Research Intern, Women’s World Banking Institute, Spring 2026
Overview
Summary
WHO WE ARE:
About 1 billion women remain excluded from the formal financial system. Women’s World Banking researches, designs, and invests in financial solutions, institutions, and policy environments in emerging markets to create greater economic security and prosperity for women, their families, and their communities. For Women’s World Banking, research and evidence is the fuel for our advisory and advocacy engines, uncovering the insights on which the organization’s decisions and actions are based.
The Women’s World Banking Institute is the global source for data, insights, and training to advance women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment. Our multidisciplinary team of researchers, policy experts, and insights specialists generates and translates evidence to inform strategy, policy advocacy, and advisory services across the organization and financial inclusion ecosystem. Our research underpins evidence-based solutions, while our leadership and capacity-building programs equip leaders with the skills to design gender-responsive policies, products, and services. Through this integrated approach, the Institute empowers financial services providers, policymakers, partners, and other stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to drive women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
INTERNING AT WOMEN’S WORLD BANKING
Women’s World Banking Institute team is seeking a graduate student intern to support qualitative and quantitative research on women’s financial inclusion. We work closely with our interns to design work plans that fit each intern’s technical abilities and professional development goals. They will work in a multi-disciplinary team with researchers trained in quantitative and qualitative analysis, financial product specialists, insights strategists, and policy and advocacy experts. Interning with the Women’s World Banking Institute team is a great opportunity for a student seeking hands-on experience in international applied research for social impact.
Roles and Responsibilities
What you’ll be doing:
The intern will be expected to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week and undertake some combination of the following activities:
- Assist in qualitative and quantitative data analysis and synthesis.
- Conduct comprehensive desk research and analysis on topics and methodologies related to women’s financial inclusion, economic empowerment, gender equity, and climate change, and synthesize insights to identify trends and opportunities.
- Conduct descriptive and comparative analyses using weighted survey microdata (Findex micro data), leveraging statistical tools such as R or Stata to ensure accurate representation of nationally representative samples.
- Draft sections of reports, blog posts, executive summaries, and presentations.
- Draft qualitative research instruments and materials, including semi-structured interview guides, journey maps, prototypes, card sorts, etc.
- Sit in interviews and assist with notetaking.
- Attend and participate in the bi-weekly Institute learning sessions.
- Perform other duties as required
Required Qualifications
The skills and experiences you bring include:
- Current graduate student in a master’s program in Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration, Development Studies, Sociology, or similar discipline with qualitative and quantitative coursework
- Experience in qualitative and quantitative research
- Experience cleaning and analyzing mid-size datasets using Excel
- Experience working with survey data using Stata or R
- Strong written and verbal communication in English
- Possess the ability to work remotely
Preferred Qualifications
You’re an ideal candidate if you have:
- Experience designing and conducting qualitative research with low-income people and community organizations for social impact
- Familiarity with financial inclusion and gender equity challenges and opportunities
- Familiarity and experience with using a range of quantitative analysis, including descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and econometrics data analysis, trend analysis, predictive analytics, etc.
- Candidates with experience in quantitative research methods strongly preferred
How to Apply
To apply, please submit:
- Brief cover letter describing your interest in the role, relevant experience, and availability for the internship period.
- Resume/CV
- Short writing sample (please include in the same document as resume)
- List of courses completed in graduate program (please include in the same document as resume)
- Contact information for two professional references
Starting November 17, we will review applications on a rolling basis and will remove this posting once we extend an offer.
Please note that all Women’s World Banking internships will be virtual and unpaid, although students are welcome to seek outside funding. Academic credit remains a requisite for all internships. Individuals who do not receive credit or outside funding may still apply to the internship; however, they should indicate in their application materials that they are interested in a volunteer opportunity, which can be discussed with the hiring manager.
About Women's World Banking
We believe in being a force for the greater good, devoted to accelerating and growing the financial inclusion of women. With rapidly changing markets, influenced by technology and social behavioral expectations, we are embarking on a new chapter to transform the way we design and implement solutions.
For over 40 years, Women’s World Banking has partnered with financial institutions, showing them the benefit of investing in women as customers. We equip these institutions with in-depth research and data driven insights to develop financial products and educational programs. While our clients are financial service providers, our mission is to engage consumers – women who are marginalized by financial systems.
Women’s World Banking and WWB Asset Management is an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.
