SciLine Intern
Who We Are
“The advancement of science should be the chief concern of a nation that would conserve and increase the welfare of its people.”
-James McKeen Cattell, former AAAS President and Editor of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of all people. For over a century, AAAS has been a force for science, from helping to establish science as a credible field in the 19th century to using satellite imaging technology to document human rights abuses in 2007. We are recognized as the world’s largest general scientific society and the proud publisher of the Science family of journals. Past presidents have included astronomer Edward Charles Pickering, anthropologist Margaret Mead, and biologist Stephen Jay Gould. Our mission is centered on the belief that STEM research and education can help solve many of the challenges the world faces today.
AAAS is a culture steeped in history, but adaptive to change and new ideas. We recognize the hard work of our employees and encourage the development of our staff. Our colleagues represent an array of expertise from scholarly publishing to digital marketing, educational research to government relations, all with a shared focus on mission. At AAAS, you are part of a talented team, dedicated to advancing science and serving society.
Work With Us
We have an exciting opportunity for a full-time SciLine Intern in Washington, DC. SciLine is a philanthropically funded, editorially independent, free service for journalists. Among its products are Fact Sheets on science-related topics in the news, typically about two pages long plus references, that are heavily researched, meticulously fact checked, and designed and formatted to be especially easy to use by reporters on deadline. By the end of the internship, the intern will have a strong portfolio of clear, well written, and factually accurate Fact Sheets released for journalistic and public consumption, as well as a deep immersive experience in the art and science of science communication and journalism more generally.
This is a paid summer internship and will last 12-weeks.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Assist in determining topics to be prioritized for Fact Sheet production
- Deeply research each topic to be covered in a Fact Sheet
- Draft Fact Sheets, hewing to SciLine style and carefully documenting sources
- Oversee detailed internal and external peer review process; finalize and format Fact Sheet for posting on SciLine website, with a goal of producing 6-8 Fact Sheets over the course of the internship
- Participate in daily team meetings
- Additional duties as assigned
Key Requirements
- Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program (or transitioning between the two) at a university/college
- Science majors with strong writing/communications skills preferred, but journalism/communications majors with strong science skills will be given serious consideration
- Detail-oriented and organized, can multitask and adhere to tight deadlines
- Ability to take direction well, and work both independently and collaboratively with a team that is having fun being an ambitious start-up in which everyone helps with everything
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and work samples or a link to portfolio by April 5, 2018. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If we think you might be a good fit for the role, we will contact you with next steps.
AAAS is an EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category. AAAS uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
Apply here.
