- About Amnesty internships in New York City
- Application instructions
- Available positions
- Frequently asked questions
he Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) headquarters office in New York offers approximately 30 internships per semester - Spring (January -- early May), Summer (late May - August), and Fall (September - December). Internships are granted for a 10-12-week period. All internships are unpaid. Although our business hours are 10:00am -- 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, our internship program offers flexible hours to accommodate class and work schedules. We encourage all who are interested to apply.
The work and commitment of interns is essential in the New York Office. Candidates can apply for a variety of programs, which are listed below. In all positions, interns assist in the facilitation and organization of projects within their respective programs and are offered many learning opportunities throughout their involvement with the New York Office. One such opportunity is the Human Rights Seminar series where AIUSA interns have the opportunity to learn from Amnesty staff and guest speakers and to discuss various human rights issues. AIUSA also offers career and professional development workshops targeted towards young professionals starting a career in human rights. These discussions and similar events further enrich the internship experience.
AIUSA seeks interns who:
- Are committed to and interested in human rights
- Are familiar with AIUSA's human rights concerns
- Possess strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as computer skills
- Are well-organized, dependable, and responsible
- Work well as part of a team, as well as independently
- Are able to multitask and pay strict attention to detail
- Have a willingness to learn from the internship experience and apply what they learn to their work
What AIUSA expects from its interns:
- Work the agreed upon number of hours per week (part-time and full-time internships available) in a professional capacity
- Adhere to office policies and procedures and follow office etiquette
- Dress in appropriate business casual attire
- Contact supervisor or Internship Coordinator when unable to report to the office or when arriving late due to illness, doctor appointment, etc.
- Seek feedback from supervisors on assignments and look for ways to improve
- Participate in Human Rights and Life Seminars. Attendance is important!
- Ask questions!
Internship Program Requirements:
- Current students: Must be a rising college junior or above (graduate/law students are welcomed).
- Non-students: Must be 6 months or less out of school.
- Commitment: At least one Fall, Spring, or Summer semester (full-time and part-time available).
Those who do not meet these requirements are welcome to volunteer and attend workshops outside the formal internship program. Please note your intention in your application.
Amnesty International is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Instructions:
Priority Deadlines
Spring: October 1
Summer: February 15
Fall: June 15
We will begin processing applications after the listed deadline. We will still consider applications on a rolling basis following the deadlines.
Contact
To apply for an internship in the New York office, please email a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to the Internship Coordinator at nyinternshipcoordinator@aiusa.org
- In the body of your email, please include the program(s) of interest and the semester(s) for which you are applying. In the email subject line, please identify the semester for which you are applying.
- Please label all documents either in one attachment or in the following format: Last name, First name, Cover Letter; Last name, First name, Resume; Last name, First name, Writing Sample.
- In your cover letter, please indicate the days and hours you are available for an internship, including start and departure dates.
- Your writing sample should be 2-4 pages in length and may focus on any topic. It can be a recently-written term paper, news article, etc.
- Please submit all of your materials at the same time. An incomplete application will not be considered.
Please review all application instructions carefully, as applications submitted incorrectly will not be considered.
Available Positions
- Executive Support Staff Internship
- Organizing, Membership and Campaigns Department
- Communications Unit Positions
- Fundraising Unit Positions
- Research Internship
- Operations Department Positions
Organizing, Membership and Campaigns Department (OMCD)
Organizing Unit Internship
This internship is focused on providing an opportunity for a hands-on experience with strategic organizing and event planning in a member-based human rights organization. Interns will participate in creative tasks and projects with staff and members.
A background or strong interest in community organizing, issue-based advocacy, or political and campaign planning is required. Interns must have a strong command of Microsoft Office and internet research. The Organizing unit is responsible for the organization of large-scale events such as annual member meetings and conferences, building strategic organizing projects, and enhancing the national youth program. Interns will work closely with staff to:
- Engage in strategic research on key organizing projects in support of youth initiatives
- Assist in the planning and implementation of events and actions
- Support the development of training or implementation of training for members
- Participate in the development of internal and external strategic communication tools
Interns should have strong oral and written communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills that drive them to ask questions, independently organize projects, and work as part of a team-oriented unit.
Northeast Regional Office (NYC) Internships
Amnesty International USA offers exciting internship opportunities at the New York Office for individuals who want to work on membership and organizing for the Northeast region. Our office works with AIUSA members, activists and volunteers in 7 states (New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine) to continue growing our movement in order to defend human rights worldwide!
Intern roles may vary depending on the semester; however, typically all interns participate in some aspect of Field Organizer support. Each intern will be assigned either New York or New Jersey and will be responsible for New York City special projects and events. Intern projects will be focused in a variety of skill sets ranging from logistical support, graphic design, outreach, event coordination and planning, and database.
Communications Unit
Media Relations Internship
Media Relations interns work alongside two top communications professionals, the editor of AI's major publications and the NY Media Relations Director, who act not only as supervisors, but also as mentors on a wide range of projects, including:
- Writing and photo research for the membership newsletter (circulation 250,000)
- Crafting media pitches, letters to the editor, and op-ed articles
- Copy-editing and fact-checking
- Research on journalists' interests
- Direct pitches to national and regional journalists
The Media Relations Unit raises public awareness of human rights issues by positioning Amnesty International in the news media, developing media strategies for campaigns, cultivating relationships with reporters and editors and responding to breaking news.
This is a rich hands-on internship in which each intern gains experience on editorial projects, day-to-day media advocacy and key communications initiatives. Media Relations interns have the opportunity to sit in on strategy meetings and gain an understanding of the various communications tactics Amnesty International uses to further its human rights agenda.
