Research and Insights Intern

About Dropbox

Dropbox isn’t just a workplace—it’s a living lab for more enlightened ways of working. We're a global community of bold visionaries and resourceful doers who are shaping the future of Dropbox—and with it the future of work. Our Virtual First model combines the autonomy of a distributed workplace with the power of human connection, making space for both meaningful work and meaningful relationships. With our start-up mindset and enterprise-level opportunities, you can be who you are and grow into who you’re meant to be. Here, you can own your impact to make work more intuitive, joyful, and human—for you as a Dropboxer and for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. If you're ready to push boundaries—and yourself— Dropbox is ready for you.

Emerging Talent Program

The Dropbox Emerging Talent program shapes the future of work by empowering the next generation of innovators. We transform potential into impact by connecting exceptional early-career professionals with meaningful challenges that can touch hundreds of millions of lives. Our program allows interns and apprentices to work alongside industry experts, bringing fresh perspectives while solving interesting problems. We foster growth through hands-on learning, dedicated mentorship, and a vibrant community that supports your journey from day one. If you're ready to launch your career in an environment that combines real-world impact with genuine connection, join our Emerging Talent program.

Role Overview: Research and Insights Intern

As a Research and Insights Intern at Dropbox, you’ll help teams better understand how users interact with AI-powered workflows. Embedded within the Research (UXR) organization, you’ll contribute to research that informs product direction, user experience, and engagement for AI features.

You’ll either own a scoped qualitative research project or support ongoing research initiatives, depending on business needs, with guidance from experienced researchers. Your work may focus on a specific user workflow and will contribute to clear insights and actionable recommendations for product partners.

This is a full-time, 12-week summer internship (40 hours/week). You’ll work closely with the research team, receive one-on-one mentorship and regular feedback, and have opportunities to present your work and insights to cross-functional stakeholders. In our Virtual First work culture, you’ll connect with Dropboxers virtually and in-person to build the foundation of a strong professional network. As a Summer intern, you will also have the opportunity to attend our Emerging Talent Summit, where participants from our intern and early-career programs come together in person to build lasting relationships, explore learning and development opportunities, and prepare for their career journey ahead.

For Summer 2026, we offer two start dates culminating in a 12-week internship:

• May 26 - August 14, 2026
• June 30 - Sep 18, 2026

Responsibilities

• Partner with researchers and product teams to identify and refine research questions related to AI-powered user workflows.
• Own a scoped qualitative research project or support an ongoing one, depending on business needs, with mentorship and guidance throughout the research process.
• Review existing research, competitive insights, and product materials to form hypotheses and areas for exploration.
• Assist with the planning, execution, and synthesis of user research using qualitative methods and selected quantitative approaches (e.g., surveys).
• Develop clear insights and product recommendations based on research findings.
• Contribute to research readouts, decks, and presentations, and help communicate findings to product and research stakeholders.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Anthropology, Sociology, Design, Information Science, or related), or equivalent practical experience working with Product, Design, or Research teams graduating in 2027 or 2028.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with comfort explaining ideas, insights, and opinions clearly.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.
• Product curiosity and user empathy, with the ability to articulate why certain experiences work well (or don’t).
• Interest in user research and insights, and motivation to grow in a Research-focused career path.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research through coursework, internships, or personal projects.
• Background or coursework in Psychology, HCI, UX Research, or a related field.
• Comfort working in presentation decks and written documents to communicate ideas and findings.
• Curiosity about AI-powered tools and experimentation, including hands-on use of tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, or similar.
• Ability to share one work sample that demonstrates research thinking or approach (e.g., class project, report, or personal study).

Compensation and Benefits

The expected monthly rate for this role is $7,000—$8,000 USD. Dropbox is a Virtual First company and is open to hiring candidates in all authorized locations.

Our comprehensive benefits and perks programs include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Flexible PTO/Paid Time Off, paid holidays, Volunteer Time Off
• Perks Allowance for wellness, learning, food, and more
• Mental health and wellness benefits
• Monthly Internet Allowance
• Intern Social Stipend
• Annual Emerging Talent Summit with travel and hotel accommodations

Key skills/competency

• Qualitative Research
• User Experience Research (UXR)
• AI-powered Workflows
• Product Research
• User Empathy
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Data Synthesis
• Presentation Skills
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Product Insights