Thank you for your interest in interning at the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC). Interns contribute substantially to the work of ICMEC, and ICMEC’s staff work closely with interns to make the experience as rewarding as possible.
The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) is a private, nonprofit organization established more than 25 years ago. ICMEC is headquartered in the United States, with formal representation in numerous countries around the globe. ICMEC works to make the world a safer place for children by defending against child sexual exploitation, abuse, and the risk of going missing. ICMEC works with partners around the world to develop research, technologies, and educational resources to aid in the search and recovery of children who are missing, fight child sexual exploitation and empower caring professionals, institutions, and communities to safeguard children from all forms of sexual abuse.
The Koons Family Institute on International Law & Policy (The Koons Family Institute) is ICMEC’s in-house research arm. The Koons Family Institute defends children against sexual exploitation, abuse, or risk of going missing on multiple fronts by conducting and commissioning original research into the status of child protection laws around the world, creating replicable legal tools, promoting best practices, bringing together great thinkers and opinion leaders, and collaborating with partners to identify and measure threats to children and ways ICMEC can advocate change.
Our Mission ICMEC envisions a world where children can grow up safe from exploitation, abuse, or the risk of going missing. We believe every child deserves a safe childhood. ICMEC’s mission is to advance child protection and safeguard vulnerable children around the world.
We do this by:
- building and improving systems to prevent and respond to cases of missing children, child sexual exploitation, or abuse;
- advocating for enhanced laws and policies;
- mobilizing industries to secure their technologies and platforms from becoming vehicles for abuse and exploitation;
- providing tools and training for criminal justice professionals to effectively investigate and prosecute cases of exploitation, abuse or children who are missing;
- safeguarding school environments; and
- empowering healthcare professionals to recognize and respond to child abuse and exploitation cases.
As the workload of ICMEC continues to grow and resources are stretched, the contributions of interns are extremely important. ICMEC interns who share the same belief in our goals help to make the success stories happen. ICMEC offers full‐ and part‐time internships each academic semester. Successful applicants will be highly motivated, detail-oriented, independent students with a passion for public interest work.
*We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2025 intern class.
Internship positions:
The Legal Research Interns will support the Director of The Koons Family Institute by writing, editing, and conducting comprehensive research and analysis on global policies and laws for a variety of publications, reports, white papers, and other projects. Interns may focus on topics such as child sexual abuse material, online grooming, missing children, child sex trafficking, child sexual abuse and exploitation, sextortion, age verification for online platforms, and other related topics. Interns specific projects may include engaging with policy experts within the technology industry and contributing to important discussions surrounding digital safety for children; reviewing global laws and regulations related to age verification and analyzing age verification measures across various countries to identify trends, best practices, and gaps in policy; and summarizing findings into briefs and reports that highlight trends, key insights, and provide policy recommendations for enhancing age verification processes. Interns also may utilize foreign language skills and regional areas of expertise.
Specific requirements by internship position:
Legal Research Interns must:
- Be available to work 12 to 15 weeks, at least 15 hours per week (20+ hours preferred) during the Fall or Spring semesters; or
- Be available to work 8 to 12 weeks, at least 20 hours per week (30+ hours preferred) during the Summer term;
- Undergo initial and periodic background checks; and
- Have completed undergraduate studies (working toward a Master’s or Juris Doctorate degree strongly preferred). We will consider students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year of undergraduate studies with relevant experience.
*Internships will be completed primarily remotely, with the possibility of limited in-person interaction in the ICMEC office in Alexandria, Virginia, if conditions allow.
Is the internship paid?
All internships are unpaid.
Is academic credit granted for the internship?
Internships may be granted academic credit (please refer to your school’s internship/externship requirements).
Does ICMEC provide housing?
ICMEC does not provide housing for interns nor do we provide a stipend to cover living expenses.
How do I apply?
An application form is available at www.icmec.org/careers. You can submit the application form online and please be sure to include a Statement of Purpose or cover letter, résumé/CV, official or unofficial transcripts, and a writing sample.
Point of Contact:
Internship Coordinator
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children
2318 Mill Road, Suite 1010
Alexandria, VA 22314
Applications must be received by the application deadline (though deadlines may be extended as needed):
- Fall Semester - August 23
- Spring Semester - December 31
- Summer semester - March 16
Your interest in ICMEC is very much appreciated, and we look forward to helping you have a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
What’s next?
You will hear from us as soon as your application has been reviewed, usually within three (3) weeks.
ICMEC is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, or other legally protected basis. All decisions regarding employment issues are based on a person’s overall qualifications and their ability to meet the position requirements.