Fall 2026 - Research Intern, Vera Louisiana
About The Position
Vera Louisiana is seeking a part-time (10-20 hours/week) fall Research Intern to provide a wide range of support for our ongoing projects, including jail population reduction, increasing investment in thriving communities, and addressing Louisiana’s carceral impact in multiple parishes and at the state legislature. The Research Intern will be supervised primarily by the Senior Research Associate and will complete a variety of projects with other staff. This internship will provide an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in applied social justice research, using research to advance advocacy goals, and criminal legal systems in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana.
Requirements
- Currently enrolled in graduate school in a public health or social science program (epidemiology, sociology, political science, etc.)
- Interest in applied social justice research, particularly to advance policy reform and advocacy
- Ability to show initiative, ask questions, and adapt to changing priorities
- Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
- A demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
- Familiarity with collecting and/or analyzing qualitative data to identify themes
- Familiarity with analyzing quantitative datasets to produce descriptive statistics
Nice To Haves
- Demonstrated connection to Louisiana, New Orleans, or the Deep South
- Willingness to travel to Baton Rouge on occasion
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software
- Quantitative analysis software (ie: SQL, SPSS, SAS, Stata, etc.)
- Qualitative analysis software (ie: NVIVO, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, etc.)
Responsibilities
- Support ongoing mixed methods research projects
- Review, organize, and analyze publicly available datasets
- Observe and take notes during interviews and focus groups
- Build skills in applied research, written communication, and systemic analysis
- Attend and take notes at coalition and partner organization meetings
- Build verbal and interpersonal communication skills
- Gain awareness about network of criminal legal system advocacy organizations and how data can support advocacy goals
- Prepare data to inform public policy advocacy
- Build persuasive advocacy and communications skills
- Gain knowledge about successful advocacy arguments and responses at a quick pace
- Provide support for planned events and other related responsibilities that may arise
- Assist with scheduling meetings with internal and external partners
- Gain experience in routine, professional responsibilities
Benefits
- Academic credit for the externship
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Intern
