Jobs & Internships
February 10, 2009
Employment
Sweidy Stata Video Fellow
This position, which has a term of one year, can be based in FIRE's Philadelphia or New York City office.
About FIRE
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is a non-profit educational foundation devoted to defending free speech, individual liberty, religious freedom, freedom of conscience, legal equality, due process, and academic freedom on our nation's campuses. Please visit www.thefire.org in order to gain more of a sense of our work and identity.
Working at FIRE
FIRE has two offices - its main headquarters located in Center City Philadelphia, off Washington Square, and in New York City, one block from Columbus Circle. The majority of FIRE's operations are based in its headquarters in Philadelphia while FIRE's smaller New York office functions to expand FIRE's relationships with donors and the media and serves as a base for some programs. Both offices offer a relaxed yet lively working environment where the staff fights the ongoing battle to secure liberty on college campuses across the country.
The Sweidy Stata Video Fellow position will play a key role in FIRE's outreach and publicity efforts. To accomplish the task of making dynamic and gripping video content for both online and traditional distribution, the Video Fellow will have to work with a broad cross-section of FIRE's staff who work on many varying programs. This type of working environment promotes a culture where staff receives a well-rounded experience that familiarizes the individual not only with FIRE's activities, but also with the moral and intellectual foundations of FIRE's work.
Position Description
FIRE is seeking one energetic full-time Video Fellow to play an integral role in forwarding FIRE's mission using the canvas of video and the paintbrush of cutting edge technology. The position has been fully funded for one year.
Under the supervision of the President and Vice President, the Video Fellow will be charged with the duty to create several different, high quality documentary-style films about FIRE's cases and mission. The Video Fellow will be responsible for each project from beginning until end. Doing so will require the Video Fellow to work both independently and collaboratively while also keeping in mind certain deadlines. Some of the duties for this position will include:
- Developing original ideas for video content,
- Researching current issues related to FIRE's mission,
- Interrelating with FIRE's staff keep current on FIRE's upcoming cases,
- Maintaining an equipment budget,
- Shooting, editing, producing, directing, and writing each project,
- Managing project-based budgets and keeping expenses within budgeted limits,
- Collaborating with FIRE staff to develop marketing strategies for videos,
In addition, this Video Fellow will assist with developing and executing a distribution effort for each video and also FIRE's entire multimedia efforts. This will involve making phone calls, meeting outside representatives, and assisting other staff involved with case-based publicity.
This position will require travel, and at some times business travel may be extensive or last-minute in response to unfolding stories. Work may also be required on some evenings, holidays, and weekends in order to meet deadlines and for other business needs. While this is a full-time position, FIRE expects the job hours to have some flexibility, with some intense periods of work coupled with less busy periods. FIRE is also open to a mix of at-home and in-office work.
This is an entry level position and is ideal for a candidate who is looking to gain experience in this field and take advantage of the ability to have a good amount of creative independence when constructing video content. However, candidates with more experience will also be considered.
The expected start date for this position is March 2010; a specific start date is negotiable.
Qualifications
A successful candidate will have a good work ethic, be a self-starter, have the ability to work under minimal supervision, and have an eye for detail. Furthermore, a candidate must be able to demonstrate:
- An ability to exercise sound judgment
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- The ability to work independently
- The ability to draw up project budgets and maintain expenses within those limits
- Knowledge of HD camera equipment and basic lighting and audio techniques
- Knowledge of DVD authoring and digital media exporting in various formats
The candidate must also prove capable in both post-production and on-location environments, be proficient in Final Cut Pro, Adobe AfterEffects, and Photoshop, and be able to work on a Mac and a PC. Also, an interest in doing documentary-style work with a focus on civil liberties and First Amendment issues is required.
Candidates must posses a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Graduate certificates or degrees are not required, but will be viewed favorably. Furthermore, candidates must demonstrate knowledge of FIRE's mission and a willingness to advocate for that mission.
Previous work experience is not required, but is a plus.
Salary and Compensation
FIRE offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive salary structure. The benefits package includes employer-paid comprehensive health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, matching retirement contributions, and a generous paid time-off plan.
Salary will be commensurate with talent and experience.
How to Apply?
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, two professional references, and a copy of their reel or examples of prior documentary work.
Please mail or e-mail application packages to:
Sean Clark
FIRE
601 Walnut Street, Suite 510
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Fax: (215) 717-3440
E-mail: sean@thefire.org
*You can also choose to send us your reel through our YouSendIt account at http://dropbox.yousendit.com/RobertShibley1065439
Summer Legal Internship Program
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is pleased to formally announce a call for applications for its Summer Legal Internship for Summer 2010.
