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JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS

Political Research Associates (PRA) was established in 1981 in response to the emergence of the New Right Our mission is to advance a just, democratic, and pluralistic society by means of research and analysis on the full spectrum of the U.S. Right’s movements, institutions, and ideologies. We supply social justice leaders (and wider civil society) with the incisive research and analysis necessary for the effective development of strategic responses to their organized opposition.

Director of Research

PRA’s core research program is organized around the racial justice and immigrant rights; gender justice, including reproductive and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) rights; civil liberties; and economic justice. PRA may be best known for our work to counteract the Christian Right and theocratic movements. Social justice advocates have hailed PRA as the critical resource for information and insights about the Right that enable them to develop and implement innovative efforts to counter their organized opponents and build a society where human rights for all is truly the norm.

The Director of Research has lead responsibility for managing PRA’s research program and works closely with the Executive Director to develop, implement, and evaluate that program.

Primary areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

●	Manage all aspects of PRA’s research program, including supervising program staff and freelance investigators, facilitating regular team meetings, and guiding all aspects of investigations and publications;
●	Continually support the skill and intellectual development of the research team;
●	Serve as a key member of PRA’s strategy team that shapes our research program, relationships with partner groups, and communications efforts for maximum impact;
●	Participate in fundraising efforts, including proposal writing;
●	Serve as media spokesperson and liaison with organizational partners;
●	Assume lead research and writing role for one or more core areas of our research program;
●	Generate high-quality research products for publication in various PRA vehicles, including our quarterly, The Public Eye, reports, and www.publiceye.org; and
●	Serve on editorial board of The Public Eye.

Qualifications:

●	Commitment to the vision, mission, and values of PRA;
●	Excellent research, writing, editing, and verbal communications skills;
●	Substantial staff management experience, including with freelance/contract writers and investigators;
●	Knowledge of various sectors of the U.S. Political Right;
●	Fluency in qualitative research methodologies and familiarity with quantitative research;
●	Program development experience
●	Knowledge of and relationships with organizing, advocacy, research, and communications projects in PRA’s fields of work;
●	Supervision and leadership development experience;
●	Experience working in a multi-cultural environment with an institutional commitment to diversity based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national/ethnic origin, religion, physical ability, age, etc;
●	Graduate degree in social science (Sociology, Politics, Women’s Studies, etc.) a plus; and
●	Fluency in Spanish and other non-English languages relevant to PRA’s constituencies and research priorities also a plus.

This is a full-time, senior staff position based at PRA’s Somerville, Massachusetts office and working closely with the Executive Director and other members of our management team. To apply please send a cover letter, résumé, and two writing samples (Word doc or PDF form) to Maria Planansky at m.planansky@publiceye.org.

Position is open until filled.

PRA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. People of color, LGBT persons, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary commensurate with skills and experience. Generous compensation package includes medical, dental, and retirement.

Lead Researcher: Gender Justice Program

We produce research that 1) informs the strategy and tactics of key gender justice leaders, organizations, and networks and 2) influences public and opinion-leader perception regarding organized gender justice opponents, their ideologies, and their strategies. This dual role—a national research intermediary supporting social justice infrastructure and a think tank providing expert commentary to the media and civil society—is a hallmark of PRA’s change strategy.

Social justice advocates have hailed PRA as the critical resource for information and insights about the Right that enable them to develop and implement innovative campaigns to counter their organized opponents and build a society where human rights for all is truly the norm.

Countering organized assaults on gender justice, including homophobia, the Right’s “family values agenda,” and especially the Christian Right, has been an organizational priority since PRA’s founding. The Lead Researcher: Gender Justice Program has the responsibility for completing research and writing assignments areas related to the U. S. political Right’s opposition to women’s and sexual minorities’ activism. Reporting to the Senior Consultant: Research Staff Transition and Mentoring, the Lead Researcher will work on site in our Somerville office.

Primary areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

●	Conduct research as assigned though the identification reading of primary and secondary source materials and interviews;
●	Produce accessible and reliable written research materials in a timely fashion;
●	Author or co-author articles and reports;
●	Conduct presentations and media interviews;
●	Communicate regularly with supervisor and other staff.

Qualifications:

●	Familiarity with the gender justice field, especially the LGBT and reproductive justice policy and advocacy agendas and scholarship
●	Demonstrated interview, research, and writing skills
●	Experience producing report-length material for a general audience
●	Supervisory experience with researchers and consultants
●	Media spokesperson experience
●	Familiarity with the various sectors of the U.S. political Right
●	Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
●	Ability to deliver completed assignments on deadline
●	Commitment to the vision and mission of PRA
●	Experience working in a multicultural environment with an institutional commitment to diversity based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national/ethnic origin, religion, physical ability, age, etc. .

