About Data x Direction
Data x Direction is an initiative focused on bridging data science, ethics, human-centered AI, and interdisciplinary leadership. Through research writing, tool reviews, and public-facing communication, we aim to build a thoughtful, practical conversation about the future of responsible data use and the strategic impact they have. This internship offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of technical tools, policy frameworks, and public impact.
Data x Direction is a project under the Society Ethics Tech working group managed by JOPRO and Orthogonal Research and Education Lab.
Internship Overview
We are seeking to fill 1-3 positions, starting as soon as available, with rolling applications opening as of April, 2025.
Standard Details for Applicants:
Title: Data Ethics & Responsible AI Intern
Location: 100% Remote. Optional occasional in-person opportunities in New York, Boston, or San Diego
Time Commitment: 5-10 hours per week (flexible, project-based).
Duration: Summer 2025 - starting now through August, with option to continue working with us upon completion.
Compensation: Unpaid. We offer mentorship, professional development, bylines/publications, portfolio-building opportunities, and references.
What to expect during the internship
Following acceptance and onboarding, you will work with the Project Lead to identify an area or set of topics that align with your interests. You will receive guidance on sourcing relevant material — including datasets, tools, papers, or media — and be expected to research and investigate your chosen topics.
For more technical projects, this may involve experimenting with or prototyping data tools. For policy- or concept-focused projects, this may involve analyzing articles, papers, and broader debates around data ethics, governance, or responsible AI.
Interns will report progress regularly within the team and produce interim deliverables (presentations, blog posts, contributing to or hosting discussions) throughout the summer. The intern will also contribute to public facing articles around their work. Toward the end of the internship, you will compile your work into a final project deliverable — this could take the form of: A written report, an academic preprint, a final presentation, or Jupyter notebook or other applicable portfolio piece.
You will have the opportunity to meet weekly with the Project Lead for mentorship and guidance. Day-to-day work will be individual and asynchronous, supported by regular updates shared via our team’s discussion platforms.
Additionally, interns will have the opportunity to present their findings during Data x Direction meetings and optionally to the broader community at the Orthogonal Research and Education Lab. If applicable, we will submit to relevant conferences and events in the data science & AI community.
Tracks Available
Interns may choose to focus primarily on one of two tracks based on interests and background:
Technical Track: Emphasizing tools, auditing techniques, explainability methods, and coding-related projects.
Policy & Communication Track: Emphasizing data ethics frameworks, governance trends, policy research, and science communication.
A key focus for the internship, for all tracks, is understanding how data and the processes of managing, modeling, and creating products or outcomes with it, influence and impact decision making.
Responsibilities
Reading and interpreting data science, data ethics, and responsible AI news, papers, and tools from a software and functional perspective.
Supporting the Project Leader on research and writing projects.
Writing articles, blog posts, and research summaries.
Exploring topics such as:
Data ethics frameworks and standards
Explainability and auditability tools
Trends in data science governance, data management, and policy
Responsible AI news, events, and major conferences
Open Source and Open Science
Desired Skills & Background
For a bit more insight into how we will assess fit:
Required Skills
Strong English language writing and communication skills
Familiarity with core data science concepts (undergraduate-level coursework or equivalent)
Familiarity with Google Office
Basic research skills
Initiative on investigating new, undefined, or cutting-edge areas around the interaction of technology and society
Strong interest in data ethics, responsible AI, or related topics
Preferred Skills
Experience with Python and Jupyter Notebooks
Familiarity with Notion, Substack, or similar tools for writing and project management
Science communication or public-facing academic writing experience
Experience, or ability and flexibility for asynchronous & remote work
Ideal Background
Undergraduate students, graduate students, or early-career professionals
We are a great match for someone looking beyond standard data science coursework, who is looking for applied, interdisciplinary interactions between data science and other fields of study.
We are a less ideal match for someone who wants to spend time working on fine tuning model performance to take first prize at a Kaggle competition; this is a valuable skillset to have, but not the focus of our internship.
Opportunities & Benefits
While this position is unpaid, we offer as much professional development opportunities which may be useful for industry, academia, and more.
Bylines and credit for articles, posts, and contributions where appropriate
Mentorship and training in data ethics, open science, and academic writing
Networking opportunities with partners at Orthogonal Research & Education Lab (based in Champagne-Urbana, Illinois); University of California at San Diego, the State University of New York system, Boston-area innovation hubs and data science and AI communities and start-up ecosystems.
Portfolio and publication development for future career advancement
Application Details
How to Apply:
Submit a Resume or CV
Short Statement of Interest
(optional) Writing Samples
Application Method: Google Form
Deadline: Rolling Applications starting immediately (Summer 2025 intake)
Questions?
Please reach out to [info] AT [JOPRO.org] with further questions.
This years internships are now live at: https://opportunities.jopro.org/