NORC Summer Internship

NORC at the University of Chicago is invested in developing the expertise of individuals in social science research while fostering NORC’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and collegiality among researchers entering the profession. The NORC Summer Internship is a nine-week, paid position for individuals with an interest in the social sciences, survey research, data analysis, and research methods. Interns are typically assigned to an ongoing NORC research study, attend a seminar series on emerging topics in survey research, and conduct a small-scale study as an intern cohort. Each summer, interns:

Learn the principles of survey research and industry best practices from leading practitioners at NORC
Gain hands-on survey design and operations experience
Combine social science and statistical methods with the practical challenges of day-to-day project implementation
Apply and develop a wide range of technical skills (these vary from project to project)
Build the teamwork and project management skills, with a focus on collaboration

In 2019, the intern group worked with the Social Data Collaboratory (SDC) on a project for the Gates Foundation to understand how text analysis can be applied to measure exposure and awareness to the Foundation’s core education topics. The goal of the 2019 project was to understand and practice the procedures and methods that are used in social media data collection, quality assessment, and analysis. In other years, group projects have focused on Web survey design, studying adaptive design methods, and developing an imputation model for an address-based sampling design.

NORC hires interns who demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in social science research, conscientiousness, and a commitment to rigor. We also value the ability to thrive in a team environment, creativity, flexibility, problem-solving abilities, as well as strong written and verbal communication skills.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally- protected characteristics.