Spring 2027 Undergraduate Intern, Information Technology Department

ACLU - Internships; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stipend

Job summary

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate Information Technology Intern to join the IT Department at our New York City office. This full-time, hybrid internship offers hands-on experience in a national context and exposure to enterprise IT projects.

You will collaborate with IT and affiliate teams, document technical approaches, and contribute to process improvements supporting the organization’s mission. Start Jan 2027, stipend provided.

Qualifications

• Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated undergraduate students or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.
• Location: Hybrid in New York City (New York, NY).

Responsibilities

• Support ATS program by researching, designing, testing, and delivering technical improvements.
• Assist cross-functional teams with data governance, privacy, and security stakeholders.
• Document technical specifications and user-facing communications.
• Perform QA and in-development testing for operational systems.
• Help train staff on enterprise applications and security best practices.

Skills

Analytical problem-solving

Communication skills

Documentation skills

Research ability

Job description

Spring 2027 Undergraduate Intern, Information Technology Department

Hybrid-New York City

The ACLU seeks anUndergraduate Information Technology Intern in the Information Technology Departmentof the ACLU’s National office in New York City. This internship is a full-time, hybrid role.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated undergraduate students or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The Information Technology (IT) department provides technology-based services and support for a more than 600-person National staff at our New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, the Dakotas, Puerto Rico and Durham offices, including staff based in remote locations, and Affiliate offices nationwide that participate in the Affiliate Technology Services program. ACLU IT support staff ensures that business critical services are available to all staff.

What You’ll Do:

Repor ting to the A f filiate Technolo gy Services ( A TS) , Pro gram Manager, t he Information Technology Intern s will work closely with affili ate operation s staff other designated IT team members , and IT-adjac ent stakeholde r departm ent s ( e .g., In fo rmation Securit y, D ata Go vernance & Privacy , AS NI) . This internship is an opportunity to contribute to process improvement and organizational technology projects that provide necessary support and infrastructure to empower the larger organization’s goal of protecting the liberties that define our democracy. You'll work with a cross-functional group of Analysts, Managers, and Engineers to research, design, test, and deliver technical improvements and systems-based solutions that will continue to drive ACLU’s work. S peci fically, the I T I ntern will support ou r ATS program in recur ring, operational cadences and strate gic ini ti atives that incl ude di gital records m an agement , dat a curation and qu ality contr ol, projec t managem ent , and custom er relatio nship m anagement , cul m inating i n durable technic al solutions that su pport p rogram g rowth and increase value to cross- functional stakeholder s .

Your Day to Day

• Co-create:Co-design and update workflow procedures and processes related to m onthl y billing re conciliations ( automated and manual ) , user a udit s, accou nt analytics , and progr am m et rics .
• B uild : Cura te , model, de sign , test , implement , and opera tion alize a customer relations hip manageme nt data base that centr alizes points of co ntact , accoun t prof iles an d pre ferences, site ar chitectu re , infras tructure require ments an d setup , and o t her o per ationally re levan t meta data.
• Document: Write detailed technical specifications and documentation for al l assig ned work proces ses , te chnical solutions , and user -facing communicat ions.
• Test: PerformQuality Assuranceand in-developmenttesting for operational s ystems and process es .
• Train: Support the ACLU IT Team on organization-wide trainings for non-technical users focused on enterprise application best practices and security compliance.

What You’ll Bring:

• A proactive, systems-first, analytical, creative problem-solving mindsetwithexceptional communication and documentation skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Exceptional research ability on technical matters including emerging tech, cybersecurity, digital accessibility, and comparative analyses on related cloud-based enterprise platforms and business applications
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Create professional, publish-ready, story-telling PowerPoint presentations that synthesize complex technical information into easy-to-consume decks, leveraging best practices in human-centered, infographics, and accessible digital graphic design principles
• Knowledge of networking fundamentals (DNS, DHCP, VPN) and u nderstanding and/or experience with custom er relat ional data base management princi ples and best practices would be helpful

Future ACLU-ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is a full-time, hybrid and based in our New York City office.
• Time Commitment:Full-time (35 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: January 11th or January 25th, 2027
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below is the stipend rate:
    • $20/hr for undergraduate students or equivalent experience

Why the ACLU:

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To maintain the integrity of our assessment process, please refrain from using AI-powered chatbots, search engines, or real-time assistance tools to generate your CV, cover letter or writing sample (if required). We want to better understand your individual skills and thought processes. If you require AI tools or other assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Accommodation Request Form so that we can support an accessible and equitable experience.

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in ACLU - Internships’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.