Innovation and Discovery Intern (May 2023 – August 2023)

Position Title:  Innovation and Discovery Intern (May 2023 – August 2023)
Department:  Innovation and Discovery
Reports to:  Strategy Director, Innovation and Discovery
Location: Washington, D.C. (preferred), or Indianapolis, USA (no virtual option)
Duration:  12 weeks, May 17, 2023 – August 11, 2023
Compensation: $16-$19 per hour for a student enrolled in an undergraduate program or $19-22 per hour for students enrolled in a graduate program or a recent graduate
Schedule:  20 hours weekly required, maximum of 40 hours. The schedule can be negotiated with supervisor.

Responsibilities

The candidate will report to the strategy director for innovation and discovery, based in Lumina’s Washington, D.C., office.

Lumina is building out our internal capacity for innovation that can help align our work with the most pressing challenges facing our country. This includes identifying what individual, community, and society benefits we expect to flow when more people earn quality credentials. We have been particularly focused on higher education’s unique roles in responding to systemic risks such as weakening democracy and climate change.

The Innovation and Discovery intern will focus on enhancing the foundation’s understanding of wellbeing, including conducting a landscape analysis of current efforts and identifying specific connections to Lumina’s mission focused on attainment and racial equity. Tasks within this effort may include:

• Preparing background research and analysis from a diverse body of sources, including, e.g., traditional and social media, research studies and other reports, public policy proposals, and interviews of partners and subject matter experts
• Attending and reporting back on external events, potentially both virtual and in-person in DC
• Examining existing work at Lumina related to wellbeing
• Presenting findings to various internal audiences

Education

Enrolled undergraduate or graduate student, or a recent graduate; we will also consider an equivalent combination of work and learning experience.

Qualifications

• Interest in the future of postsecondary education and in philanthropy’s role in solving the major challenges of our time, particularly how education and workforce strategies can respond effectively to systemic risks related to weakening democracy and climate change

• Understanding of US postsecondary education systems
• Demonstrable commitment to equity and justice aligned with Lumina’s Equity First approach
• Strong communication (written and oral) & analytical skills, particularly in working across different sources of evidence and information and in identifying intersectional themes
• Digital literacy and fluency in Microsoft Office suite
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work in the D.C. or Indianapolis area (with a preference for D.C.)
• Stable access to high-speed internet

Applicants should send the following to the e-mail address below:

1. a letter of interest specifying interest in the Innovation and Discovery intern position
2. a resume outlining experience relevant to the position

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Amber Shelton
Human Resources Manager
luminaintern@luminafoundation.org

Equal Opportunity Employer