Summer 2026 Graduate Intern, National Knowledge & Learning Program- Business Operations & Support Services

The ACLU seeks a Graduate Intern in the Business Operations & Support Services Department, National Knowledge & Learning Program, of the ACLU’s National office in New York. This internship can be Remote or Hybrid.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated graduate students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The Business Operations and Support Services department, in the office of the Chief Operating Officer, works to enable organizational and operational effectiveness by partnering with ACLU staff across the enterprise to develop core business operations, training programs, and support services needed to maximize resources, evaluate and mitigate risk, and achieve the organization’s strategic goals.

The National Knowledge & Learning team works to provide quality learning experiences to ACLU staff nationwide. We partner with subject matter experts in every corner of the organization to turn their expertise into clear, engaging, and accessible training.  From onboarding new employees to supporting organization wide learning initiatives, we shape the learning strategy that helps ACLU staff grow and succeed. We also manage the learning technologies that power our programs, from instructional design tools to our learning management system. Our work is creative, collaborative, and deeply connected to the success of the organization.

What You’ll Do:

Reporting to the Director of National Knowledge & Learning, the National Knowledge and Learning intern will help shape the learning experiences that power our organization.  The person in this role will collaborate closely with experienced instructional designers to create engaging, effective learning used as part of our onboarding program and organization-wide learning initiatives.  This internship is designed for students who are curious about how people learn, are energized by creativity, and eager to build real-word skills in instructional design.  If you’re excited by the idea of transforming information into meaningful learning experiences—and want a role where your work will have visible impact—this is the internship for you. The ideal candidate for this position is ideas-driven, passionate about organizational learning and has an interest in both instructional design and learning technology. 

Your Day to Day

• Partner with instructional designers to develop e-learning modules and training resources related to employee onboarding and org wide training initiatives
• Conduct research and gather content from subject matter experts across the organization
• Help storyboard, script, and structure learning experiences that are clear, engaging, and learner centered
• Work within instructional design tools (e.g., Articulate, Rise, Camtasia) to build and refine content
• Upload, organize, and test learning materials within our learning management system
• Review existing learning content and recommend updates or improvements
• Participate in team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and design reviews
• Contribute fresh ideas to help evolve our learning strategy and learner experience

What You’ll Bring:

• Background in creating educational experiences either in e-learning, classroom, or a live training environment
• A genuine interest in instructional design, learning experience design, or adult learning
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Comfort collaborating with others and asking great questions
• Ability to think critically, solve problems independently, and collaborate effectively
• Interest in gaining experience or building skillsets with learning technology
• Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts
• Comfortable working independently on projects in a positive team environment with high performance standards
• Commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU

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 full-time, remote or hybrid from our NYC National office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35 hours/week).
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: May 26th or June 8th
• 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:
    
    • $24/hr for graduate and law 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. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations 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.