Research Associate - NetBeacon - Intern

Public Interest Registry (PIR, the Reston, VA-based non-profit operator of the .ORG top-level domain with more than 11 million active registrations worldwide) has an outstanding opportunity for a Netbeacon Institute Intern for the summer of 2025. 

As part of PIR’s continuing mission to be an exemplary domain name registry and industry thought leader that also serves as a valued resource to those working to improve our world, we are seeking an enthusiastic, organized individual who is passionate and hard working. The role of the intern will be to support the work of the NetBeacon Institute, an international initiative focused on making the Internet safer. 

The NetBeacon Institute (Institute) was founded by PIR in 2021, its mission is to create a safer Internet for everyone. They work towards this by providing a world class, comprehensive, free suite of tools to create a safer Internet. This includes running two flagship products, providing education, defining best practices, researching DNS Abuse, and fostering collaboration. DNS Abuse is defined as: malware, botnets, phishing, pharming, and related spam. The Institute has already received accolades for its work, in particular: NetBeacon Reporter and the NetBeacon Measurement and Analytics Platform (MAP) initiatives.

NetBeacon Reporter is the first centralized, free solution for reporting DNS Abuse — solving  the problems of complexity and quality related to reporting and receiving reports. NetBeacon Measurement and Analytics Platform (MAP) was launched to increase the quality of information about the prevalence and persistence of DNS Abuse within the domain registration industry. It regularly publishes data which helps the industry and policy makers understand the state of DNS Abuse, and informs activities to prevent, reduce and mitigate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• The primary focus of this internship will be on reviewing and re-crafting the Institute’s Resource Library and associated educational materials. 
• One of the most important tasks to inform this work will be reviewing existing research on DNS Abuse and summarizing the findings, strengths, weaknesses and relevance to the DNS community. Research in this context will be drawn from a variety of sources with the focus being on formal academic journals. 
• Finding, reviewing, categorizing, summarizing, and organizing other resources relevant to helping create a safer Internet, with a particular focus on DNS Abuse. For example, this can include:
  • Thought pieces and white papers by other organizations or institutions, 
  • Educational materials - written, recorded or otherwise which help the domain name industry tackle abuse
  • Examples of industry practice that could assist other domain industry operators. For example, transparency reports published by registries and registrars.
• Work in collaboration with marketing and IT to re-craft the resource library with a user-focused approach to ensure visitors can find relevant resources quickly and easily. 
• Additional work may include helping with the delivery of all aspects of the Institute’s activities. For example, this may include conducting web-based research, writing and editing documents/reports/web copy, event organization, data analysis, or conducting outreach to relevant stakeholders.

The NetBeacon Institute Research Intern will report to the Product & Engagement Coordinator based in Reston, Virginia. They will also receive guidance and mentorship from the Director, Policy & Programs who is based in London, UK and the Executive Director, based in Toronto, Canada. 

The work of the Institute is fast paced, varied and evolving. We encourage applicants with an interest in creating a safer Internet and enthusiasm for working on creative solutions to complex global problems. This will require a candidate who can work well independently and has good time management skills. 

Learning Objectives 

The Intern will join a dynamic and vibrant part of PIR. You will: 

• Get real life experience demonstrating your ability to comprehend complex academic research and summarizing this for real life impact on policy issues. Ideal for anyone interested in academic research, government/international/private think tank policy work.  
• Work in an international environment with colleagues based in London, Toronto and Reston. 
• Have the opportunity to interface with external stakeholders and partners based all over the world, operating in a variety of different cultures and contexts, running parts of the international Internet infrastructure, working in governmental organizations, or other policy related roles. 
• Have the opportunity to work on real world problems that impact everyday people and contribute to making the Internet a safer place. 
• Be able to work on live products and services offered publicly and contribute to the direction of the Institute and the development of our outputs. This can result in published work which you can refer to as part of your future career portfolio.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Position works under direct supervision of the Product & Engagement Coordinator.

Preferred Skills, Qualifications and Other Requirements

• Ability to work 40 hours per week throughout the term of the internship on a hybrid location basis with two days per week (typically Tuesdays and Thursdays) in our Reston, VA office and the remaining hours per week remotely.
• Enrolled full-time and pursuing an undergraduate degree from an accredited college/university majoring in political science, economics, computer science or related field. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze a problem, ask thoughtful questions and provide creative suggestions. 
• An aptitude for learning new concepts and applying analytical thinking in a collaborative work environment. 
• Dedication to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks and organize work in a structured and timely manner. 
• Exhibits willingness to be flexible and adaptive and demonstrates a desire to operate in a dynamic and high-growth environment.
• A desire to improve the Internet, contribute to solving complex global problems, or interest in international technical policy issues would be beneficial to success in this role. 
• Some experience in data analysis and presentation, or qualitative and quantitative research methodologies is preferable. However, an interest in understanding data and how it contributes to solving societal problems would also be sufficient. 
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship or CPT Authorization.

Physical Requirements 

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• Ability to access information using a computer for up to 4 hours at a time.
• Requires sitting or standing at a desk for extended periods of time.
• Requires mobility within the office.

Work Environment. This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones.

Reasonable Accommodation. PIR will provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability, unless doing so poses an undue hardship on the operation of the business.

Equal Employment Opportunity, OSHA, and Harassment

Public Interest Registry (PIR) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identification or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, PIR complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfers, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

PIR expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of PIR’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

PIR provides a workplace free from recognized hazards and complies with standards, rules and regulations issued under the OSH Act.