Data Science Intern

About the Internship

The Datalab of The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) offers an exciting internship opportunity for aspiring data scientists. This internship provides invaluable experience working on significant global issues, with clients including major corporations, government ministries, development aid agencies, and security providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research and collect, analyze, and visualize data.
• Assist in policy development and recommendations.
• (Optional) Engage in basic software or monitor development.
• (Optional) Professionalize and standardize NLP pipeline.
• (Optional) Plan and write your own snapshot paper for publication or give a presentation.

Requirements

• Strong quantitative background or demonstrated affinity for quantitative fields such as computer science, statistics, mathematics, physics, engineering, or econometrics.
• Fluency in Python.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong work ethic and willingness to learn.
• Affinity for policy research.
• Structured way of working and ability to document your own work.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with statistical and scientific computing, machine learning, NLP, or optimization.
• Experience with dashboarding, visualization, or web development (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Streamlit).
• Experience with NLP tasks such as topic modeling and sentiment analysis.
• Experience with Generative AI, LLMs, and LMstudio.
• Experience with version control tools such as Git.
• Experience with Docker, containerization, and deploying code on servers.
• Data management and/or systems engineering skills.
• First-principles thinking.

Eligibility

• The internship lasts six months, with a possibility of a shorter duration under exceptional circumstances.
• Applicants must be enrolled as a university student for the entire duration of the internship.
• Interns should be able to commit to a forty-hour workweek.
• Successful applicants are required to provide a certificate of good conduct from the Netherlands Ministry of Justice.

Application Procedure

To apply, send the following items:

• A resume, including a list of references.
• A cover letter demonstrating how your data skills can be applied to data-intensive policy research and your availability to start the internship.
• Proof of university enrollment, valid for the entire duration of the internship.
• An official transcript of academic grades.
• If possible, a portfolio of previous data projects, including the code (or a GitHub address).

Practical Information

• The internship is paid: €675 per month.
• Eligible applicants will be invited for an interview.
• The internship will be carried out at the HCSS office in The Hague, with potential working arrangements discussed during the interview process.

HCSS is committed to prioritizing qualifications and skills in hiring decisions, without discrimination based on personal characteristics such as race, religion, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation.