KIP Summer 2026 - Research Intern - Paragon Health Institute

The Koch Internship Program (KIP) is a paid, 12-week experiential learning program run by Stand Together Fellowships that offers meaningful work experience at non-profits all over the United States tackling some of our nation's most pressing challenges. Eligible candidates will be geographically located within the U.S. and authorized to work in the U.S. through the duration of the program.

Throughout your internship, you will gain meaningful professional experience at a partner organization and participate in professional development built around a 2-day, in-person summit hosted by Stand Together Fellowships at Stand Together's Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, supported by virtual programming that takes place every other Thursday between 1- 3:30 pm ET. Interns will receive either a $7,500 or $5,500 stipend from Stand Together Fellowships depending on whether they are participating full-time (40 hours/week) or part-time (24 hours/week).

The programming provided by Stand Together Fellowships focuses on three objectives:

1. understanding the foundational principles of a free society such as individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and the rule of law;

2. learning the Stand Together community's vision for change and how a principled approach to problem solving can help address society's biggest challenges; and

3. presenting opportunities and pathways to build a career that advances liberty and free society.

Successful candidates will interview with both our non-profit partner organizations and Stand Together Fellowships staff, so we strongly encourage you to apply in advance!

Please note that all Koch Internship Program interns MUST be available every Thursday from 1-4:00 PM ET for virtual professional development training AND the in-person summit at Stand Together's Headquarters in Arlington, VA June 3-4.

Paragon Health Institute is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan research institution that examines how government health programs are working and develops health policy solutions to make life better for Americans. Paragon’s team is uniquely positioned to draw on their experiences in medicine, law, economics, and government to evaluate the effectiveness of and problems with existing programs, formulate effective policies, and challenge the entrenched forces that perpetuate an inefficient status quo. Paragon’s orientation is to empower patients, unleash providers and entrepreneurs to develop methods and products to improve American well-being, and reform government programs to align incentives to focus on maximizing value from our health care expenditures.

Tasks as Assigned

●      Complete tasks as assigned, which may include but not limited to the following:

o   Social media and website posts

o   Basic research and writing

o   Infographic creation

o   Other tasks as assigned

●      Support ongoing work and research at Paragon

o   Note taking of health policy hearings, events and news monitoring

Research Assistance

●      Assist Paragon Health Institute staff with research and policy development.

●      Compile and organize relevant data from diverse sources, including government reports, academic studies, and policy documents.

o   Ensure accuracy and completeness.

●      Support the design and implementation of research projects by assisting with data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Research Project

●      Intern is asked to complete, author, and publish a short research paper with Paragon Health Institute on a topic of the intern’s interest, which is approved by Paragon staff.

●      Intern will work closely with Paragon Staff to draft, review, and analyze the research project.

●      Intern will be expected to complete work on the research project on Fridays (Paragon’s remote workdays).

Strong preference for full time, would be open to part time for the right candidate.

• Entrepreneurial self-starter with high initiative and intellectual curiosity, eager to explore complex policy issues and contribute to a fast-paced think tank environment.
• Strong interest in health policy, with a demonstrated desire to learn about and engage with topics such as Medicare, Medicaid, the ACA, and health care financing in a freemarket oriented lens.
• Excellent research and communication skills, capable of conducting original analysis, synthesizing information quickly, and clearly summarizing key takeaways from policy events and hearings.
• Adaptable and detail-oriented, comfortable juggling a wide range of tasks—from note-taking at Congressional briefings to drafting memos and assisting with data analysis.

Stand Together Fellowships believes that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. Our admissions office treats all program participants and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (including medical needs which may arise from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.