MERICS Internship - Communications & Publications

As an intern at MERICS, you will work in the Communications & Publications and External Relations teams, assisting with media relations, the preparation of research publications for various communication channels, and the organization of a wide range of event formats at an independent institute.
We are looking for committed and flexible team players to contribute as full-time interns (40 hours per week) to its research programs. The application round for internships always takes place from the 1st to the 15th of a quarter for the following quarter (e.g. from the 1st to the 15th of January for Q2 internships).
Our interns apply and expand the skills acquired during their studies in a dynamic working environment, contributing to independent policy-oriented research on China. 
Internships at MERICS have a duration of three months and are offered at four different times throughout the year, starting either in January, April, July or October. Interns receive a small remuneration. 

• Studies with a relevant focus on Asia and/or China: Political Science, International Relations, Regional Studies, Journalism, and Public Relations.
  
  
• Enrollment at a university in a first BA or MA program during the entire internship.
  
  
• Knowledge of the political and economic system of the People’s Republic of China or a broader interest in the subject. Some experience in communications, journalism, or event planning. 
  
  
• Very good command of written and spoken English; proficiency in German is a plus. Chinese is not required, but is welcome.
  
  
• Attention to detail and high degree of reliability.
  
  
• Affinity for AV and conferencing technology, with the ability to support the setup of hybrid meetings and events (e.g. MS Teams, MS Teams Rooms).
  
  
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel and PowerPoint), experience with content management systems (Drupal) is a plus

MERICS does not offer remote internships. All interns are required to live and work in Berlin for the duration of their internship with us.


MERICS offers internships in different fields:

• Communications & Publications: Coordinating media relations, from interviews to film shoots. Overseeing the production of research publications—from development and editing to publication and distribution across the institute’s various communication channels.
• External Relations: Organizing all events—both online and in-person—ranging from public and semi-public forums to internal workshops and conferences. Developing and supporting MERICS members and stakeholders with an interest in China from the fields of politics, business, and academia.

We do not expect you to have in-depth knowledge of each of these topics but recommend that you apply if the field that best fits with your academic background, interests and past experiences. A lot of overlap exists between each of these programs and you are likely to interact with analysts from all four teams during your time at MERICS. 

Applications from people with a history of migration, black people/people of color and people with disabilities are expressly welcome. We value diversity and are committed to diversity and equal opportunities - we therefore welcome all applications, regardless of ethnic or social background, nationality, age, gender, disability, religion and sexual orientation.

Please send a cover letter and a CV exclusively electronically via our application tool and express your preference order in the cover letter.
These documents need to be submitted to us in English. 

Before you apply, please make sure that you are already legally allowed to work in Germany. MERICS will unfortunately not be able to sponsor or assist with any visa or work permit applications. If you are offered a place, you will then be required to be registered as a resident in Germany, obtain a German social security number, a German tax ID and provide proof of membership to a German statutory health insurance. Please also note that applications received outside of our application window (see above) will not be processed. 

We look forward to applications from students currently doing their first BA or MA degree and who will be enrolled at a university throughout their internship with us.