The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The Commission is an equal opportunity employer.
EMPLOYMENT
Policy Analyst – India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is recruiting for a Policy Analyst to join its Research and Policy team. The Commission’s mandate is to monitor freedom of religion, conscience, or belief worldwide and to make independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress on how U.S. foreign policy can advance religious freedom internationally and in accordance with international human rights standards.
The geographic focus of this position will be on the countries India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries as assigned. The principal responsibilities of this position will include the following: monitoring and analyzing religious freedom conditions and related human rights; monitoring and assessing U.S. foreign policy and developing policy recommendations for the U.S. government to advance freedom of religion or belief in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh; monitoring or developing and reporting on various events or opportunities that, if properly leveraged, could be effective inflection points for achieving implementation of Commission-recommended policies; drafting annual report materials, briefing materials, policy focus reports, correspondence and testimony; building and maintaining extensive contacts with relevant policy counterparts in the U.S. government and in NGOs, academia and other organizations focused on international religious freedom and related human rights; and following up on specific matters to which the Commission has drawn public attention.
The Policy Analyst will report directly to the Director of Research and Policy. Applicants should possess either relevant advanced degrees and/or substantive experience, with a demonstrated record of accomplishment. The successful candidate must have excellent writing skills, strong interpersonal and communications skills, the capacity for self-direction and initiative, and proven ability to formulate effective and actionable policy recommendations. A strong working knowledge of relevant langauges is highly preferred, as is experience in integrating religious freedom and human rights priorities with broader geo-strategic goals.
Commission employees are federal government employees. This position offers competitive benefits and compensation.
The Commission is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Please send a cover letter and resume to Jacqueline Mitchell at
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For further information about the Commission, please visit the Commission’s website at www.uscirf.gov. E-mail inquiries only, please.
Policy Analyst – China, North Korea, East Asia/Pacific as assigned The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is recruiting for a Policy Analyst to join its Research and Policy team. The Commission’s mandate is to monitor freedom of religion, conscience, or belief worldwide and to make independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress on how U.S. foreign policy can advance religious freedom internationally and in accordance with international human rights standards.
The geographic focus of this position will be on the countries China, North Korea, and others in the East Asia/Pacific region as assigned. The principal responsibilities of this position will include the following: monitoring and analyzing religious freedom conditions and related human rights; monitoring and assessing U.S. foreign policy and developing policy recommendations for the U.S. government to advance freedom of religion or belief in China and North Korea; monitoring or developing and reporting on various events or opportunities that, if properly leveraged, could be effective inflection points for achieving implementation of Commission-recommended policies; drafting annual report materials, briefing materials, policy focus reports, correspondence and testimony; building and maintaining extensive contacts with relevant policy counterparts in the U.S. government and in NGOs, academia and other organizations focused on international religious freedom and related human rights; and following up on specific matters to which the Commission has drawn public attention.
The Policy Analyst will report directly to the Director of Research and Policy. Applicants should possess either relevant advanced degrees and/or substantive experience, with a demonstrated record of accomplishment. The successful candidate must have excellent writing skills, strong interpersonal and communications skills, the capacity for self-direction and initiative, and proven ability to formulate effective and actionable policy recommendations. A strong working knowledge of Mandarin Chinese is highly preferred, as is experience in integrating religious freedom and human rights priorities with broader geo-strategic goals.
Commission employees are federal government employees. This position offers competitive benefits and compensation.
The Commission is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Please send a cover letter and resume to Jacqueline Mitchell at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
For further information about the Commission, please visit the Commission’s website at www.uscirf.gov. E-mail inquiries only, please
Executive Writer
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is recruiting for an Executive Writer to support a variety of external advocacy activities on behalf of the Commission. The Commission is an independent federal commission created by Congress to monitor religious freedom or belief throughout the globe and make recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
This individual will report directly to the Executive Director of the Commission. This individual will be responsible for preparing speeches, op-eds, press releases, written testimony and other public statements issued by the Commission, and also will be a key editorial contributor to the Commission’s Annual Report process. This individual will undertake other writing projects on issues concerning religious freedom and related human rights in specific countries as assigned by the Executive Director.