Engagement Media Internship
As an energetic and creative member of the team, the Engagement Media intern helps to promote human rights work online. The Engagement Media Unit works to leverage the power of the Internet through the website, emails and social networking sites such as Facebook, to achieve real human rights victories.
The intern assists the Engagement Media unit by monitoring and analyzing online media, blogs and social networks; developing AIUSA's presence on social networks and blogs and helping with online analytics. Preferred qualifications include familiarity with Microsoft Excel and social networking sites and proficiency in Photoshop.
The fundraising units at Amnesty International USA are currently seeking both college and post-graduate students with a strong interest in human rights. As the largest grassroots human rights organization in the world, we offer an exciting range of possibilities for individuals seeking practical fundraising experience.
Member Services and Database Operations Internship
Interns will gain valuable, practical experience in marketing, customer relations and data management, applicable in for-profit or non-profit settings. Member Services and Database Operations manage the donor relations and donor databases for the entire US-based section, including the Direct Mail Response program and the specialized fundraising units.
Primary responsibilities will include data clean-up and integration projects, as well as support for events and mailings. All intern applicants must have strong Word and Excel skills. Prior customer service experience is preferred. They must also have an ability to meet deadlines and possess strong organizational and problem-solving skills. Ideal interns would have a basic understanding of relational databases, including data management and integration. They would also have experience with reporting and querying tools.
Planned Giving Internship
The Planned Giving Intern will provide support for the Planned Giving unit, which is responsible for the marketing and building of deferred gifts that will benefit Amnesty's future. Planned Gifts include bequests from wills, trusts and retirement funds, as well as charitable gift annuities. The unit manages current estate gifts and builds relationships with Amnesty members.
All interns must have meticulous attention to detail, an ability to work independently, and excellent organizational, writing and computer skills. Additional but not required qualifications include prior fundraising and database experience. Ideal interns would have an interest in law, business and/or marketing.
Foundations Relations Internship
The Foundations Intern will provide support for the Foundation Relations unit, which is responsible for raising money from foundations and philanthropic institutions to support Amnesty's core mission and strategic programs. The unit manages all aspects of proposal development, grant writing and compliance, and it collaborates with virtually all aspects of Amnesty's work.
Interns will gain valuable grant writing experience and exposure to all aspects of grant cultivation and stewardship. Please submit your writing sample. This internship is also available in Boston.
Major Gifts Internship
The Major Gifts Intern will provide support for the Major Gifts unit, which is responsible for managing relationships with high-level donors and prospects.
All interns should have an interest and/or experience in fundraising, events, donor research and data management. Ideal interns would have prior events experience and a background in graphic design. They would also have strong written and verbal communication skills.
E-Commerce Merchandising Internship
The E-Commerce Intern will provide support for the E-Commerce Merchandising unit, which is responsible for fundraising and promoting the Amnesty brand through our E-Commerce Store.
Primary responsibilities will include assisting with the daily management of the merchandise program and maintenance of the E-Commerce Website. Other projects may include new product development, inventory management, fulfillment, online marketing, promotions, events, vendor management, and partnership efforts with both external and internal teams. All interns must be detail-oriented, organized and creative, and possessing a comfort and ability to think outside of the box. Ideal interns would have previous retail and marketing experience.
Research Internship
The Research Unit at Amnesty International USA is seeking both legal and non-legal interns with a strong background and interest in human rights to work on several US-based research projects.
Interns will work on research projects which are being developed as part of AIUSA's ongoing campaigns such as its Migrant Rights Campaign, recognition of economic social and cultural rights in the United States and work around the United States' "War on Terror", among others. In particular, applicants with strong backgrounds in the issues of health, housing, extractives, immigration, and women's rights are encouraged to apply. We are seeking interns who possess some knowledge or understanding of housing, health, extractives, corporate accountability, immigration and national security issues along with relevant international law, in particular, familiarity with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Operations Department
Human Resources Internship
The Human Resources Intern will provide support for the Human Resources team, based in our NY office. The Human Resources unit is responsible for hiring, performance management, staff development and employee benefits for over 130 staff members in five regions and Washington, DC. We also coordinate an internship program with roughly 180 interns per year between our NY and DC offices.
The Human Resources Intern will help to coordinate the internship program, pre-screening and sorting incoming resumes, and general clerical work. Strong computer skills and attention to detail are required.
Finance Internship
The Finance Intern will provide support for the Finance team.
The Finance Intern will be responsible for assisting in processing of accounts payable invoices, MasterCard reconciliation, payroll reconciliation, processing journal entries for deposits, processing journal entries for various investments, as well as filing and general organization of the finance office. No writing sample is required.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. I am not a U.S. Citizen, am I still eligible to apply for an internship?
A. Yes, we encourage all who are interested to apply regardless of nationality. However, please be advised that each individual is responsible for obtaining proper documentation to stay in the United States for the duration of their internship.
Q. May I apply to more than one internship position?
A. Yes, you may apply for more than one internship position. Please send a separate email with the appropriate documents for each position to which you are applying.
Q. I applied for an internship position a few months ago and I haven't received a response letting me know if I have been selected for an interview.
A. Please be advised that after the application deadline has passed, we will contact only the most qualified candidates for interviews. We regret that due to the number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to individual requests regarding the status of applications.
Q. I applied for an internship at Amnesty International USA last semester but I was not selected. May I reapply for this semester?
A. Yes, you may reapply.
