Analyst Intern (Data & Research Focus)

About You

The Protagonist Intern has a passion for understanding the deeply held beliefs -- the narratives -- that drive perceptions of critical issues around the globe. Our interns support the continued development of our Narrative Analytics offering and related products by finding and isolating the conversations that matter - from both online media and traditional sources. You have a passion for understanding what drives the deeply held beliefs held by populations around the world, are data-savvy, have outstanding analytical skills, and are creative and enthusiastic about using the power of narratives to understand how perceptions drive action. Attention to detail and comfort with ambiguity are key attributes.

Primary Responsibilities

Over the course of the internship, the intern will take an active role in casework related to understanding narratives that drive global populations. The intern will be expected to collaborate across teams on both client deliverables and internal process priorities.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research on trending online narratives declined to influence perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of global populations
• Work with teams to articulate the narratives held about specific topics or held by various international populations, and write reports that clearly and succinctly convey the team’s findings
• Manipulate large datasets using ML, LLMs, and other techniques to surface trends, patterns, and draw meaningful conclusions
• Implement research plans for assigned projects, based on discussions with members of various project teams
• Collaborate with the case teams to identify and visualize insights that answer key client questions

Requirements 

• Authorized to work in the US
• Bachelor’s Degree, (MA or MS students preferred)
• Must be able to work on US Government contracts that may be restricted to US citizens; existing security clearance (SECRET or higher) a plus
• Strong research and writing skills are required, including ability to synthesize open source research and independently write an international affairs/history analysis piece
• Background in data analysis or data science and experience working with large datasets in Datagrip, Python, Tableau, and Excel 
• Course work in international relations and/or a focus in communications and related fields is a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills; able to communicate complex problems with clarity
• Able to work independently as well as part of a cross-functional team
• Ability to meet tight deadlines, under pressure, with outstanding attention to detail
• Love working in a fast-paced, startup environment full of complexity, ambiguity and change
• Available to work a minimum of 20 hours/week throughout the semester
• This is not a fully remote position; interns must be able to work in our Washington DC office 1-2 days per week.

Additional Information

Protagonist is a values-driven company that is committed to doing meaningful work for organizations we respect.  We are deeply committed to centering racial and gender justice in the work we produce, in our engagement with clients, and in our internal operations.  We believe in the promise of democratic governance and the responsibility of civic participation, and are building a culture that supports these commitments.

Protagonist is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce and is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

The internship pays $19.00 / hour or the applicable local minimum wage rate, whichever is higher.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.