Berkman Klein Center Internship
The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University has opened applications for its Summer 2026 internship program. This ten-week program runs from late May 2026 through early August 2026. Participants work at the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Berkman Klein Center Internship provides students with the opportunity to conduct research on the legal, social, and technical aspects of the internet.
- 📍 Role: Summer Research Intern
- 💰 Salary: $25.00 per hour (Undergraduate/Graduate)
- 📍 Location: Cambridge, MA (In-person)
- 📅 Duration: 10 weeks (May 26 – July 31, 2026)
- 🛠️ Hours: 35 hours per week
- 🏁 Deadline: 10 February 2026
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Overview of the Berkman Klein Center Internship
The Berkman Klein Center Internship is a structured summer program for students interested in the intersection of technology and society. The center operates as an interdisciplinary research hub at Harvard University. Interns assist faculty and senior researchers with ongoing projects. These projects involve data collection, literature reviews, and the drafting of white papers. The program requires 35 hours of work per week.
Interns receive a workspace at the center’s facilities in Cambridge. The program does not offer remote work options for the Summer 2026 session. All participants must secure their own housing in the Boston area. The center provides administrative support for visa processing for international students. The Berkman Klein Center Internship pays a gross hourly wage of $25.00, which is subject to standard state and federal tax withholdings.
Specific Research Areas and Project Tracks
The Berkman Klein Center Internship assigns participants to specific research tracks based on their academic background and technical skills. These tracks focus on current challenges in digital governance and technology ethics.
- 📍 Artificial Intelligence and Governance: Interns analyze the regulatory frameworks for generative AI. Tasks include documenting international policy shifts and auditing algorithmic bias in public sector tools.
- 📍 Trust and Safety: This track focuses on platform moderation and online discourse. Interns track trends in disinformation and assist in the development of tools to measure the impact of social media on democratic institutions.
- 📍 Digital Privacy and Surveillance: Researchers in this track examine data collection practices. Interns assist with the analysis of biometric data laws and the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies.
- 📍 Education and Youth: This project explores how digital media affects learning. Interns work on the “Digital Media and Learning” initiative to evaluate educational technology tools used in K-12 schools.
- 📍 Open Source and Infrastructure: Interns support the development of open-source software and digital commons. This track involves technical documentation and research into the sustainability of open-source ecosystems.
Technical and Academic Requirements
The Berkman Klein Center Internship is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and doctoral candidates from any discipline. The center seeks individuals with a record of academic research or technical development.
Candidates for the Berkman Klein Center Internship must meet the following criteria:
- 📍 Enrollment Status: Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited degree program or be a recent graduate (within one year of the application date).
- 📍 Research Proficiency: Interns must demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research using academic databases and legal archives.
- 📍 Technical Literacy: Basic knowledge of coding languages such as Python or R is required for data-focused tracks. Familiarity with GitHub and Markdown is preferred for technical documentation.
- 📍 Writing Skills: The role requires the production of factual, neutral reports. Interns must be able to summarize complex legal or technical concepts for a general audience.
- 📍 Collaboration: Participants must work in small teams of three to five people. The program includes weekly “Skill-Share” sessions where interns present their findings to the full cohort.
The Application and Selection Process
The selection process for the Berkman Klein Center Internship begins in February 2026. The center uses a multi-stage review process to evaluate candidates.
- Online Application: Candidates submit a CV and a two-page personal statement. The statement must describe the applicant’s specific interest in one of the center’s research tracks.
- Work Samples: Applicants for research tracks must provide a five-page writing sample. Technical applicants must provide a link to a GitHub repository or a portfolio of completed coding projects.
- Reference Letters: Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional supervisors are required.
- Interviews: Finalists participate in a 30-minute video interview with project leads. These interviews assess technical competence and alignment with the specific needs of the research team.
- Final Notification: The center issues offers of internship by the first week of April 2026.
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Administrative and Financial Details
The Berkman Klein Center Internship provides a total pre-tax compensation of approximately $8,750.00 for the 10-week duration. Payments occur on a bi-weekly basis through the Harvard University payroll system.
The center provides all necessary computer equipment and software licenses. Interns have access to the Harvard University library system and digital archives. The program includes a structured “Summer Speaker Series” featuring lectures from Harvard faculty and industry leaders in the technology sector. These sessions occur every Tuesday and Thursday during the lunch hour.
Participants in the Berkman Klein Center Internship do not receive university credit automatically. Students must coordinate with their home institutions if they wish to receive academic credit for the program. The center provides documentation of completed hours and tasks to assist with these requests.
Project Deliverables and Final Evaluation
Every participant in the Berkman Klein Center Internship must complete a final project deliverable. This deliverable varies by track but typically consists of a research paper, a software tool, or a policy memorandum.
At the conclusion of the program, interns receive a written performance evaluation from their project lead. This evaluation summarizes the intern’s contributions to the center’s research goals. Many Berkman Klein Center Internship participants contribute to peer-reviewed journals or institutional reports published by the center. The program concludes with a “Poster Session” where interns display their work to the Harvard community.
The center maintains an alumni network for former interns. This network provides a forum for continued collaboration on research related to internet law and policy. Applying for the Berkman Klein Center Internship is a formal process conducted through the Harvard University careers portal.
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Head of Business Development, Alula Animation. With 10 years in advertising and sustained involvement in startups and entrepreneurship since graduating from business school and the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Beloved researches and writes practical business analysis and verified job-market insights for The Business Pulse Africa.
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