Bill of Rights Defense Campaign

BILL OF RIGHTS Defense Committee - Working with communities to uphold the Bill of RightsWe the People
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Job Description: School Year Intern

School year internship positions are available in Northampton, MA, and Washington, DC.

Interns in Northampton, MA, will have regularly scheduled hours and work out of BORDC's national office at 8 Bridge Street, Suite A, Northampton, MA 01060. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.

Interns in Washington, DC, will have more flexible schedules and work remotely and will meet regularly with BORDC Executive Director Shahid Buttar.

Hours

10 hours per week minimum; 20 hours per week preferred. Candidates who are able to commit to a full school year internship will receive preference, but candidates available only for fall semester will also be considered.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will be determined based on the skills and interests of the candidate(s) and the agency’s needs and may include the following:

  • Research, write, and post relevant content for the organization's blog, action alerts, press releases, and/or newsletter on issues including government surveillance, racial and ethnic profiling, and executive accountability for human rights abuses.
  • Engage allied local organizations on behalf of the organization, present proposed reforms as a vehicle for coalition building, and help coordinate subsequent outreach to those allies.
  • People’s Campaign for the Constitution:
    • Write and edit literature and web pages.
    • Help the organizing staff track and communicate with local groups and new members.
    • Organize local student groups and assist with development of campus organizing guide.
  • Sit in on conference calls with organizational coalitions, PCC affinity groups, etc., and take notes.
  • Research contact lists (e.g., potential organizational allies) to facilitate organizing efforts.
  • Research news articles related to BORDC's issues and use them to draft and distribute BORDC's daily news digest via email and blog post.

Required Qualifications

  • Computer literacy.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Attention to detail and ability to work without direct supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working as part of an organization.
  • Knowledge of civil liberties issues, the Bill of Rights, and the US Constitution.
  • Familiarity with current events relating to government secrecy, surveillance, detention, and torture.
  • Experience with HTML and CSS website design.

Compensation

BORDC is unable to provide financial compensation for this internship. Interns are welcome to seek out internship funding from their schools or other outside sources.

Academic Credit

Interns are encouraged to make arrangements to receive academic credit for their internships. BORDC will accommodate the requirements of credit-earning internships as much as possible.

To apply:

Email a cover letter and resume no later than August 31, 2010, to jobs@bordc.org with either "School Year Intern - Northampton" or "School Year Intern - DC" in the subject line, depending on which position you wish to apply for.

Electronic applications only. No phone calls or snail mail, please.

The Bill of Rights Defense Committee is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and an equal opportunity employer: women, people of color, people with disabilities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are encouraged to apply.