Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization: The Hoover Institution is a nonpartisan public policy think tank located at Stanford University, dedicated to addressing significant national challenges. The Project on China’s Global Sharp Power (CGSP) within Hoover delivers data-driven analysis and actionable solutions to equip decision-makers in building resilient, balanced, and vigilant relationships with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). CGSP focuses on combating the PRC’s malign influence globally, tracking progress in critical technologies, and safeguarding the security and integrity of America’s research enterprise.

Internship Summary: Join the Hoover Institution's Project on China’s Global Sharp Power for a dynamic summer internship. As a Research Intern, you will actively contribute to ongoing projects, including research on Chinese subnational diplomacy and China’s dominance in the global batteries industry. This opportunity is ideal for students eager to gain experience in empirical policy research, understand the operational infrastructure of think tanks, and contribute to advancing public understanding of complex geopolitical issues. The CGSP team is collaborative, providing an environment where interns can enhance their research skills and build domain knowledge in China studies.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct research for reports on contemporary China and the US-China relationship.
• Source and analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to policy issues, contributing to evidence-based research.
• Support convenings of policymakers and subject matter experts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Intellectual curiosity about geopolitics is required.
• Proactivity in communicating challenges, stumbling blocks, and requests for support.
• Comfort in a workplace environment that encourages collaboration, failure, and experimentation.
• Prior knowledge about contemporary China is a plus.
• Chinese language skills are a plus.
• Experience analyzing patent, trade, and market data is a plus.
• Proficiency in data science and statistical methods is a plus.
• Proficiency in coding (Python) is a plus.

About the Supervisor: Your supervisor will be Frances Hisgen, the research program manager for the Project on China’s Global Sharp Power. Frances brings valuable experience from her roles at ChinaFile, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, and Caixin in Beijing. Glenn Tiffert, a distinguished research fellow at the Hoover Institution, will also direct your work.

Location, Modality and Commute: The team operates at 434 Galvez Mall, Stanford, California, 94305, with a flexible schedule due to frequent travel. The internship is primarily remote, allowing interns to work from anywhere. For those based in California, a hybrid work schedule in the office is accommodated, and travel stipends are available for short in-office periods.

Start and End Date: Summer internships will take place during the period of June 10 - September 27, with specific dates to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process.+