Fall 2026 - Research Intern, Vera Louisiana

Back to jobs Fall 2026 - Research Intern, Vera Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana, United States About The Team: Vera's work in New Orleans began in 2006, when the City Council invited us to assess the criminal justice system and propose reforms as part of post-Katrina recovery efforts. Since then, we have become a nexus for advancing evidence-based reform and have demonstrated that change is not only possible but within reach. In partnership with people leading and working in the local justice system, city leaders, and community organizations, we are working to end unnecessary detention and develop innovative, collaborative projects that improve the delivery of justice in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana.

About The Role: Vera Louisiana is seeking a part-time (10-20 hours/week) fall Research Intern to provide a wide range of support for our ongoing projects, including jail population reduction, increasing investment in thriving communities, and addressing Louisiana’s carceral impact in multiple parishes and at the state legislature. The Research Intern will be supervised primarily by the Senior Research Associate and will complete a variety of projects with other staff. This internship will provide an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in applied social justice research, using research to advance advocacy goals, and criminal legal systems in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana.

What qualifications are we looking for? Research and analysis Support ongoing mixed methods research projects Review, organize, and analyze publicly available datasets Observe and take notes during interviews and focus groups Build skills in applied research, written communication, and systemic analysis Partnership support Attend and take notes at coalition and partner organization meetings Build verbal and interpersonal communication skills Gain awareness about network of criminal legal system advocacy organizations and how data can support advocacy goals Advocacy Prepare data to inform public policy advocacy Build persuasive advocacy and communications skills Gain knowledge about successful advocacy arguments and responses at a quick pace Administrative Provide support for planned events and other related responsibilities that may arise Assist with scheduling meetings with internal and external partners Gain experience in routine, professional responsibilities Required : Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: Currently enrolled in graduate school in a public health or social science program (epidemiology, sociology, political science, etc.) Interest in applied social justice research, particularly to advance policy reform and advocacy Ability to show initiative, ask questions, and adapt to changing priorities Attention to detail and strong organizational skills Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills A demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds Familiarity with collecting and/or analyzing qualitative data to identify themes Familiarity with analyzing quantitative datasets to produce descriptive statistics Preferred : Demonstrated connection to Louisiana, New Orleans, or the Deep South Willingness to travel to Baton Rouge on occasion Technical Knowledge Helpful For This Role: Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software Quantitative analysis software (ie: SQL, SPSS, SAS, Stata, etc) Qualitative analysis software (ie: NVIVO, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, etc) Location: Please note this role will report to our New Orleans, Louisiana office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation And Benefits: Applicants will receive academic credit for the externship. For those who need to earn academic credit, Vera will gladly assist in working with the school or program to arrangements and meet requirements. Application Process: To receive further consideration for this career opportunity, applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, their interest and qualifications.

Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details about their experience via a phone screen/form in advance of an invitation for a virtual or in-person interview with the team. Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment prior to reference checks and a hiring decision. Applications May Also Be Faxed To: ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / [ JOBTITLE] Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Fax: (212) 941-9407 Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.

