Policy and Research Intern (Summer 2018)

Policy and Research Intern (Summer 2018)

Organization

Founded in 2010, California Competes is an independent, non-partisan project aimed at bolstering the state’s postsecondary outcomes to foster robust regional economies, vibrant communities, and an engaged citizenry. California Competes is committed to advancing policies and practices that can vastly accelerate and promote degree attainment in our state. We pursue our goals by conducting timely research, developing policy options, and spotlighting promising practices that can improve California’s higher education system. We do this work with the ultimate goal of improving the educational, social, and economic outcomes for low-income and underrepresented Californians. Read more about our policy priorities, staff, and esteemed Leadership Council at californiacompetes.org.

Position

Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Policy and Research Intern will support several policy research and legislative affairs efforts at the organization. The Policy Intern will be instrumental in the successful planning and execution of California Competes’ second annual legislator-only policy convening, the California Higher Education Policy Institute (CHEPI). The purpose of these convenings is to engage and educate state legislators on key policy issues in the state to promote a public agenda for equitable higher education. Working closely with our Policy and Research Analyst, this work will likely include background research on legislative priorities and higher education policy topics, liaising with legislative offices, and organizing parts of the evening’s events. This year, the event will take place in Sacramento in early August. The Policy and Research Intern will be an integral part of the project team and is expected to attend the event. There will also be opportunities to support ongoing research projects or to conduct independent research on a higher education topic of interest and develop a short piece with findings.

Responsibilities

·      Work with Policy and Research Analyst and other team members as needed to support the planning and execution of the second California Higher Education Policy Institute.

·      Conduct research on policy issues and present findings at internal team meetings and/or develop findings into a brief or blog posts to be shared publicly.

Requirements

·      Experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods in the policy context

·      Experience with communicating academic research into accessible formats for lay audiences

·      Exceptional communication (written and oral) skills, including representing organizations in formal settings such as liaising with legislative offices or other government officials

·      Exceptional organizational and project management skills including tracking multiple deliverables at the same time

·      Demonstrated ability to work independently with initiative, as well as work productively in a team setting

·      Demonstrated ability to multi-task as needed, consistently meet deadlines, and manage time well

·      Demonstrated fluency in written and spoken English

·      Demonstrated experience or interest in California’s higher education policy issues and system

Qualifications

Currently enrolled candidate in Masters/Doctoral/professional program

Duration

10 weeks, 40 hrs/week, scheduled flexibility may be negotiated with supervisor

June 4 – August 10 (dates are approximate)

Compensation

Stipend: $5,000

Application Process

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to calcompetesjobs@gmail.com, with “Policy and Research Intern” in the subject line. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; please submit application by Monday, May 7th.

California Competes, a project of Community Partners, is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. In addition, the organization will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.