Science Desk & Short Wave Internship - Fall/Winter 2025

Job Description:

OVERVIEW

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide. 

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR. This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

INTRO TO POSITION

Program Duration: October 6th, 2025 - April 17th, 2026

We’re looking for an editorial intern to join the Science desk and Short Wave podcast teams. An ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, creative, curious, open to learning and unafraid to jump right in. The intern will spend the first half of the internship on the desk before moving to the podcast team for the second half. Across the two teams, you'll get the opportunity to do a little of everything (research, fact-check, write and report, produce) that goes into great journalism and you will come away with a large portfolio. A science background and a sense of humor are definite pluses. 

For the first half of the internship (14 weeks), the Science desk intern would be expected to report and produce digital stories for the desk’s three sections: Shots (our blog focusing on domestic health); Goats and Soda (our blog dedicated to global health and development); and general science. The intern would be expected to pitch ideas jumping off of news developments, take assignments from desk editors, and assist in reporting stories by NPR correspondents. They would cover breaking events and press briefings, and be able to assess scientific papers to determine newsworthiness. The intern would then produce those stories for NPR’s website in a timely fashion. 

For the second half of this internship (14 weeks), you will embed with NPR’s flagship science podcast, Short Wave. The team covers a wide swath of the sciences and aims to give listeners a better understanding of the science around them — all in under 15 minutes. Be it through an engaging conversation, a sound-rich story or a fun explainer of the news, we aspire to make science accessible and relevant to everyone in each episode. A lot of the day-to-day tasks include those outlined in the Science desk portion of the internship, but instead of focusing on digital content, you will learn how to apply those skills to audio formats, helping to co-create the Short Wave podcast four times a week.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.    

Interns will have the opportunity to experience & support the work of the team in the following areas:

• Pitch story and episode ideas for both the Science desk and Short Wave
• Report and produce stories on general science, domestic health and global health
• Assess science papers and other research developments for newsworthiness
• Fact-check Short Wave episodes (during second half of internship)
• Help research, book guests and write interview questions for original, enterprise reporting on the Science desk and for Short Wave
• Assist in episode audio production and promotion (during second half of internship)
• Collaborate with NPR Science desk reporters and editors, as well as Short Wave producers, reporters and hosts
• Complete a “capstone” project for each team (Science and Short Wave) consisting of an originally reported feature that you’re proud of and can put at the top of your journalism portfolio
• All work of the intern is to be performed under the close supervision of the host teams

A strong internship candidate for this role might have:

• Excellent research and written/verbal communication skills 
• Ability to work independently, quickly, and accurately
• Easy to work and collaborate with, even on tight deadlines
• Demonstrated interest in news and creative storytelling
• Some audio production experience
• Knowledge or background in a science field
• Sense of humor

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Resume 
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample

EDUCATION

• Must be a current student in an accredited degree program or a recent graduate of no more than 12 months from the month of the start of the internship. 

WORK LOCATION

• Remote Permitted: This is a remote permitted role. This role is based out of our Washington, DC office but the employee may choose to work on a remote basis from a location that NPR approves.

JOB TYPE

• This is a temporary (28-week) full time internship.

COMPENSATION

Hourly Rate: The U.S. based anticipated hourly rate for this opportunity is $20.00 per hour. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum hourly rate NPR expects to provide for internships across all US locations.

Benefits: NPR provides interns with multiple benefits and amenities. Interns receive immediate eligibility to contribute electively to a Principal 403(b) retirement plan and access to the Transit Flexible Spending Account for commuter benefits. Interns working out of DC HQ enjoy free access to on-site Cigna medical providers, no cost fitness center access, as well as bike facilities and garage parking available onsite. Interns can access the Employee Assistance Program which provides confidential counseling services as well as Business Travel Accident coverage and Global Guardian membership and they also qualify for Signal Financial Federal Credit Union membership. NPR interns who work 30 or more hours per week are eligible for holiday pay. This includes pay for the company’s 10 observed holidays plus one floating holiday per year. Interns automatically earn 3.08 hours of sick leave each pay period without any waiting time restrictions and can utilize paid administrative leave as necessary. Interns have access to professional development opportunities and can benefit from flexible work hours and telecommuting options.

SCHEDULE

40 hours per week, typically on a 9-to-5:30 ET schedule. 

Applications close on Monday, June 30th at 11:59 pm ET.

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Pay Range

$20 - $20 USD

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to employeerelations@npr.org.

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