Location: Washington, DC
Term: 10 to 12 weeks, in the summer of 2020
Timing: Applications are due by January 31, 2020
About Upturn
Upturn advances equity and justice in the design, governance, and use of technology. We drive policy changes through rigorous technical research, legal and regulatory advocacy, and other timely interventions that hold companies and governments accountable.
We work in partnership with many of the nation’s leading civil rights and public interest organizations. Some of our most notable work includes:
Pressuring Facebook to address discrimination in online ads for housing, credit, and employment;
Exploring the use of predictive hiring algorithms and their effect on equity and bias;
Scrutinizing the role of automated risk assessment tools in the movement to end cash bail;
Challenging Axon's development of real-time face recognition on police body-worn cameras;
Persuading Google to ban online payday loan ads, together with financial justice advocates; and
Developing the landmark Civil Rights Principles for the Era of Big Data.
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, DC.
About the Position
This summer fellowship is ideal for someone who is excited about timely, interdisciplinary research on a range of topics related to technology, policy, and equity.
You will:
Research and write policy memos in collaboration with other members of the team;
Help prepare public reports, op-eds, blog posts, and our weekly newsletter;
Track and analyze current policy developments across all of our priority issues; and
Attend external meetings, workshops, and other events.
You will be joining a small and growing organization that is collaborative, energetic, and fun. We will actively support your professional development in the field.
We provide those without external funding (e.g., through an academic program) with a stipend of $8,500 for a 10 week fellowship. External funding is not a factor in our selection process, and individuals without such funding are strongly encouraged to apply.
We will invest in your professional growth, through training, feedback, and support.
We are actively committed to building an inclusive, flexible and welcoming workplace.
We have a transparent culture and strive to include our entire staff when making strategic decisions.
About You
We welcome applicants from a broad range of disciplines. This position is ideal for current undergraduate, graduate, or professional school students — or students who just graduated. We’re looking for someone who is:
Committed to advancing racial and economic justice;
Skilled at explaining the nuts and bolts of new technology;
A clear written and verbal communicator;
An organized, detailed-oriented, and instinctively curious researcher;
Dedicated to building collaborative relationships across communities, especially in communities of color; and
Passionate about understanding the growing impact of technology on people's lives.
We strongly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and applicants with disabilities to apply.
How to Apply
Applications are due by January 31, 2020. If you have any questions, please e-mail join@upturn.org.