NCHH’s Internship Program

The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) was founded in September 1992 (as the National Center for Lead-Safe Housing) to bring the public health, housing, and environmental communities together to combat our nation’s epidemic of childhood lead poisoning. Today, NCHH’s mission is to transform health by transforming housing.

NCHH researches methods to assess hazards in the home and measures to reduce those hazards. NCHH designs practical strategies to incorporate healthy housing practices into the work of the public health and affordable housing communities. NCHH promotes these strategies through education and outreach, partnership programs, and governmental initiatives.

NCHH offers a rewarding work environment for individuals interested in science, policy, and the transformation of communities. NCHH’s staff is comprised of seasoned professionals with experience in environmental health, public health, housing, policy, industrial hygiene, engineering, and marketing. The diversity of staff backgrounds and expertise offers excellent opportunities for peer learning, personal growth, and development. EOE.

We are looking for highly capable interns who have one or more of the following interests:

• Participating with the project managers and partners in conference calls and meetings.
• Studying the principles of healthy homes.
• Serving as lead contact on some of our high visibility projects.
• Serving as data and quality assurance (QA) managers on some projects.
• Meeting with the project managers regularly.
• Conducting literature reviews.
• Conducting research and environmental scans to support the writing of academic and non-academic papers.
• Participating in study processes.
• Development of data collection tools.
• Data entry and data analysis.

Our ideal candidates would have:

• Major or concentration in data science, applied statistics, analytics, housing, aging, community development, public policy, or public health fields;
• Excellent computer skills;
• Ability to learn quickly;
• Interest in talking with public health professionals across the country;
• Experience in project coordination;
• Strong verbal and writing skills, including the ability to write clearly and quickly for general and technical audiences;
• Ability to both work cooperatively with others and to work independently.
• Interest in working with NCHH full-time after graduation.

Term details:

Internships are available year-round and generally last for three months. NCHH’s internships are completely virtual.

What Our Interns Can Expect

NCHH’s internship program is primarily designed for undergraduates or graduate students who have a desire to gain practical work and research-related experience. Our internships are not designed to be consulting opportunities or part-time jobs.

For most interns, course credit is one of their goals. In this case, the number of hours of practical work experience that NCHH can offer is of great benefit. Here, students learn how their course of study applies to the real world and can build a valuable experience that makes them stronger candidates for jobs after graduation.

You will have the opportunity to work with the nation’s top professionals with experience in environmental health, public health, housing, policy, industrial hygiene, engineering, and marketing. The diversity of staff backgrounds and expertise offers excellent opportunities for peer learning, personal growth, and development. In most cases, NCHH is able to offer an hourly wage. Internships generally last for three months and are available year-round. All NCHH’s current internship opportunities are virtual.

To apply:
Submit a résumé and cover letter by email to Michelle Harvey, Chief Operating Officer, at mharvey@nchh.org.

Our Interns Talk About Their Internships

Hear what a few of our recent interns had to say about the program.

“I began work at NCHH in the summer of 2016. Because of when I started, I was around for the start of a new campaign, and, because the office was so small, I was involved in just about every part of it. I learned a lot about the different pieces that go into planning and launching a multifaceted action drive. Later, I got to learn what happens when the action drive presents more challenges than you thought! I was fortunate to stay on part-time during the following school year as I finished college. As the work grew and evolved and the legislative session started up again, I got closer to two policy processes: how to craft a consensus about policy recommendations within the healthy housing community and how to present those recommendations on the Hill.”

Sarah Goodwin
Former Intern and Current NCHH Policy Analyst

 

 

“I started interning at NCHH in the beginning of 2019 to aid the organization in preparing for the National Safe and Healthy Housing Coalition’s Hill Day in Washington, DC. In the eight weeks leading up to the Hill Day, I gained experience in managing communications with the 600-plus-member coalition and assisting in planning and scheduling congressional staff meetings. The focus of my internship was centered on this event, and I gained insight into the process of engaging constituents for advocacy efforts from start to finish. The most rewarding part was seeing the event come together successfully and to participate with coalition members in the congressional staff meetings with their representatives and senators. This internship offered me a “real-life” application of skills and a finished product I can cite as an example of my newly gained experience.”

Anna Plankey
Former Intern and Current NCHH Analyst

 

Latest page update: November 22, 2022.