Peace Program Opportunities
 
Americas Program
The Carter Center's Americas Program is seeking a qualified graduate student for the summer session.  The Program works toward the collective protection and promotion of meaningful democracy in the Western Hemisphere by helping countries facing significant citizen demand for political change to sustain strong democracies and prevent crises by sponsoring open dialogue and mediation, organizing consensus-building exercises, helping to identify reform priorities, and consulting with local actors about issues that may generate conflicts or could deepen democracy.

The graduate assistant will conduct research on countries in the Americas where democracy is at risk, paying special attention to those where the Inter-American Democratic Charter may apply or the international community may help.  Additional possible areas of research include Andean-U.S. relations and the role of media in democracies.  Research may result in one or more summary reports. Americas Program staff members, who hold advanced degrees in law and political science, will provide guidance and mentorship for the graduate assistant throughout this research.

Required qualifications: Must be a currently enrolled graduate or professional student who has completed at least one year of graduate study.

The ideal candidate will be a positive thinker who can link intellectual research to practical policy questions.  Familiarity with Western Hemisphere politics, excellent written English, and proficient reading and writing ability in Spanish are required. 

Preferred qualifications: Prior experience working with a government, policy nongovernmental organization, or multilateral agency may be helpful. 

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Americas Program > 

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Conflict Resolution Program
Graduate assistants interested in working on the Conflict Resolution Program's Middle East or Africa work will be recruited to conduct a small number of longer term research projects over the course of their assignment.  Specific areas of research will be discussed with the applicant during their interview.  Relevant language skills are an asset, though not a requirement.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Conflict Resolution Program >

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China Program

• Translating documents into Chinese and/or English;
• Contributing to program websites;
• Monitoring political developments through Chinese and/or western media;
• Providing logistical support to staff travel and visiting delegations;
• Preparing China-related briefing materials for senior staff;
• Conduct research on specific projects as directed by program staff.

Successful candidates for the graduate assistantship often have the following attributes:

1. High proficiency in spoken and written Chinese (Mandarin);
2. Extensive exposure to China's political development and international relations;
3. Familiarity with web publication and social media platforms;
4. Strong analytical and writing skills.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the China Program >

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Democracy Program

The Democracy Program seeks a graduate assistant to research and write on democracy and governance issues.

The successful applicant will work with Democracy Program staff in an ongoing effort to develop democracy assessment tools with reference to state obligations for democratic elections.  Additional research topics on other related areas may also be assigned (e.g. review current challenges for international election observation, identify means to improve follow-up and impact of international election observation, assess the impact and challenges of electronic voting on the integrity of results and vote verification exercises).

Required Qualifications: Must be a currently enrolled graduate or professional student who has completed at least one year of graduate study. The graduate assistant also must have strong research, writing, and analytic skills.

Preferred Qualifications: Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in democratic transitions and awareness of the current literature and main issues.  Experience with international public law is also a plus. Practical experience in international democracy assistance and/or election observation projects is an asset.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Democracy Program >

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Human Rights Program
The Carter Center's Human Rights Program is seeking a graduate assistant for the summer session. The Program works with human rights defenders throughout the world and convenes an annual forum on how U.S. policies can either support or damage the efforts of local human rights activists, and how religious and traditional belief can be used to bolster human rights rather than erode them. The Program also operates country-based programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The graduate assistant will assist in writing various documents related to the forum, including situation reports, policy analyses, or profiles of human rights leaders. Depending on applicants' abilities, writing and research for the DRC and Palestine projects may also be assigned.

Required qualifications: Must be a currently enrolled graduate or professional student who has completed at least one year of graduate study. The graduate assistant also must have excellent diplomatic and interpersonal skills, cross-cultural sensitivity, and the ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism and ease.

The ideal candidate will have strong writing skills and possibly a background in journalism. Work or internship experience on Capitol Hill would be an asset for following up on policy recommendations.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience living and working in a developing country. Work experience related to human rights.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Human Rights Program >

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Health Program Opportunities

Mental Health Program
The Carter Center's Mental Health Program is seeking a graduate assistant for the summer session. The program works on domestic mental health issues, both at the state and national level, as well as international stigma issues and developing mental health services in a post-conflict society.

The graduate assistant will work with the program director and other staff on emerging mental health policy issues.  Assignments include assisting in writing various documents and presentations, policy and program research, and analyzing information to inform program activities.  Recent examples of Mental Health Program projects include the development of federal mental health insurance parity regulations, monitoring national healthcare reform efforts, and contributing to Georgia mental health system reforms.

The graduate assistant also will be involved in the planning and coordination of ongoing program activities including the development of the annual national symposium on mental health policy in November, the annual meeting of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in September, as well as program activities associated with the Primary Care Initiative and the Liberia Mental Health Program.

Required qualifications: Must be a currently enrolled graduate or professional student who has completed at least one year of graduate study. The graduate assistant must also have excellent diplomatic and interpersonal skills, cross-cultural sensitivity, and the ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism and ease.

The ideal candidate will have will have strong writing skills and possibly a background in mental health or public health.

Preferred qualifications: Work experience related to mental health preferred.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Mental Health Program >

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Health Programs

Trachoma is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness.  The World Health Organization estimates that six million people are blind due to trachoma, most of whom are women, and another 540 million – almost 10 percent of the world's population – are at risk of blindness or severe visual impairment.  Trachoma is caused by repeated infections of the conjunctiva (the lining of the eye and eyelid) by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, and can be prevented through simple hygienic practices and the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy.  Most cases occur in rural, arid areas of developing countries, such as the Sahel region of Africa, where access to clean water is limited.

The Carter Center supports the Ministries of Health in Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Sudan, Southern Sudan, and Nigeria to implement the SAFE strategy (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and health education, and Environmental Improvement for water and sanitation) in order to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem in these respective countries.  Since the inception of the Carter Center's Trachoma Control Program through August 2010, the Carter Center has been able to support these ministries to perform over 214,000 surgeries, construct more than 2 million latrines, and distribute more than 56 million doses of azithromycin.

The Trachoma Control Program will host one (possibly 2) students for the summer of 2012 to participate in specific operational research assignments relevant to the program and the interests of the successful candidates. Students with an interest and prior experience in community-based public health interventions should apply clearly stating the type of assignment they would like. The actual assignment will be tailored to match our current needs with the students' experience, interests, and academic needs.  Ideal candidates will have previous experience working overseas in difficult terrain, as well as with working with host-country nationals, preferably in Africa or explain why they need to gain such experience.  A working knowledge of French, or statistical software would enhance the application.

Compensation: Stipend of $3,500 for a 10-week, 40-hour-per-week term.

Apply Now for a Graduate Assistantship with the Trachoma Control (Global 2000) Program >