About BDI

The Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) is a non-partisan research initiative that tracks and mitigates political violence in the United States. BDI is working for a future where thriving communities are prepared to respond in periods of risk, are empowered to address the long-term divides we face as a society, and are supported to build a pluralistic, multi-racial democracy.

We do this by 1) producing action-oriented and responsive research to fill existing gaps and empower local leaders; 2) enabling cross-sector collaboration, so individuals and organizations are better prepared to mitigate risk and respond to crisis when it does arise; and 3) helping to drive the policy and community response. Over the past four years, BDI played an essential role in supporting a wide range of actors preparing for and responding to political violence and democratic crisis. Our data, analysis, and tools continue to help a diverse coalition of national and local decision-makers better target their interventions.

BDI is based at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), co-hosted by the Empirical Studies of Conflict (ESOC).

For more information, please visit our website.

Position and Internship Overview

BDI is seeking two student Research Assistants (RA) to support BDI’s strategic objectives in our state-level violence mitigation projects. Research Assistants will work directly with the researcher or project manager who oversees each of these portfolios.

The Research Assistant Internship is part of BDI’s efforts to support and train the next generation of conflict mitigation and peacebuilding practitioners in the United States. The internship is a paid 12-month program, where RAs will receive hands-on experience in political violence research and mitigation efforts. We are currently hiring to add capacity to this program and new hires will join the current cohort through August 2025.

The internship program will include regular skill-building and professional development workshops on topics such as open-source intelligence research and analysis, digital safety and threat modeling, conflict analysis, briefing and presentation skills, and much more. Research Assistants will also have the opportunity to receive mentorship, resume and job support, and network with other mission-aligned organizations.

The Research Assistants will work remotely and will be expected to attend virtual onboarding meetings and training at the beginning of the internship.

Project Overview

State-level violence mitigation support: BDI State Leads provide real-time monitoring and analysis of political violence risk, including tailored briefings for a range of stakeholders, rapid response memos, and additional concierge support to translate insights into action. Individual State Leads serve as conduits to and from state and local groups to national networks, resources, and training. By focusing on the unique needs of each state, our State Leads provide specialized, locally informed assistance to partners and regularly host state-wide coordination tables on monitoring and analysis.

BDI is hiring 2 RAs for this role and they will be paired with a State Lead and will support their work in that state by contributing to state-focused Situation Reports and supporting local networks. BDI’s current openings for RAs are with the state leads for Texas and Ohio.

Qualifications and Requirements

Applicants should meet all or many of the following qualifications and requirements:

• Current 3rd or 4thyear undergraduate, or graduate student enrolled in a relevant discipline.
• Expressed interest in gaining skills to mitigate and transform conflict in the United States.
• Willing to commit to the entire eight-month internship (January - August 2025). Note: RAs will have an opportunity to reapply for the 2025-26 cohort if they are a continuing student.
• Commit to work at least 10-15 hours per week including attending meetings with supervisors, training sessions, and other team meetings.
• Have strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Reliably meet project deadlines.
• Ability to work independently to locate and interpret information from multiple sources.
• Ability to apply analytical and critical thinking skills that aim to master and apply complex methodology.
• Demonstrate a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to receive and incorporate feedback.
• Familiarity with MS Office suite (Word, Excel) & Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Forms).
• Familiarity with common research tools (NexisUni, ProQuest, Google News Alerts).
• Experience conducting desk-based research.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a fully remote work environment.

Timeline: The anticipated start date for the position is January 13, 2025. Approximate hours: 10-15 per week. While the BDI team will work with Research Assistants to accommodate their schedules, Research Assistants are expected to adhere to the schedules to which they have committed.

Compensation: $18 for undergraduate students; $25/hour for those with a degree.

How to apply: Submit your resume and cover letter, specifying how the position aligns with your skills and goals. For state-based roles, specify your preferred state in your cover letter.

Email your resume and cover letter to bdi@princeton.edu with “Research Assistant Internship Application” in the subject line.

You may email bdi@princeton.edu with any questions. Applications will be considered incomplete until all materials are received. Complete applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

No matter who you are, BDI is a place you can call home. We know that our unique perspectives make us stronger, smarter, and well-positioned for success. We value and rely on the collective voices of our team to help guide our work on challenging issues. That’s why we’re proud Princeton is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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