Undergraduate Policy and Communications Intern – J-PAL Global

The application deadline is Sunday, November 20, 2022, at 11:59pm EST

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) was established in 2003 as a research center at the Economics Department at MIT. Since then, it has grown into a global network of researchers who use randomized evaluations to answer critical policy questions in the fight against poverty. J-PAL is propelled by a first-rate team dedicated to research, policy, training, and other vital work, supporting J-PAL’s mission to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence.

J-PAL South Asia, which is based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) in India, analyses and disseminates research results and builds partnerships with policymakers to ensure that policy is driven by evidence, and that programs proven effective are scaled up.

Start Date (Earliest): 23 January 2023
Start Date (Latest): 9 January 2023
Length of Commitment: Less than one year
Reports To: Policy Associates

Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA (Not eligible for remote work)

Length of Commitment: 10 week minimum

Paid position: Yes

Special Note: This position is not eligible for any type of Visa sponsorship through MIT.

J-PAL is recruiting an Undergraduate Policy and Communications Intern to contribute to its mission of promoting evidence-based policy. This is a paid, part-time position (15-20 hours per week) during the Spring semester. Hours must be filled at the J-PAL office in Cambridge, MA between Monday and Friday, 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM ET. Start and end dates are flexible, but we ask for a ten-week, in person commitment at minimum.

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) was established in 2003 as a research center at the Economics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, it has grown into a global network of researchers who use randomized evaluations to answer critical policy questions in the fight against poverty.

J-PAL’s mission is to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is based on scientific evidence, and research is translated into action. We do this through three main activities:

Conducting rigorous impact evaluations: J-PAL-affiliated researchers conduct randomized evaluations to test and improve the effectiveness of programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty.
Policy outreach: J-PAL’s policy group analyzes and disseminates research results and builds partnerships with policymakers to ensure that policy is driven by evidence, and effective programs are scaled up.
Capacity building: J-PAL equips practitioners with the expertise to carry out their own rigorous evaluations through training courses and joint research projects.

Responsibilities:

The Undergraduate Policy and Communications Intern supports the efforts of the Policy and Communications Group at J-PAL Global to translate research into action.

Communications: Assisting with the maintenance of J-PAL’s website, newsletters, and social media
Database management: Tracking changes to J-PAL’s research network and projects using internal information systems like Salesforce

Event support: Organizing online or in person policy events such as donor meetings or webinars

Policy writing: Helping maintain J-PAL’s evaluation summary database, including fact-checking summaries
Sector-specific work: Completing small research and writing tasks that involve working with policy staff for J-PAL’s ten sectors (Agriculture, Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Education, Environment, Energy, & Climate Change, Finance, Firms, Gender, Political Economy & Governance, Health, and Labor Markets)
Support competitive research funds: Assisting with the request for proposals, working with the Finance and Operations team to coordinate funding and clean data, and compiling and organizing information for academic leads

J-PAL Global is recruiting an intern for the Spring 2023 semester to contribute to its mission of promoting evidence-based policy. This position is ideal for a candidate with an interest in international development, who is excited about gaining experience in a variety of tasks.

This is a paid, part-time position (15-20 hours per week) to work during the Spring 2023 semester. Hours must be filled at the J-PAL office in Cambridge, MA between Monday and Friday, 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM. Start and end dates are flexible, but we ask for a ten-week commitment at minimum.

This position is not eligible for any type of Visa sponsorship through MIT.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only short-listed applicants will be contacted about the internship position, and we are unable to individually respond to all candidates regarding the status of their application. Thanks in advance for your understanding in this matter.

Miscellaneous: Other tasks as needed

Qualifications: 

Your strong communication and organizational skills, as well as your background in economics/public policy and your interest in poverty alleviation, make you an ideal candidate for the Undergraduate Policy and Communications Intern.

• Education: You are a junior or senior with high grades in economics coursework, including econometrics/statistics.
• Experience and interest: You have demonstrated strong interest in international development or public policy through coursework, study abroad, or previous internship experience.
• Communication: Your strong communication skills help you write clear and concise documents.
• Organization: Your robust organizational capacity and ability to pay attention to detail enable you to handle several projects at once and meet deadlines.
• Cultural competencies: You are comfortable and adept at working in a diverse and multicultural work environment, with colleagues, partners, and policymakers from around the world. You display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Attitude: You are willing to work hard, excited to learn, and enthusiastic about taking on a broad range of assignments.

How to Apply
Ready to join a team of supportive, engaging, and fun colleagues? Apply now.

To apply, please fill out the following Google Form. It includes a section where you can attach a single PDFwith the filename “Lastname_ Firstname_Spring Policy Intern” consisting of the following documents:

One-page cover letter addressed to J-PAL Intern Coordinator describing your qualifications for the Undergraduate Policy and Communications Intern position and your availability
We encourage you to share your background with us and how that has shaped you as a person and your career aspirations, and include what experiences you have had that demonstrate that you are able to work with communities experiencing poverty.

• CV/Resume
• University transcript (can be unofficial)

The application deadline is Sunday, November 20, 2022, at 11:59pm EST. Early submission is encouraged, as we will begin reviewing applications on a rolling basis prior to the deadline. Short-listed applicants will be asked to complete a writing exercise and may subsequently be contacted for a phone or in-person interview. Due to the high volume of applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted, and we are unable to provide personalized feedback to all candidates on their application status. Note: Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Questions about this position can be directed to policyintern@povertyactionlab.org.

MIT is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

J-PAL fundamentally seeks to reduce human suffering in all its forms. Promoting the dignity and agency of all people is a very important part of this mission. While we speak (and believe in) the language of science, we cannot and must not lose sight of the fact that empathy and a sense of justice are what give meaning to our

work—and this work is better when it is informed by diverse perspectives. We recognize that there is a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of economics and in our field of work, and we are taking action to address this. If you would like to learn more about our DEI efforts, please visit our website here.