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Edgetheory › Research and Training Lab › Student Internships
Our internship program provides students with real-world experience applying the technology and techniques of narrative analytics — a mix of human and artificial intelligence. Interns apply these methods to their own field of study and graduate with a substantive portfolio of work that increases their value to prospective employers.
Narrative Intelligence is the skill of understanding how information shapes what people think, decide, and do. In a world where stories spread instantly across social media, news, and AI-generated content, organizations need technologies—and people who understand how to use them—to spot emerging trends, detect influence campaigns, and make sense of fast-moving information.
This field sits at the intersection of communication, data, and critical thinking. An internship in Narrative Intelligence gives students a front-row seat to how real-world narratives form and spread, and teaches them how to analyze, interpret, and communicate insights in a way that prepares them for careers in government, business, media, and any field that depends on understanding how information moves.
Interns are trained on EdgeTheory's Narrative Analytics systems and the research methods that support their use by government, corporate, and non-profit clients. All interns learn to:
All Interns Learn To
Understand how narrative analytics applies to their chosen field of study.
Identify new opportunities and insights using AI.
Build AI-generated Narrative Intelligence Briefs that analyze global conversations.
Apply these AI & Narrative Intelligence techniques to their academic/professional fields.
Every EdgeTheory Lab intern contributed to projects in one or more areas of applied work. This ensures a well-rounded experience that provides each intern with an optimal blend of technology, analysis, and communication – important combinations in the emerging workforce.
Students apply narrative insights to the design and testing of new tools and solutions. This track emphasizes problem-solving, innovation, and connecting research findings to real-world applications used by clients in government, business, and media.
Interns work directly with AI platforms, data analysis, and visualization tools. This gives students hands-on exposure to the systems that power narrative intelligence, from gathering and cleaning data to interpreting patterns in global information flows.
Interns learn how narratives are amplified and communicated across channels. Projects may include publishing narrative research, developing briefs, and shaping content that illustrates trends in international conflict, healthcare, politics, and more.
Interns gain hands-on experience with both AI systems and narrative intelligence methods, learning to apply advanced tools in ways that connect directly to their field of study. The program is designed so that students from diverse majors—computer engineering, communications, business, political science, and more—find meaningful opportunities to apply their skills.
The Lab's Technical Innovation component provides advanced projects for computer science students with hands-on work across four dimensions:
Skillwork
Using AI-enhanced programming skills to build automated collection & analysis tools.
Collaborating with the Product team to build tools that provide immediate value to their processes.
Iterating over proof-of-concept features that will emerge as larger software innovation projects.
Training
Basics: advanced spreadsheet formulas & script-writing for beginners
Software intro: Version control (GitHub), AI integration in code editing, continuity across projects for software architecture and UX design
Tech projects: designing new tools that are self-contained, but integrate well
Interpersonal skills: solving & solutioning with non-technical colleagues with the right blend of authority, enthusiasm & humility
This track provides hands-on exposure to the backbone of narrative intelligence technology.
Interns across disciplines learn how to research, curate, and analyze digital narratives that drive global conversations. Assignments include:
Skillwork
Combining real-world knowledge & analysis training with advanced AI techniques & workflows to improve EdgeTheory tools.
Collaborating with the Tech Innovation team to build better tools and automated workflows.
Supporting the Writing team with robust analysis tools for their project needs.
Training
Narrative Intelligence Analysis
Technical Adaptability — continuous research and timely implementation of emerging AI capabilities
Professional Adaptability — playing both leadership & support roles on composite teams
Students develop the ability to spot signals in the noise and understand how stories influence real-world decisions.
For students interested in writing, marketing, or communications, the internship offers opportunities to publish narrative-driven reports. Projects may include:
Skillwork
Uncovering narrative risks and opportunities in diverse fields (geopolitics, economics, supply chain, etc) by applying real-world knowledge, research skills & advanced AI techniques to EdgeTheory narrative intelligence tools.
Collaborating with the Product team to build products and capabilities that will support current and future publishing work.
Monitoring current events to focus research and publishing on the most timely issues for clients and potential clients.
Training
Geostrategic publishing techniques: OSINT research, writing style selection
EdgeTheory systems & tools: control panel, console, vector queries, brief scraping — narrative scoring, chatbot, key themes
Structuring publications — formatting, adaptability in applying standard templates and techniques to novel/unique topics
This experience blends communication skills with cutting-edge data analysis, making graduates highly marketable.
EdgeTheory staff hold regular meetings with interns to explain assignments, provide supplemental training, and answer questions. In addition:
Interns receive one-on-one mentoring and feedback on their projects.
Collaborative sessions allow students to share insights and learn from peers nationwide.
Opportunity to lead projects of a gradually increasing level of complexity and responsibility.
This structure ensures students leave with not just skills, but also relationships and guidance to carry into their careers.
Interns commit to one term (fall, spring, or summer). Many opt to continue for several more, as they advance their training in one or more divisions.
Interns typically commit to 5-10 hours per week during semesters and up to 20 hours over summer. Most work is completed during online group meetings, which are offered 4x daily. Highly trained interns are given progressively more opportunities to work on projects in their own time.
Interns become members of one primary division for work and training. They are encouraged, however, to collaborate with other divisions and, in many cases, to take on a hybrid role. Whether the ratio is 9:1 or 5:5, the cross-training provides value to the Lab and prepares each intern for the kind of collaboration that will be highly valued in their future professions.
Take the first step toward building a career shaped by AI and narrative intelligence by applying today.
