ACLU-NJ Communications Internship

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) seeks a highly motivated undergraduate student for a summer internship in our communications department. This internship can be full time up to 35 hours per week for ten weeks, from June through August. Interns can expect a hybrid work schedule, with one to two days of the work week being in person in our Newark office.

Overview

The ACLU-NJ is one of the largest ACLU affiliates in the country and the premier civil rights and liberties advocacy organization in New Jersey. At the ACLU-NJ, students will contribute to a broad range of cutting-edge civil rights and liberties work. Please click here to see a list of some of the issues the ACLU-NJ works on.

The communications intern will work closely with the communications, policy, and legal departments to create strategic communications that engage and educate the public on ACLU-NJ's key priorities. The intern will contribute to the day-to-day functions of the department and will develop creative assets, social copy, email blasts, editorial and web content, and press materials. They will also gain experience in analyzing reporting data and making recommendations from key performance indicators of campaigns and will support ACLU-NJ's advocacy work through multiple channels.

This is an opportunity for the selected candidate to learn about the responsibilities of the various areas of a communications department. The ACLU-NJ endeavors to provide other professional development opportunities such as presentations and Q&A sessions with renowned attorneys, activists, and other institutional partners in New Jersey.

The ACLU-NJ is committed to working with students to secure academic credit and/or school or outside funding for those who spend the full summer with us. We are also pleased to be able to offer sliding scale funding up to $6,300, for the student who successfully applies. The ACLU-NJ will not consider a student’s external funding in reviewing applications and making offers.

Qualifications

Prerequisites include:

  • Strong oral, written, and editing skills
  • Familiarity with online platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and graphic design software like Canva
  • Experience in Excel, Google Sheets, or other data management software
  • Good interpersonal and analytical skills
  • A commitment to racial and social justice, civil liberties, and civil rights
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work inclusively across lines of difference in a variety of settings

How to Apply

Applicants are required to submit application materials, including a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample. If the candidate is selected for an interview, references and unofficial transcripts may be requested at that time. The application deadline is April 6th, 2023, for a June 5, 2023, start date.

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture of belonging. It is our policy to employ qualified people without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; ancestry; disability; sexual orientation; veteran’s status; marital status; civil union status; arrest or court record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; gender identity or expression; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law. The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please send an email here. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

Apply for this Job

* Required
resume chosen  
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)
cover_letter chosen  
(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)


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 ACLU - Affiliate Offices’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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.


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

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.


Please reach out to our support team via our help center.
Please complete the reCAPTCHA above.