July 11, 2016

Intern Job

Human Rights Research Intern (focus on Freedom of Information)

The University of Washington Center for Human Rights invites applications from undergraduates interested in forming a part of our research team examining crimes against humanity committed in El Salvador during that country’s armed conflict (1980-1992). To learn more about our research, visit unfinishedsentences.org. One core area of this research involves accessing and analyzing US government information about the war in El Salvador using the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The selected student(s) will be trained in the use of FOIA for obtaining information from US government agencies, and will be involved in the process of formulating new FOIA requests, tracking the progress of existing FOIA cases, responding to inquiries from government agencies as necessary, and cataloguing the information received. The student will contribute throughout the year to the Center’s ongoing research, is required to attend weekly meetings and expected to be a participant in team decisionmaking.  This is a good opportunity for a student interested in human rights and considering a future in law, policy, or research. It requires great patience and extraordinary attention to detail; willingness to comply with often-dull bureaucratic procedures; and an interest in questions of government transparency, freedom of information, and human rights.

Required:
-Ability to commit 10-15 hours per week for at least two (ideally three) quarters in 2016-17 (can begin earlier if desired)
-Ability to work independently, in collaboration with a research team of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students

-Willingness to commit to project confidentiality agreement

–Extremely detail oriented and reliable

-Some previous familiarity with, and a serious commitment to, human rights in Latin America

Desired but not required:
-Spanish language ability

Compensation/perks:
-The internship can be taken for credit -For the right candidate, a stipend may be available ($3000/quarter)
-Provides hands-on research experience
-Possibly could lead to involvement in other areas of research, including possible writing of reports and/or travel to El Salvador, depending on student’s interest and skills
To apply, send a letter of interest and cv/resume to Angelina Godoy at agodoy@uw.edu.