No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Vera is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org . Create a Job Alert Interested in building your career at Vera Institute of Justice? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Create alert Apply for this job indicates a required field First Name* Last Name* Email* Phone Country* Phone* 244 results found No results found Afghanistan+93 Åland Islands+358 Albania+355 Algeria+213 American Samoa+1 Andorra+376 Angola+244 Anguilla+1 Antigua & Barbuda+1 Argentina+54 Armenia+374 Aruba+297 Ascension Island+247 Australia+61 Austria+43 Azerbaijan+994 Bahamas+1 Bahrain+973 Bangladesh+880 Barbados+1 Belarus+375 Belgium+32 Belize+501 Benin+229 Bermuda+1 Bhutan+975 Bolivia+591 Bosnia & Herzegovina+387 Botswana+267 Brazil+55 British Indian Ocean Territory+246 British Virgin Islands+1 Brunei+673 Bulgaria+359 Burkina Faso+226 Burundi+257 Cambodia+855 Cameroon+237 Canada+1 Cape Verde+238 Caribbean Netherlands+599 Cayman Islands+1 Central African Republic+236 Chad+235 Chile+56 China+86 Christmas Island+61 Cocos (Keeling) Islands+61 Colombia+57 Comoros+269 Congo - Brazzaville+242 Congo - Kinshasa+243 Cook Islands+682 Costa Rica+506 Côte d’Ivoire+225 Croatia+385 Cuba+53 Curaçao+599 Cyprus+357 Czechia+420 Denmark+45 Djibouti+253 Dominica+1 Dominican Republic+1 Ecuador+593 Egypt+20 El Salvador+503 Equatorial Guinea+240 Eritrea+291 Estonia+372 Eswatini+268 Ethiopia+251 Falkland Islands+500 Faroe Islands+298 Fiji+679 Finland+358 France+33 French Guiana+594 French Polynesia+689 Gabon+241 Gambia+220 Georgia+995 Germany+49 Ghana+233 Gibraltar+350 Greece+30 Greenland+299 Grenada+1 Guadeloupe+590 Guam+1 Guatemala+502 Guernsey+44 Guinea+224 Guinea-Bissau+245 Guyana+592 Haiti+509 Honduras+504 Hong Kong SAR China+852 Hungary+36 Iceland+354 India+91 Indonesia+62 Iran+98 Iraq+964 Ireland+353 Isle of Man+44 Israel+972 Italy+39 Jamaica+1 Japan+81 Jersey+44 Jordan+962 Kazakhstan+7 Kenya+254 Kiribati+686 Kosovo+383 Kuwait+965 Kyrgyzstan+996 Laos+856 Latvia+371 Lebanon+961 Lesotho+266 Liberia+231 Libya+218 Liechtenstein+423 Lithuania+370 Luxembourg+352 Macao SAR China+853 Madagascar+261 Malawi+265 Malaysia+60 Maldives+960 Mali+223 Malta+356 Marshall Islands+692 Martinique+596 Mauritania+222 Mauritius+230 Mayotte+262 Mexico+52 Micronesia+691 Moldova+373 Monaco+377 Mongolia+976 Montenegro+382 Montserrat+1 Morocco+212 Mozambique+258 Myanmar (Burma)+95 Namibia+264 Nauru+674 Nepal+977 Netherlands+31 New Caledonia+687 New Zealand+64 Nicaragua+505 Niger+227 Nigeria+234 Niue+683 Norfolk Island+672 North Korea+850 North Macedonia+389 Northern Mariana Islands+1 Norway+47 Oman+968 Pakistan+92 Palau+680 Palestinian Territories+970 Panama+507 Papua New Guinea+675 Paraguay+595 Peru+51 Philippines+63 Poland+48 Portugal+351 Puerto Rico+1 Qatar+974 Réunion+262 Romania+40 Russia+7 Rwanda+250 Samoa+685 San Marino+378 São Tomé & Príncipe+239 Saudi Arabia+966 Senegal+221 Serbia+381 Seychelles+248 Sierra Leone+232 Singapore+65 Sint Maarten+1 Slovakia+421 Slovenia+386 Solomon Islands+677 Somalia+252 South Africa+27 South Korea+82 South Sudan+211 Spain+34 Sri Lanka+94 St. Barthélemy+590 St. Helena+290 St.

Kitts & Nevis+1 St. Lucia+1 St. Martin+590 St.

Pierre & Miquelon+508 St. Vincent & Grenadines+1 Sudan+249 Suriname+597 Svalbard & Jan Mayen+47 Sweden+46 Switzerland+41 Syria+963 Taiwan+886 Tajikistan+992 Tanzania+255 Thailand+66 Timor-Leste+670 Togo+228 Tokelau+690 Tonga+676 Trinidad & Tobago+1 Tunisia+216 Turkey+90 Turkmenistan+993 Turks & Caicos Islands+1 Tuvalu+688 U.S. Virgin Islands+1 Uganda+256 Ukraine+380 United Arab Emirates+971 United Kingdom+44 United States+1 Uruguay+598 Uzbekistan+998 Vanuatu+678 Vatican City+39 Venezuela+58 Vietnam+84 Wallis & Futuna+681 Western Sahara+212 Yemen+967 Zambia+260 Zimbabwe+263 Resume/CV* Attach Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Cover Letter* Attach Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Pronouns* LinkedIn Profile Website This is a hybrid position.

