Software Engineering Intern

Join Our Talented Team at Protagonist
We fuse rigorous, methodologically sound analysis with our cutting-edge technology platform, Narrative Analytics®. This powerful combination enables us to quantitatively analyze open-source media, deliver strategic recommendations, and craft executive-level communication strategies for clients with missions that matter.
Why Us?
Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts with extensive experience across U.S. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. By joining Protagonist, you’ll immerse yourself in a collaborative environment where innovation thrives, and your contributions truly matter.
What We Do
Innovative Solutions: We co-develop cutting-edge solutions with our clients to address tough communication problems and capitalize on opportunities to make a tangible impact.
Data-Driven Insights: Our tools and methodologies provide actionable insights that help clients meet their communication objectives and stay ahead of global challenges.
Applied Expertise: We integrate our solutions within client organizations, leveraging our profound expertise to address critical issues and ensure sustainable success.
Be Part of Something Bigger
At Protagonist, you’ll work on compelling projects that make a real difference. We seek talented individuals eager to contribute to our mission and grow alongside us. If you’re passionate about communication, data analysis, and making an impact, we invite you to explore a career with Protagonist.
Explore Your Future with Us!
Ready to take the next step in your career? Join us at Protagonist and be part of a team that's making a difference.
Washington, DC | Minimum 20 hours/week | In-Office with Remote Opportunities (Starting Immediately)
About You
Protagonist is seeking a Software Engineering Intern to join our small, collaborative engineering team and contribute directly to the development of our Narrative Analytics® platform, which analyzes millions of online conversations to uncover the beliefs and narratives shaping how people think and act.
This is a hands-on opportunity to write real code for a real product, working across backend development, user-facing applications, data pipelines, and AI-powered features. You'll work alongside experienced engineers, data scientists, and analysts to solve real technical challenges, gain exposure to modern development tools and technologies, and see firsthand how your contributions make an impact. Rather than working on hypothetical projects, you'll contribute to technology that our teams and clients use in practice.
Responsibilities:
Build API endpoints in Python (Django REST Framework) and the React/TypeScript components that use them
Write steps in our data pipelines (Metaflow) that pull in documents, enrich them with LLMs, and index them in OpenSearch
Help build and evaluate LLM features: prompt templates, structured outputs, and scorecards that tell us whether a prompt is working
Gain hands-on experience with AWS services, including S3, Bedrock, and EKS, to support development, troubleshooting, and deployment Write tests, upgrade dependencies, fix what breaks, and help track down production bugs
Collaborate with data scientists and analysts to understand how the platform is used and how engineering contributions support analytical workflows
Requirements
Authorized to work in the US
Must meet applicable U.S. Government contract eligibility requirements, including any citizenship or security clearance requirements associated with assigned work.
Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
Available to work a minimum of 20 hours/week throughout the semester
This is not a fully remote position; interns must be able to work in our Washington D.C. office 1-2 days per week
Comfortable in Python
You’ve used Git for real, not just for a class assignment
Some exposure to web development (any framework), SQL, or JavaScript
Curious about NLP, machine learning, or large language models
Ideal Candidate
A class project or side project in Django, React, or TypeScript
Pandas or other data work in Python
You’ve called an LLM API and built something with it
You use AI coding tools and can tell when they’re wrong
Docker, or any cloud provider
Additional Information
If you’re passionate about technology and making an impact, apply today! Protagonist is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and innovative environment where everyone’s voice can make a difference.
Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The internship pays $20.00 / hour or the applicable local minimum wage rate, whichever is higher.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.