Policy Intern, Global Policy

The community you will join:

Airbnb is seeking a Policy Intern to join the Global Policy Development team for the 2026 Summer Intern Program .

The Airbnb Public Policy team is dedicated to promoting the economic opportunity that short-term rentals create for hosts and communities, while providing a cost-effective, flexible way to travel for guests around the world. The Policy Team works collaboratively with government and industry stakeholders to develop and implement fair and sustainable regulations for the short-term rental sector. The team embodies Airbnb’s innovative spirit, finding creative solutions to policy challenges and building impactful partnerships to support the company's mission.

The Policy Central team supports Regional Policy Teams through projects and processes to make their work more scalable, consistent and strategic. Part of this effort is to design strategies that are tactically deployed by the regional policy teams. In addition, Policy Central is responsible for knowledge management and other systemic organization that makes our collective work more efficient and effective. Lastly, Policy Central has significant cross-functional responsibilities, including integrating Policy expertise into trust/customer support work, as well as offering guidance to the business as it expands into new areas.

The difference you will make:

As an intern, you’ll be integrated into a team where you’ll contribute to challenging projects. Your manager, team, and our incredible employee community will strive to be superhosts to you during the summer. We provide the support, mentorship, fun, and real world experience needed to accelerate your learning and make a real impact on our product, as Airbnb revolutionizes connection, belonging, and travel.

In this internship, you will have the chance to contribute to a variety of exciting projects, for both the central strategic team, as well as for Regional Policy Teams working in the field around the world.

Additionally, you have the opportunity to play a vital role in positioning Airbnb as a thought leader in the short-term rental, travel, and tourism sectors. This will involve working with our data science team to identify potential partnerships with think tanks, organizations, and institutions that align with our mission and goals. Your insights will help shape our strategic approach and enhance our positioning in the industry.*

You’ll also have the chance to not only learn about how Airbnb is leveraging AI, but participate in developing/refining AI tools used by the Policy team to engage at scale.

*Please note the exact internship project is subject to change - these are examples of the type of projects you can expect to work on.

A typical day:

You’ll get first-hand experience on the work the Public Policy team at Airbnb achieves and can expect to:

• Own and complete a capstone project from beginning to end
• Collaborate with multiple team members to achieve project milestones
• Communicate with stakeholders across different teams to provide project updates
• Seek and provide feedback throughout the internship
• Actively participate in and contribute to the Public Policy team and broader Airbnb community

Your expertise:

This opportunity is for first-year Master students (preferred) and third-year Bachelor students graduating between December 2026 - June 2027 with the following skills and background:

• Undergraduate major or graduate program in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Urban Studies, or equivalent
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, detail-oriented and organized
• Exceptional organizational abilities to manage multiple tasks efficiently and meet deadlines
• Strong research skills for effective information comprehension and synthesis
• Demonstrate strategic thinking to contribute innovative ideas and solutions
• Familiarity with Tableau and Superset for data visualization is preferred but not required
• Passion for the Airbnb mission; experience with the platform is a plus!
• Work authorization for employment in the United States is required (CPT/OPT is accepted) - visa sponsorship is unavailable

Nice to haves:

• Previous experience in public relations, political analysis, or government relations
• Familiarity with Tableau and Superset for data visualization

How to apply:

In addition to your resume, please submit a Cover Letter that answers the following questions:

• Which Airbnb Core Value most resonates with you and why?
• What do you hope to gain from this internship and how does it align with your immediate and/or long term career goals?
• Select one of the experiences/projects listed on your resume and expand on how it makes you a strong candidate for the Policy internship.

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

We strive to also provide a disability inclusive application and interview process. If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in order to submit an application, please contact us at: [email protected]. Please include your full name, the role you’re applying for and the accommodation necessary to assist you with the recruiting process.

We ask that you only reach out to us if you are a candidate whose disability prevents you from being able to complete our online application.