Are you able to report to our New Orleans, Louisiana office?* Select... This externship is intended to be taken for academic credit. By applying, you confirm that you have verified with your school that this externship is eligible for academic credit.* Select...

Are you a former employee of Vera or any of its spin offs?* Select... Voluntary Self-Identification For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary.

Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file. As set forth in Vera Institute of Justice’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Gender Select... Are you Hispanic/Latino? Select...

Race & Ethnicity Definitions If You Believe You Belong To Any Of The Categories Of Protected Veterans Listed Below, Please Indicate By Making The Appropriate Selection. As a Government Contractor Subject To The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), We Request This Information In Order To Measure The Effectiveness Of The Outreach And Positive Recruitment Efforts We Undertake Pursuant To VEVRAA. Classification Of Protected Categories Is As Follows: A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service. An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense. An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Veteran Status Select... Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305 Page 1 of 1 OMB Control Number 1250-0005 Expires 04/30/2026 Why are you being asked to complete this form? We are a federal contractor or subcontractor.

The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal.

To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years. Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so.

Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way.

If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp. How do you know if you have a disability?

A Disability Is a Condition That Substantially Limits One Or More Of Your “major Life Activities.” If You Have Or Have Ever Had Such a Condition, You Are a Person With a Disability. Disabilities Include, But Are Not Limited To: Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally) Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS Blind or low vision Cancer (past or present) Cardiovascular or heart disease Celiac disease Cerebral palsy Deaf or serious difficulty hearing Diabetes Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders Epilepsy or other seizure disorder Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome Intellectual or developmental disability Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD Missing limbs or partially missing limbs Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities Partial or complete paralysis (any cause) Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema Short stature (dwarfism) Traumatic brain injury Disability Status Select... PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.

This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete. About The Role: Vera Louisiana is seeking a part-time (10-20 hours/week) fall Research Intern to provide a wide range of support for our ongoing projects, including jail population reduction, increasing investment in thriving communities, and addressing Louisiana’s carceral impact in multiple parishes and at the state legislature. The Research Intern will be supervised primarily by the Senior Research Associate and will complete a variety of projects with other staff.

This internship will provide an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in applied social justice research, using research to advance advocacy goals, and criminal legal systems in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. What qualifications are we looking for? Research and analysis Support ongoing mixed methods research projects Review, organize, and analyze publicly available datasets Observe and take notes during interviews and focus groups Build skills in applied research, written communication, and systemic analysis Partnership support Attend and take notes at coalition and partner organization meetings Build verbal and interpersonal communication skills Gain awareness about network of criminal legal system advocacy organizations and how data can support advocacy goals Advocacy Prepare data to inform public policy advocacy Build persuasive advocacy and communications skills Gain knowledge about successful advocacy arguments and responses at a quick pace Administrative Provide support for planned events and other related responsibilities that may arise Assist with scheduling meetings with internal and external partners Gain experience in routine, professional responsibilities Required : Currently enrolled in graduate school in a public health or social science program (epidemiology, sociology, political science, etc.) Interest in applied social justice research, particularly to advance policy reform and advocacy Ability to show initiative, ask questions, and adapt to changing priorities Attention to detail and strong organizational skills Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills A demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds Familiarity with collecting and/or analyzing qualitative data to identify themes Familiarity with analyzing quantitative datasets to produce descriptive statistics Preferred : Demonstrated connection to Louisiana, New Orleans, or the Deep South Willingness to travel to Baton Rouge on occasion Technical Knowledge Helpful For This Role: Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software Quantitative analysis software (ie: SQL, SPSS, SAS, Stata, etc) Qualitative analysis software (ie: NVIVO, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, etc) Location: Please note this role will report to our New Orleans, Louisiana office.

Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month. Applications May Also Be Faxed To: ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / [ JOBTITLE] Vera Institute of Justice 34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Fax: (212) 941-9407 Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission. No phone calls, please.

Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Vera is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org .