FIRE is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York, New York. FIRE effectively and decisively defends constitutional liberties on behalf of thousands of students and faculty on our nation's campuses. In addition to individual case work at colleges across the country, FIRE works to inform the public about the state of liberty on our campuses.FIRE supports and coordinates precedent-setting litigation in defense of the First Amendment in an effort to eliminate unconstitutional speech codes on public campuses and to ensure truth-in-advertising and informed consent on private campuses. Cooperating attorneys from FIRE's Legal Network have secured victories at Shippensburg University, Texas Tech University, Citrus College, the State University of New York College at Brockport, and San Francisco State University.
Qualifications
FIRE seeks rising second- and third-year law students. Applicants are expected to be self-motivated, possess excellent legal writing and analytical skills, and demonstrate a commitment to core constitutional liberties. Knowledge of First Amendment jurisprudence is preferred, but not required.Responsibilities
FIRE legal interns perform substantive work on behalf of civil rights, liberty, and individual dignity. Specifically, legal interns' responsibilities will include:- Researching speech-related policies at public universities to support FIRE's Speech Codes Litigation Project;
- Researching and writing memoranda about recent developments in First Amendment, contract, and constitutional law;
- Assisting FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program with cases involving the abuse of civil liberties at colleges and universities across the country; and
- Exploring policy reform involving students' freedoms of association, speech, conscience, and religion, as well as examining relevant trends in legal theory.
Application Procedures
FIRE considers applications for legal internships year-round and on a rolling basis. Legal internships may be paid or unpaid, depending on individual students' particular needs. However, pursuit of independent funding and public interest fellowships is encouraged. Interns will work from FIRE's Manhattan satellite office.Interested students should fax, mail, or e-mail a cover letter, résumé, and a writing sample (maximum five pages) to:
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
Attn: William Creeley
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1830
New York, New York 10107
Fax: (212) 582-3195
E-mail: will@thefire.org
Summer Internship Program
As part of FIRE's efforts to educate students about individual rights at colleges and universities, we offer a ten-week Summer Internship Program. This internship gives current undergraduates the opportunity to assist FIRE in defending civil liberties on campuses all across the country.
Overview
FIRE offers its interns the opportunity to work with the organization's Defense, Education, Development, and Media programs. Interns will also participate in seminars with FIRE's leadership and other experts on civil liberties. The program will run from Monday, June 7th through Friday, August 13th, and interns will receive a stipend of $2,000.
Qualifications
FIRE is looking for dynamic, energetic, responsible, and versatile individuals who possess an interest in FIRE's mission and work. Focus, organization, empathy, an interest in civil liberties, the ability to work under pressure, and a sense of humor are also important. All interns are expected to demonstrate excellent research, writing, and communication skills.
Responsibilities
Interns do substantive work on behalf of rights, liberty, and individual dignity. They will spend time assisting a mentor from FIRE's staff, working with FIRE's Campus Freedom Network, and conducting research for FIRE's other programs. Interns may also help staff members with research and writing, case work, fundraising, public relations efforts, and administrative duties.
Application Procedures
The application period for Summer 2010 internships ends March 31, 2010. All prospective interns will be informed of a final decision within two weeks of the deadline.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, résumé, and writing sample. The sample should be a piece of writing (or an excerpt) no longer than five pages. While the style of the writing sample is your choice, please consider the type of writing done by FIRE. If you do not have an appropriate writing sample, we encourage you to write about your interest in our mission.
Please mail, fax, or e-mail application packages to:
Luke Sheahan, Director
FIRE's Campus Freedom Network
601 Walnut Street, Suite 510
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Fax: (215) 717-3440
E-mail: luke@thefire.org
Testimonials
“FIRE stands out as an organization committed to upholding the principles of free speech for all students and professors, without a litmus test or political agenda. Working as an intern has given me the words to express and the skills to defend what I always believed: the protection of dissent is essential to the preservation of liberty.” — Jaclyn Hall, 2008 Intern, University of Pennsylvannia
“A short time at FIRE is enough to convince virtually anyone that our First Amendment rights are, both legally and philosophically, an indispensable component of American society. Working environments such as the one at FIRE are rare gems which stimulate intellectual development and model the kind of free-thinking milieu they hope to restore throughout academe.” — Brian Mink, 2008 Intern, University of Georgia
“With a staff as religiously and politically diverse and as strong-willed as FIRE’s I was welcomed into the kind of environment in the office that FIRE fights to preserve on college campuses. My summer spent amidst deeply conservative Christians, Green Party liberals and moderate agnostics arguing about everything from stem cell research to Seinfeld was the closest I’ve ever come to an environment with truly free speech. Often times it seemed that the only thing that the staff could agree on was that everyone had the right to say and believe what they wished. That experience, more than the cases we worked on, the speakers FIRE brought in for us, or the CFN conference we attended, showed me the true value of free speech.” — Michael Davidson, 2008 Intern, Princeton University