Fall 2021 Internship – Transnational Repression At Freedom House

Founded in 1941, Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of democracy around the globe. Our Research and Analysis division produces cutting-edge reports on topics such as the state of democratic institutions, key tactics employed by modern authoritarians, and how the internet is restricted and increasingly manipulated to undermine human rights, particularly of society’s most vulnerable.

Position Summary

The Research Intern will join the transnational repression team working to assess issues connected to the ways in which authoritarian states target their diaspora and exiles beyond their borders. The intern will provide research and project management support.

This is a part-time (15-25 hours per week) remote position. Interns will attend internal and external meetings and have opportunities for small-group and one-on-one discussion with staff members at all levels.

Freedom House requires that interns have US work authorization and are enrolled in an accredited college or university. The internship will begin in September 2021 and continue through November. Interviews will take place in August.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct short-term and long-term desk research on topics relevant to authoritarian influence, such as domestic and international protection of human rights, security and policing, international cooperation, digital surveillance, migration, and the regulation of foreign agents;
• Maintain the transnational repression case database by vetting and entering data;
• Review, summarize, and fact-check materials for relevance and accuracy;
• Assist in preparing country reports and other written products for publication;
• Assist with the development of external communications, such as social media content, website materials, communication memos, and presentations;
• Attend and take notes at internal and external events and meetings related to transnational repression and other Freedom House issues;
• Assist with other project support activities such event planning; and
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Candidate Profile

• Must be enrolled in an accredited college or university and must have US work authorization;
• Demonstrated interest in international affairs and/or democracy and human rights, including protections for historically marginalized communities;
• Curiosity to explore the complexities of transnational surveillance and harassment, as well as the ways to build institutional resilience to such practices in host states
• Experience conducting online research, and fact-checking and proofreading written products;
• Outstanding English writing and editing skills and a knack for drafting concise and eloquent communications;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in a professional, academic, or personal setting;
• Eagerness to learn and grow in this position, including taking advantage of professional development opportunities and interest in learning about research processes and how non-governmental organizations function;
• Comfort working remotely as a member of a team and with limited supervision, finding solutions to problems as they arise, and taking responsibility for your work;
• Superb organizational skills and attention to detail; and
• Command of or interest to learn Microsoft Word to mark up and reformat documents and Excel to create spreadsheets that are smart and neat.

Additional Information

• “The hired candidate is expected to begin in September 2021 and end in November 2021 for a total duration of 10 weeks. The position is part-time (15-25 hours per week). Freedom House pays a minimum wage of $15/hour for this position.”
• Diversity makes our research stronger. The negative effects of authoritarian influence and digital technology disproportionately impact marginalized populations, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities, and the LGBT+ community. Freedom House centers these experiences in its work. We actively seek and strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience relating to our work.
• Freedom House workplace culture is one of solidarity and openness. We strive to make the office a space for reflection and growth, and value colleagues’ mental and physical well-being.
• Freedom House’s staff are currently working remotely.

Directions to Apply

For security purposes, please upload a resume (1 page) and a cover letter (max. 1 page) as a PDF describing your qualifications and interest in the position. There is no need to fill out the application system’s additional questions.