Summer 2023 Graduate/Legal Intern, Privacy & Data Governance

GRADUATE/LEGAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

The Privacy & Data Governance Unit at the National ACLU has an opening for a Privacy & Data Governance Internship in New York, NY or remote. The Privacy and Data Governance Unit enables the ACLU to honor individual privacy and choice, protects data in our possession, and strives to become a leader in non-profit data governance practices. Our objectives are to center individual choice and transparency in our data practices, enable effective communication operations (e.g., advocacy, fundraising, organizing) by ensuring data is accurate and reflects individual choice, and ensure our policies, processes, and practices comply with legal requirements and industry best practices. The Privacy & Data Governance Intern will participate in cutting edge-policy research to safeguard privacy and free speech and promote social justice in the digital world. Interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the team assisting in all aspects of privacy and data governance administration including working on various privacy implementation projects, consumer privacy law research, and help author reports and presentations. At times, work may arise that gives interns the opportunity to work across National’s broad program areas and with our affiliate colleagues on AI, consumer privacy, and surveillance and technology issues.  

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Privacy & Data Governance Interns will gain valuable experience by working with the team on a wide variety of issues. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Conducting research on trends in the privacy regulation landscape, including proposed privacy legislation across the US, and leading practices for strengthening data protection practices. 
• Prepping for, attending, and contributing to Program Team and Working Group meetings. 
• Reviewing ACLU data practices and working with Departments to strengthen those practices.  
• Drafting memoranda, reports, and presentations 
• Researching best practices for data de-identification, data minimization, and delivering data subject rights 
• Researching and drafting materials for staff education 
• Legislative bill tracking and analysis 
• Other projects as assigned 

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS 

The internship is open to students enrolled at U.S. graduate and law schools who will have completed at least one year of postgrad school before the internship commences. 

Interns should possess the following:  

• Knowledge of data governance principles and practices, including data confidentiality and privacy considerations. 
• Understanding of the current privacy regulation landscape in the United States. 
• Understanding of data management systems and how they operate (preferred). 
• Knowledge of non-profit management and operations (preferred). 
• Experience working with a diverse group of stakeholders and facilitating consensus-based decisions. 
• Experience developing compliance strategies (preferred). 
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team. 
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, including the ability to compose, edit, and proof correspondence and documents. 
• Attention to detail, excellent organizing and time-management skills. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. 
• The initiative to see projects through to completion. 
• A commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice. 
• Commitment to the mission of the ACLU.  

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

• Location: Due to COVID-19 our offices are currently operating in reduced capacities. We plan to launch an internship program that offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. Candidates for this internship who are located in proximity to the NY office may opt to work with us in-person following a hybrid (part in-person and part-remote) schedule.  
• Time Commitment: Summer internships require a full-time commitment of 35 hours per week.
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships extend for a 10-week period and begin either May 30 or June 12, 2023.
• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who do not receive course credit and are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for that term, if applicable. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below is the stipend breakdown by term:
  • $18.57/hour for undergraduate students or equivalent experience and $21.42/hour for graduate and law students or equivalent experience.
• Priority Application Deadline: March 15, 2023

Application Instructions

In the cover letter, applicants should describe their interest in privacy and data governance, including any relevant life or work experience gained before or during graduate or law school. Please specify your desired office location (New York or remote) in the cover letter and the term you are applying for.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.

ABOUT THE ACLU 

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. 

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply. 

The ACLU makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.