The Survey Center on American Life is a project of the American Enterprise Institute. Our dedicated team conducts original survey research to examine how cultural, political, and technological changes affect the lives of everyday Americans.
Interested in joining the team? Please see below for opportunities.
Internships are available at the Survey Center on American Life for the Fall, Spring, and Summer to experienced undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates.
Research Assistant
AEI is seeking a full-time research assistant to work on polling, demographic trends, and American politics. The chosen research assistant will report to Research Fellow and Center Director Daniel Cox. This person will also conduct work with other scholars on a case-by-case basis.
Responsibilities for this position include assisting with research, writing, and editing for studies, papers, articles, op-eds, and media appearances. Additional responsibilities include using statistical software programs to clean, manipulate, and analyze data, as well as using data-visualization software to develop charts and graphs. Finally, this position is also responsible for helping plan and execute conferences and events. Duties include long-term projects and administrative support.
Desired skills for this position include excellent organizational and writing skills, attention to detail, and a demonstrated interest in social policy, demographic trends, American governmental institutions, and social mobility. Knowledge of current events, politics, and economic news is important. A bachelor’s degree is required; a bachelor’s degree in political science, sociology, statistics, or a related field is preferred.
Qualified applicants should send their resume, cover letter, transcripts, and 500-word writing sample on any topic with their online application at www.aei.org/jobs.
Recent Commentary
April 11, 2022
Gen Z is the Loneliest Generation — and It’s Their Parents Fault
Generation Z is impressive by any measure. They have more years of formal education and lower high-school dropout rates than any previous generation. They are more likely to avoid drug use and have lower rates of teen pregnancy. They are savvy consumers of information and users of technology. They are less prone to traffic in misinformation and conspiracy theories. But despite all
April 10, 2022
Stop Blaming Young People for Leaving Religion
Over the last decade, there has been a steady stream of news stories about how young people are abandoning their formative faith commitments. These articles frequently argue that despite their parents’ best efforts, young people are bent on forgoing any association with organized religion, along with all the benefits that come with it. This story is compelling, and
April 5, 2022
For Gen Z, Religious Pluralism Will Require Bridging the Religious-Secular Divide
For Generation Z, American religious life has been defined by its diversity. And religious pluralism has been as much practice as principle. Young adults today have close friends and family members spanning a variety of religious identities and beliefs. In a survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life, we found that nearly one in five
March 13, 2022
We Live in a Nation of Strangers. That Needs to Change
Diversity is not the source of our current problems; our troubling incuriosity about our neighbors is driving disconnection.