Newsroom Engineering Intern, HQ (Summer 2027)

About the role

POLITICO is seeking a Newsroom Engineering intern for Summer 2027. The intern will help reporters and editors solve real workflow problems with practical, responsible technology, with the goal to help shape the future of newsroom tools and workflows. This opportunity sits at the intersection of journalism, product thinking, and technology, supporting experiments and internal tools that help reporters and editors work more effectively. You’ll help research newsroom needs, code real tools, and evaluate AI-assisted workflows in newsroom contexts.

Location: Arlington, VA (HQ)

Responsibilities

• Own at least one scoped project that improves how reporters or editors work
• Contribute to other Newsroom Engineering projects by writing code, building prototypes, testing features and documenting technical decisions
• Research and document workflow challenges facing reporters and editors
• Help identify opportunities to improve newsroom processes and internal tools
• Test prototypes and internal tools with realistic reporting and editing scenarios
• Help evaluate AI-assisted workflows for accuracy, usefulness, risk and editorial fit
• Participate in conversations about responsible technology usage in newsroom products and workflows

Qualifications

You have both journalistic instincts and a technical aptitude. You like understanding how reporters and editors work, where workflows break down, and how tools can help. You’re thoughtful about emerging technologies, including AI, and interested in how they can support journalism. You’re comfortable collaborating across multiple stakeholders, especially with reporters, editors, product managers and engineers.

Skills

• Demonstrated interest in Washington, politics and policy
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently under deadlines
• Entrepreneurial mindset
• Proven experience in a newsroom (at least one professional news media internship or job preferred)
• Familiarity with basic technical concepts, digital tools, or prototyping workflows is preferred
• Interest in AI and emerging technologies as they relate to journalism and editorial work

Benefits

Be a part of the biggest stories in Washington as they unfold, with a behind-the-scenes view of how news gets made. Build your skills through biweekly intern-specific trainings, newsroom sessions and direct feedback. Understand how journalists actually work at one of the largest political newsrooms in the world, spot where technology can make a difference, and test ideas quickly enough to learn from them.

Pay

$23/hr

Schedule

Hybrid, full-time 40 hours/week