital Internship are currently closed.

IEA Global Internship.

DATES:  Applications for IEA Global Internships are currently closed, please check back later for future dates.

AIMED AT: Undergraduate and postgraduate students based in the UK and abroad.

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP: The Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity partners with a plethora of think tanks across Africa and works with them to make their voices that push for greater free trade more effective and louder. If you are interested in African trade and development, want to work with cutting-edge think tanks across the continent and develop your knowledge on the biggest issues facing Africa, then this internship is for you!

The IATP is a project of the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham. We are housed at the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham, where we work under the same roof as dozens of world renowned academics and popular think tanks.

Having an interest in African affairs is vital. The internship will provide you the exciting opportunity to work directly with the IATP’s Director, Alexander Hammond and our 11 partnered think tanks. Your work will be vital to the IATP, and main tasks include executing exciting research projects, creating innovative social media outreach methods, and generally supporting the IATP by conducting an array of meaningful work. You will also have the opportunity to pursue your own research and write articles for our website.

Candidates interested in the internship should be able to commit for a minimum for 15 hours per week, for at least eight weeks. Ideally, candidates will also be able to work from the University of Buckingham, though on a case-by-case basis, we can be flexible with this requirement.

HOW TO APPLY: To apply, please send a CV and short cover letter to Alexander Hammond at [email protected], outlining your area of interest in international trade and African affairs. Please note that this internship opportunity is unpaid.

EPICENTER INTERNSHIP.

DATES:  The current application period for EPICENTER internships is Q2 of 2024 (April – June 2024).

AIMED AT: Undergraduate and postgraduate students based in the UK and the EU.

ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP: EPICENTER is a collaborative network of nine leading free market think-tanks in Europe. It seeks to inform the EU policy debate and promote the principles of a free society by bringing together the economic expertise of its members. If you are interested in European issues, want to use the opportunity to engage in pan-European research and have the necessary basic knowledge about EU institutions, then this opportunity is for you! Speaking additional European languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Lithuanian, Polish, Danish, Greek, or Swedish) would be an advantage. You would be working with a multinational team based in nine capitals of Europe + Brussels, deliver support for our research team, come up with new social media outreach methods and generally help out our staff by conducting meaningful work. Furthermore, you would have the opportunity to pursue your own research and get published on our blog.

Candidates interested in the opportunity should be able to commit for a minimum of three days per week for at least twelve weeks.

HOW TO APPLY: To apply, please send a CV and short cover letter to Adam Bartha at [email protected], outlining your area of interest in European policy-making and EPICENTER itself. Please note that this internship opportunity is unpaid.

CAMP VINSON.

Applications for the 2024 programme have not yet opened.

AIMED AT: Undergraduate students

DATESMonday 26th June – Friday 30th July

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME: The IEA, Vinson Centre, and Institute of International Monetary Research are offering a residential programme at St Antony’s College, Oxford.  

20 participants will have a packed programme of lectures, seminars, debates, discussions, and social activities. 

EDITORIAL INTERNSHIP.

The IEA’s Communications Department is looking to hire an intern to support the team’s editorial output. This is a full-time internship, with expenses paid.

The primary responsibility will be to write, edit and commission articles and draft newsletters, later promoting this content across the IEA’s social media channels. The content will support the Institute’s wider mission of improving the understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems. There is no “typical day” for the IEA’s Communications team, and the successful candidate may be asked to perform a range of duties.

Desirable skills and experience:

  • Editing copy to a high standard
  • Strong writing skills
  • Interest in domestic and international news
  • Understanding of economics and policy ideas
  • Passion for free markets
  • Experience with promoting content on social media
  • Commitment to accuracy and meticulous attention to detail

There is scope for the role to be part-time and remote. If this is of interest, please state it in your application.

HOW TO APPLY: Applications for the Editorial Internship are open on a rolling basis. To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to [email protected].

FUTURE THOUGHT LEADERS’ PROGRAMME: SIXTH FORM (April).

Applications for the 2024 programme have not yet opened.

DATES: Monday 3rd – Thursday 6th April 2023; OR Tuesday 11th April – Friday 14th April 2023

AIMED AT: A – Level / IB students

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME: This week-long programme for sixth formers is a way to get experience discussing economic ideas and concepts beyond the exam curriculum. The week will include lectures, discussions, and debates with expert economists. Participants will hear from people in academia and politics about career opportunities, and at the end of the week the interns will debate on current affairs.

FUTURE THOUGHT LEADERS’ PROGRAMME: SIXTH FORM (July).

Applications for the 2024 programme have not yet opened.

DATESMonday 10th – Friday 14th July 2023

AIMED AT: A – Level / IB students 

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME: This week-long programme for sixth formers is a way to get experience discussing economic ideas and concepts beyond the exam curriculum. The week will include lectures, discussions, and debates with expert economists. Participants will hear from people in academia and politics about career opportunities, and at the end of the week the interns will debate on current affairs.

TESTIMONIALS:
“I honestly enjoyed it so much and miss my whole time there! I will make sure to recommend it to anyone interested in economics.”
“I have truly found this to be an invaluable experience and I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to participate!”
“I would recommend it to anyone who has a passion for economics and an intellectual curiosity to learn more.”

FUTURE THOUGHT LEADERS’ PROGRAMME: UNDERGRADUATES.

Applications for the 2024 programme have not yet opened.

AIMED AT: Undergraduate students

DATESTuesday 1st – Friday 18th August 2023 

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME: Every summer, the IEA welcomes students from around the world for a packed programme of lectures, seminars, debates, discussions, and social activities. Participants will also participate in workshops on career and professional development, come up with policy proposals, and participate in a research project to present at the end of the 3 weeks.

TESTIMONIALS:

“Thank you for enabling this wonderful, inspiring internship programme! I was impressed by the vast variety of topics covered in talks, debates and discussions and feel that this internship has added great value to my personal development.”

“I know I will look back on my summer as one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It’s been absolutely rewarding to take part in debates and seminars on a wide array of issues. Thanks for the support that has made my summer intellectually stimulating and very entertaining at the same time!”

Intern of the Year Award 2021.

Venesse Chan has been awarded IEA Intern of the Year for 2021.

Tufel Miah, IEA Finance Manager, said:

“Venesse was hardworking, diligent and conscientious. She had a friendly temperament and approached all her tasks enthusiastically, respecting set deadlines and following agreed instructions correctly. With time Venesse’s confidence grew enormously and related well with all IEA staff and external stakeholders. She contributed to all areas of IEA’s functions, namely, Operations, programmes and communication team.”

Congratulations Venesse!