Internship: Instructional Design

Help plan, design, and deliver high-quality training programs for global learners!

We're seeking an Instructional Design Intern who brings curiosity about instructional design and a commitment to creating experiences that drive real change. You'll support our work with federal agencies on high-stakes challenges, from organizational onboarding to international development, helping shape how thousands of learners worldwide discover their potential.

NOTE: This DC-based role requires regular in-person work. Coursework samples or a class project are welcome in place of a professional portfolio. If your program allows it, this internship can be set up to fulfill a practicum or capstone requirement. Let us know and we will work with your faculty advisor.

✔️ What You’ll Do

• Help design learning solutions that create lasting behavioral change
• Contribute to needs assessments that uncover what learners actually need to succeed
• Apply learning sciences to design and evaluate experiences, drawing on adult learning theory, cognitive science, and motivation research
• Build accessible resources across modalities: instructor-led sessions, eLearning, simulations, job aids, and multimedia
• Support visual design aligned with client branding and learner engagement
• Assist with onsite training delivery and adapt to learners in real time
• Learn from our design team through hands-on mentorship, and bring fresh ideas to our practice

✔️ What You Bring: You'll work alongside experienced designers, applying learning sciences to real client work and connecting design decisions to measurable outcomes.

Required

• Currently enrolled in an instructional design, ed-tech, or learning-sciences program
• Strong communication skills, translating complex concepts clearly across technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• Detail-oriented, measuring success by learner outcomes rather than deliverables
• Sound judgment with confidential and sensitive information

Preferred

• Coursework or class projects showing both strategic thinking and execution
• Familiarity with authoring tools and learning management systems
• Interest in gamification, scenario-based learning, or other strategies that boost motivation and transfer
• Exposure to international development, federal contracting, or foreign assistance work
• Experience designing or delivering learning for multilingual or non-native English audiences