Understanding Domestic Radicalization, Paid Intern – Fall 2022
*Applications must be submitted through START's website here. Applications submitted via Handshake will NOT be considered.*
DESCRIPTION
This internship will support START research focused on the processes of extremist radicalization in the United States. The core component of this research portfolio is the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset, which contains information on the trajectories, mechanisms, and consequences of violent and non-violent extremism at the individual level. PIRUS and its related projects have generated significant attention among policymakers and scholars and is frequently cited in both academic and popular materials.
Supervisor: Sheehan Kane (Skane2@umd.edu) and Elena Akers (eakers@umd.edu)
Application Deadline: Extended to 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
US Citizenship Required: No
Team Meeting Times: TBD
Stipend amount: $2,250 for the 15 week fall term
Remote vs. In-person: In-person
Responsibilities:
Fall interns will assist PIRUS researchers to expand and improve the quality of the PIRUS dataset by conducting in-depth research on radicalized individuals and extremist events using publicly available sources and then synthesizing and recording the information for eventual inclusion into the dataset. Specifically, students will help to update PIRUS and expand it from an individual-level dataset into a multi-level project that incorporates better event-level data.
By working on this project, interns will gain invaluable experience of what it is like to work on a project with significant and real-time impact on counter-terrorism and extremism policies in the United States. Interns will also acquire insight into the processes of radicalization, the contemporary state of extremist ideologies and groups in the United States, as well as transferable skills in conducting open-source research.
Required/minimum qualifications:
- Experience with open-source research and social science methods
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel
- Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail
- Strong interest in research
- Ability to work independently and in small groups
- Students with knowledge of domestic extremist groups, hate crimes, forensic psychology, and radicalization are strongly encouraged to apply
General Information for all START Internships
Location:
START is headquartered at the University of Maryland, College Park, and will be offering its internship program in-person for the fall 2022 semester.
Schedule Requirements:
Orientation Date: Thursday, August 25, 2022. All interns are required to attend orientation. You may be required to attend an additional day of orientation on Friday, August 26, 2022. Your supervisor will inform you if you are required to attend both days.
Internship Duration: Thursday, August 25, 2022 to Friday, December 2, 2022. All interns must be able to commit to the duration of the whole program.
Work Hours: All interns must work at least 10 hours per week during the fall 2022 program. Work hours are scheduled from Monday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Interns may not work longer than 8-hour or shorter than 2 hour shifts.
Other Information:
- All internships include a stipend of $2,250 for the fall and spring semesters, and $3,000 for the summer term.
- The University of Maryland has several opportunities for students to apply for other internship stipends. Please note that START is not involved in the application or review process for these stipends, with the exception of the Paul Gallo Memorial Scholarship for Non-Traditional Student Interns. Non-UMD students are encouraged to check with their home institutions for other stipend opportunities.
- The Ammerman Foundation Student Veteran Professional Development Fund: http://sagiving.umd.edu/ammermanvetsfund/index.html
- Paul Gallo Memorial Scholarship for Non-Traditional Student Interns: https://www.start.umd.edu/education/paul-gallo-memorial-scholarship-non-traditional-student-interns
- We strongly encourage and recommend that interns seek academic credit for their internship through their home institution or department, if possible.
- If undertaking the internship for credit, please indicate this on your application form. Be sure to notify your internship supervisor if you need to work more than 10 hours per week for this reason.
- Applicants interested in applying for an internship for any semester other than or in addition to the fall 2022 semester, must submit a separate application for each semester with the correct application form for that semester.
How to Apply for START Internships:
START is currently accepting applications for the fall 2022 semester. Please make sure you check the dates for the project you’re interested in to make sure they’re available during the semester you intend to apply. The fall application deadline has been extended to 11:59pm ET on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Applications submitted after June 21, incomplete applications, or applications not submitted correctly will not be considered. To access the application: click here.
Notes:
- Due to the high volume of applications, only top candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
- All internships include a stipend of $2,250 for the fall and spring semesters, and $3,000 for the summer term.
- Applicants must pay close attention to the requirement of the internship they are applying for, including attendance to team meetings and the minimum time commitment. Inability to attend compulsory meetings or work the minimum required hours will result in rescinding of offer.
- Applicants who identify two additional internship projects of interest may be considered for those projects if they are not selected for the project in which they are applying.
- Any successful applicant will be asked to respond with a firm acceptance within 24 hours of the offer being made. Failure to respond could result in your place being given to another applicant.
- Failure to complete this form in full or submit the proper materials according to the directions provided above could result in your application being rejected without further consideration.
- All interns must attend START Intern Orientation.
- All interns must be able to participate in the internship program for the duration of the program/semester dates.
- Questions about specific internships, their requirements or subject matter should be directed to the supervisor contact listed for each project on the START internship web page.
If you have difficulty submitting your application or have questions about your application status, please contact us at internships@start.umd.edu.
The University of Maryland is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive educational, working, and living environment for people of all abilities. The University of Maryland is also committed to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination. The University of Maryland provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals. Reasonable accommodations shall be made in a timely manner and on an individualized and flexible basis. If invited for an interview and you would like to request accommodations, please email escoll@umd.edu.
Discrimination against individuals on the grounds of disability is prohibited. The University also strictly prohibits retaliation against persons arising in connection with the assertion of rights under this Policy.
Application Materials:
All internship applicants must submit all materials in one .pdf file using the file name format:
LastName, FirstName_InternCandidate.pdf or .doc.
The internship application packet should include the following documents in the following order:
- One page cover letter
- One page resume
- Official or unofficial transcript(s)
- Two-page writing sample (Communications applicants must submit two writing samples.)
Note for International Students:
START welcomes applications from international students for all of our internships where US citizenship is not a requirement (see the qualifications listed for each project for details).
It is, however, the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that their visa or immigration status permits them to undertake an unpaid internship. It is also the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all proper paperwork, like documented approval from your home institution, is available and processed in time for the start of the internship. Failure to comply with these stipulations, or provide the paperwork required to verify your status, will result in your internship offer being rescinded without further consideration. START is unable to sponsor visas for non-US Citizens due to the short timeline of our program and the lengthy processing time for visas. Unfortunately, this largely limits our ability to accept anything other than F-1 visas on regular, not OPT, status.