The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab, the award-winning creative and digital production department at CSIS, continues to be the gold standard for innovation in the global think tank space by using cutting-edge multimedia production to bring policy research to life.

The iDeas Lab enhances CSIS's policy research and analysis with the latest in web development, design, video, and audio. You can see some of our workat ideaslab.csis.org or www.github.com/CSIS-iLab.  

The data visualization intern will translate datasets into graphs, charts, and other data visualizations to be featured in CSIS’s premiere product – our publications. The core of this position is to process data and quickly produce relevant data visualizations. You will work in a creative environment with other designers who are eager to bring information to life on the web and across platforms, partnering with some of the most respected foreign policy experts and researchers.

The ideal candidate has soliddesign backgroundand communication skills. They also bring a passion for bridging the intersection between data, design, technology, and foreign policy/national security.

The successful candidate will be eager to improve their skills and contribute to CSIS’s vision of telling fact-based public policy stories. The candidate will have strong problem-solving skills and independent self-direction, coupled with an aptitude for design and collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team.Additionally, the candidate will be a team player, possessoutstanding communication and project management skills, and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced and innovative environment while meeting tight deadlines.

The hired candidate will be paid hourly, commensurate with experience ($18.40/hour for current undergraduate hires, $19.40/hour for hires with a bachelor’s degree, and $20.40/hour for hires with a master’s degree).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design data visualizations using Flourish and Datawrapper. Create infographics.

• Help researchers, analysts, and non-technical partners to effectively communicate their findings using data.

• Work closely with iDeas Lab designers to merge data visualizations with the layout of publications.

• Support the team to gather feedback from clients and partners to continually improve the products and tools we create.

• Support the design, layout, and illustration of communication materials for print and digital platforms, including reports and presentations.

Knowledge, Education, and Experience

• B.A./B.S./A.B. in relevant field (information design, data visualization, computer science, graphic design) or other relevant experience, including bootcamp training or freelance work.

• 1+ years of experience in data visualization design.

• Solid understanding of data visualization design best practices and general design principles.

• Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator, SVG files, and HTML syntax.

• Ability to handle tabular data, format CSV files (Excel), and perform basic spreadsheet calculations.

• Experience in receiving feedback gracefully, knowing how to respond appropriately to client concerns and how to iterate and improve designs based on feedback. 

• Strong interest in global affairs and public policy.

SOME TECHNOLOGIES WE USE IN THE iDEAS LAB

• Flourish and Datawrapper

• Adobe C Suite, JS libraries and frameworks like React, Vue, Highcharts, D3, and jQuery

• Mapping tools like QGIS, Mapbox, Leaflet and Carto

• Typefi

You don’t need to be proficient in all of these, but familiarity with some is a plus and a willingness to learn is key.