Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the nation’s first and largest organization dedicated to serving the 2.5 million veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, from their first day home to the rest of their lives. IAVA strives to build an empowered generation of veterans through programs in four key impact areas: Health, Education, Employment and Community.

• Health - IAVA makes it a priority to ensure that both mental and physical health needs are being effectively addressed in our community, and has provided support to over 20,000 returning veterans nationwide.
• Education - With nearly a million new veterans headed back to school under the New GI Bill, IAVA has provided over 500,000 with the tools and support needed to make informed decisions about their education.
• Employment - No veteran should come home from Iraq or Afghanistan to an unemployment check. To fight shockingly high joblessness rates, IAVA’s Combat to Career initiative helped over 270,000 veterans in their transition to civilian careers in 2011.
• Community - Less than 1% of the country served in Iraq and Afghanistan – a stark contrast to the 12% that served during WWII. Building community, both online and on the ground, is a critical factor in fulfilling IAVA’s mission, which means bridging geographical divides to create a united, supported and proud movement of new veterans

As part of IAVA’s policy department, the research team researches the diverse array of issues confronting the newest generation of veterans and offers public policy solutions to these challenges. The team ensures that IAVA always has the best and most meaningful data about Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It serves as an internal research service while also producing issue reports, blog posts and other analysis of the issues facing today’s veterans. Our issue reports offer the most comprehensive, and easy to understand, analysis and policy recommendations on the urgent issues facing new veterans. In this position, you will assist with maintaining the most up-to-date information, and researching and writing about a host of issues. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to learn how to do policy research and turn ideas and numbers into action. The Research Intern will report to the Research Director.

The Research Intern will:

Learn how policy research is done, from gathering and analyzing data to developing a final product.

Learn how to do rapid reaction and response research.

Learn about the issues confronting today’s generation of veterans and potentially pick an area to develop more expertise.

Have an opportunity to attend meetings on Capitol Hill and around DC, observing firsthand how Congressional hearings, events and conferences work.

Learn how to research, draft, and (possibly) publish briefs, blogs and papers on current issues facing veterans.

The Research Intern should possess:

Excellent research and organizational skills

Clear, thoughtful, precise, and quick writing skills

Knowledge of or interest in veterans’ affairs or related issues

A strong desire to do policy research

Flexibility, dedication to mission, and a robust sense of humor - we are a rapidly growing organization, and one that is presented with many unique, interesting and exciting opportunities on a regular basis.

To Apply: Please send a resume, cover letter, salary history and three professional references to [email protected], with “Salesforce Coordinator” in the subject line. Include a cover letter that concisely explains how your campaign experience could be applied to IAVA. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. No phone calls, please.

IAVA is an equal opportunity employer. VETERANS OF THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN CONFLICTS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.