Spring 2018 Research Internship

The Social Security Advisory Board (board) is a bipartisan, independent federal government agency established in the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994 to advise the president, the Congress, and the Commissioner of Social Security on matters of policy and administration of the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs. Members of the board are appointed by the president, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The board maintains a small professional staff of policy advisors and analysts.

Overview
The board is seeking a research intern for the spring 2018 semester. The internship is a paid opportunity for undergraduate students in their junior year or senior year.
The internship will pay a total stipend of $2,400, and applicants must be willing to commit to working 16 hours per week. The internship will last approximately 10 weeks. The board will offer flexibility around an academic course schedule.

Responsibilities
The research intern will support the work of the policy analyst and other staff members as assigned.

Duties include organizing public and requested data; manipulating and analyzing data; creating graphs and visualizations; providing support as needed, in drafting website content for the board’s chart collections; copy editing various external documents; and completing other duties as assigned.
The intern will have the opportunity to attend internal meetings, Congressional hearings, and local policy events.



Qualifications
Applicants pursuing undergraduate degrees in economics, public policy, statistics, or similar fields are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have strong analytical and writing skills and a good sense of organization. Prior research or data experience is desired. Proficiency with Microsoft Excel is required. Proficiency with Stata and/or Tableau is preferred.

A successful applicant will have a demonstrated interest in public policy and public service, a strong team work ethic, and the belief that no task is too big or too small.

Additional information
The board requires that all applicants submit a one-page resume and one-page cover letter. Your cover letter should highlight your educational experience and skills, along with an explanation of how this internship will contribute to your professional goals.

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one PDF attachment, in that order, via email to ssab@ssab.gov. The subject of the email should be titled “Spring 2018 Research Internship.” The attachment should be named “Spring2018-Research-Internship-LastName-FirstName.”

The board seeks to fill the position as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Potential candidates may be asked to submit a sample of their work.