Part Time Human Factors Research Jobs in Silver Spring, MD

We are currently accepting applications from graduate students for a paid internship in Spring 2026.

About the APA BIG L&D Ops Office:

• The APA/APA Services (APASI) Business Innovation and Growth Office is the strategic driver of new revenue sources advancing the missions of APA and APA Services. With a focus on deploying solutions across for-profit industries, APA/APASI L&D Ops is developing products to improve individual well-being and business solutions to help solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.
• https://www.apa.org/about/business-innovation-growth

Requirements:

• A student currently enrolled in a doctoral program of study and who has completed a master’s program in Psychology, Industrial–Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Human Factors, or a related discipline.

• Foundational knowledge of organizational psychology, such as motivation, learning, performance, well-being, and workplace behavior. 
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to translate academic research into clear, accurate, non-technical summaries for learning & development and business audiences. 
• The 4-month internship is a 20-hour/week, fully remote position. Interested students must reside in a state that meets APA’s residency requirements.
• Experience working in cloud-based collaboration environments, particularly Microsoft OneDrive and/or Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive), including shared folders and version-controlled documents. 
• Professional digital communication skills, including clear written comments, responsiveness in shared platforms, and respect for collaborative workflows. 

Interns can expect to learn the following:

1. Applied research skills in organizational psychology, including literature review, evidence synthesis, and translating research into practice-relevant insights. 
2. Experience evaluating the quality, limits, and applicability of psychological research for workplace learning and development contexts. 
3. Exposure to interdisciplinary collaboration, including working with instructional designers and applied psychologists. 
4. Professional judgment in identifying risks of overgeneralization, misapplication, or ethical concerns when applying psychological science. 
5. Familiarity with how psychological evidence is reviewed, refined, and approved by subject matter experts across psychological disciplines for applied corporate L&D solutions designed for customer-learners in business environments 

Scope of work:

• Conducting structured literature reviews and applied research in organizational psychology. 
• Synthesizing research findings into clear, accessible summaries for non-psychologist stakeholders. 
• Providing subject-matter input on draft training content, including identifying potential inaccuracies or overstatements (i.e., statements that are made as if informed by psychological science but are in fact not). 
• Participating in meetings or reviews related to research use in L&D projects. 
• Engaging in feedback cycles to understand how psychological research is translated into finalized training materials. 
• Interns will not design, build, or finalize training products.

Job Location - Remote: APA internships may be considered for remote work eligibility as defined in APA’s Flexible Work Policy and are subject to approval. Remote work interns may not work from the following states or U.S. territories: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming. 

To apply for our internship program, click on the “Apply Now” button. APA requests a cover letter and resume as attachments with all applications. Please note that due to the high volume of applications, we request that students combine all application materials into one document (i.e. PDF) before submitting their application. Please note that we are not able to acknowledge each applicant; only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by the hiring manager. If you have any questions, please email internship@apa.org. 

The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, personal appearance, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.