Application Guide
How to Apply for Policy Intern (Summer 2026)
at Battelle
🏢 About Battelle
Battelle is a unique non-profit organization where scientific innovation directly serves humanitarian goals, operating without shareholder pressure to focus on creating technologies for global safety, health, and security. Unlike typical corporate R&D firms, Battelle's mission-driven approach allows employees to work on projects with tangible societal impact, from environmental solutions to national security challenges. This makes it an ideal workplace for those who want their technical or policy work to contribute to meaningful, real-world change.
About This Role
As a Policy Intern at Battelle, you'll support research and analysis on pressing global issues, helping to translate scientific and technological advancements into actionable policy solutions. You'll collaborate directly with scientists and engineers, bridging the gap between innovation and practical implementation to address challenges like climate change, public health, or cybersecurity. This role offers hands-on experience in how interdisciplinary teams at a mission-driven organization develop policies that create a safer, healthier world.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a virtual team meeting to discuss ongoing policy research on a topic like renewable energy adoption, followed by independent analysis of scientific reports or government regulations. In the afternoon, you could collaborate with an engineer to draft a policy brief on emerging technologies, then attend a webinar on global health trends to inform your work. The day often ends with summarizing findings and preparing updates for project stakeholders, all while engaging remotely with colleagues across different disciplines.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Battelle Is Looking For
- A current student or recent graduate in public policy, international relations, political science, or a related field with demonstrated coursework or projects in policy analysis.
- Someone with strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, able to synthesize complex information from scientific reports, government documents, and academic literature.
- A collaborative team player who thrives in interdisciplinary environments, comfortable communicating with both technical experts and policy stakeholders.
- A curious, mission-driven individual passionate about global challenges like climate change, public health crises, or technological ethics, with specific examples of interest in these areas.
📝 Tips for Applying to Battelle
Highlight any experience analyzing scientific or technical reports in academic or volunteer work, as Battelle values candidates who can bridge policy and STEM fields.
Tailor your resume to include keywords like 'policy analysis,' 'interdisciplinary collaboration,' and 'global challenges,' mirroring the language in Battelle's job description.
If you have remote work experience, emphasize your ability to stay productive and communicative in virtual teams, since this internship is remote.
Research and reference a specific Battelle project or initiative (e.g., their work in environmental sustainability or national security) to show genuine interest in their mission.
Include a portfolio or links to past policy-related work, such as research papers, blog posts, or presentations, to demonstrate your analytical capabilities concretely.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Explain your passion for applying policy to scientific and technological innovations, with a specific example of a global challenge you care about (e.g., AI governance or pandemic preparedness).', 'Describe a past experience where you collaborated in a diverse team, highlighting how you contributed to a research or analysis project.', "Connect your skills to Battelle's mission by mentioning how your background aligns with their focus on creating a 'safer, healthier, more secure world.'", "Express curiosity about Battelle's non-profit model and how it allows for mission-driven work, showing you understand their unique organizational structure."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Battelle's recent projects or publications on their website, focusing on areas like environmental science, health security, or defense technology to understand their current priorities.
- → Learn about Battelle's non-profit status and how it influences their work, including their history and key partnerships with government agencies or NGOs.
- → Review their mission statement and values to see how they frame 'doing the greatest good for humanity,' and think about how your interests align.
- → Look into the backgrounds of Battelle's leadership or policy team members on LinkedIn to understand the types of expertise valued at the organization.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning Battelle's specific mission or projects, which can suggest lack of genuine interest.
- Overemphasizing theoretical policy knowledge without showing how it applies to real-world, science-driven challenges.
- Failing to demonstrate collaboration skills or experience in diverse teams, as this role requires working closely with scientists and engineers.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!