To apply please send a cover letter, résumé, and two writing samples (Word doc or PDF form) to Maria Planansky at m.planansky@publiceye.org.

Position is open until filled. This is a grant-funded staff position with a one year commitment until December 31, 2012 with strong possibility of renewal. PRA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. People of color, LGBT persons, and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Research Consultant: International LGBT Program

Countering organized assaults on gender justice, including homophobia, the Right’s “family values agenda,” and especially the Christian Right, has been an organizational priority since PRA’s founding. We produce research that 1) informs the strategy and tactics of key gender justice leaders, organizations, and networks and 2) influences public and opinion-leader perception regarding organized gender justice opponents, their ideologies, and their strategies. This dual role—a national research intermediary supporting social justice infrastructure and a think tank providing expert commentary to the media and civil society—is a hallmark of PRA’s change strategy.

The Research Consultant: International LGBT Program has the responsibility for collecting on-the-ground research related to our international LGBT program. Reporting to the Research Associate for Religion and Sexuality, the Consultant will be based in a Latin American country.

Primary areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

●	Conduct research as assigned through the reading of primary and secondary source materials and in-person interviews;
●	Advise PRA on conservative groups and their current trends and strategies in several to-be-determined Latin American countries;
●	Communicate regularly with PRA through SKYPE or other formats as assigned;
●	Produce on-time periodic English language summaries of research and co-author articles and reports on research activities as assigned;
●	Present results in public forums and be available for media interviews.

Qualifications:

●	Demonstrated interview and research skills
●	Excellent English writing skills
●	Fluency in Spanish required; fluency in Portuguese a plus
●	Familiarity in qualitative research methodologies
●	Familiarity with Latin American political movements opposed to LGBT rights and reproductive justice
●	Awareness of U.S. conservatives working in Latin America
●	Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
●	Ability and willingness to travel within Latin America
●	Ability to deliver completed assignments on deadline
●	Commitment to the vision and mission of PRA
●	Experience working in a multicultural environment with an institutional commitment to diversity based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national/ethnic origin, religion, physical ability, age, etc. .

To apply please send a cover letter, résumé, and two writing samples (Word doc or PDF form) to Maria Planansky at m.planansky@publiceye.org.

Internships

Social Media Internship
Interested in how facebook, twitter, and the blogosphere shape news? PRA is looking for an intern to assist the communications and research staff make our research and analysis accessible to a web-based audience. Responsibilities include web and library research, fact checking, copy editing, and writing for PRA’s online accounts. The internship is a minimum 10-hour/week commitment. It may be a combination of in-office and remote work.

Qualifications/skills: Excellent written communications, editing and proofreading skills; proficient in Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms; proficient in MS Word, Excel, and graphic related applications; detailed oriented; able to work on short and long-term projects; must be able to work independently and part of a team. Journalism, blogging experience a plus.

Communications Internship
Want to find out how research and analysis have an immediate impact? We are looking for an enthusiastic intern interested in working on communications projects at PRA. Help the communications team shape outreach plans for specific research projects, includes public relations and media work. The internship is a minimum 10-hour/week in-office work commitment.

●	Produce newsletters and other communications and marketing materials;
●	Strategize dissemination plan for PRA research
●	Organize events related to PRA publications;
●	Draft press releases and other public relations communications materials;
●	Update internal media contact lists.

Research and Editorial Internship
PRA seeks an intern with experience in journalism or research to assist staff in investigating a variety of right-wing movements and institutions, and producing The Public Eye magazine. Research responsibilities include extensive web, library, or phone research, fact checking, meeting with researchers and analysts, and writing. The Public Eye responsibilities include assisting the Senior Editor with reporting and research, and copy editing. The internship is a minimum 10-hour work week commitment.

Qualifications/skills: Excellent written communications, editing and proofreading skills; proficient in MS Word, Excel, and graphic related applications; detailed oriented; able to work on short and long-term projects; must be able to work independently and part of a team.

To apply, send a resume, two writing samples and a cover letter detailing why you want to work at Political Research Associates via e-mail, or traditional mail to:

Maria Planansky
Political Research Associates
1310 Broadway, Suite 201
Somerville, MA 02144-1837
m.planansky@publiceye.org

Now accepting applications for Winter 2012.

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