The preferred candidate will have a bachelor's degree, a Master’s or other advanced degree and/or a minimum of seven years of writing/editorial/media/communications experience in the areas of international human rights and U.S. foreign policy. This candidate must have extensive experience as a seasoned speechwriter. Familiarity with issues of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief highly desirable. Writing samples must be available on request.
The candidate will possess advanced skills in communications, proofreading, and editing. Also required are excellent time-management skills; excellent attention to detail, accuracy and proficiency in research; and the ability to grasp and articulate complex issues. Applicants must be able to work in real-time in an organization requiring multitasking and teamwork abilities.
Commission employees are federal government employees. This position offers competitive benefits and compensation.
The Commission is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Please send a cover letter and resume to Jacqueline Mitchell at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
For further information about the Commission, please visit our Web site at www.uscirf.gov. E- mail inquiries only.
Joseph R. Crapa Fellowship
Program
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is now
accepting applications for its 2010-2011 Joseph R. Crapa Fellowship
Program. The application deadline is April 30, 2010.
The funded fellowships are available to select individuals with
exceptional records of accomplishment and/or outstanding records of
academic achievement in fields relevant to the work of USCIRF,
including but not limited to, religious freedom and related human
rights, foreign policy, international law, and security. USCIRF
welcomes applicants from the U.S. congressional community, government
agencies (including the State Department, USAID, and military and
intelligence agencies), academia, nongovernmental organizations, think
tanks, and other relevant fields. The inaugural 2009-2010 Crapa Fellows
are:
Dr. Timothy Samuel Shah
Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love
Dr. Ahmed Subhy Mansour
Ms. Liora Danan
Citizens of any country may apply. Non-U.S. citizens without permanent
resident status must obtain a J-1 exchange visitor visa to participate
in the Fellowship Program. J-1 status requires recipients to reside in
their home country for two years following the fellowship before
applying for the H or L visa, or for permanent residency in the United
States.
The term of each fellowship will be determined by the nature of the
fellow’s project, but will not exceed 12 months. It is preferred that
fellows spend a significant portion of their fellowship in residence at
the USCIRF offices in Washington, DC.
Applicants for a Crapa Fellowship should submit a proposal detailing
the parameters of the project they intend to pursue during their time
as a Crapa Fellow. This proposal should include a detailed budget,
succinct statement of the area of intended study, the relevance of the
study to the field of religious freedom, the format and timing of the
product they propose to produce, and a brief overview of relevant
existing work in the area of proposed study.
In addition, applicants should send a cover letter, resume, writing
sample, and the names of three professional references USCIRF can
contact directly. Applications should be submitted electronically to:
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Projects can be country focused or thematic and should seek to enhance
and expand the policy work of USCIRF. Country proposals should focus on
countries USCIRF recommends as “countries of particular concern,” or
CPCs , and/or those countries on USCIRF’s Watch List. For thematic
proposals, below is a list of sample topics of interest to USCIRF.
This list is not exhaustive and is only meant to provide some examples
of possible areas for fellowship research:
The role of religion and religious freedom in counterinsurgencies and in combating religious extremism
The developing parameters of religious freedom under
international law, including an analysis of significant trends and
strategies to impact the development in positive directions
The impact of religious freedom in advancing the rights of women
Government-sponsored intolerant materials and its impact on religious freedom
Utilizing U.S. assistance effectively to promote and advance religious freedom
Identifying the state's obligations to overcome impunity for abuses of religious freedom and related rights
Confronting hate crimes related to religion while respecting freedom of expression and freedom of religion
Before joining USCIRF, Joseph Crapa spent a year as chief of staff to
Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). Earlier, he held legislative and
public affairs positions with the Agency for International Development
and the Environmental Protection Agency. He was chief of staff for Rep.
David R. Obey (D-Wis.) from 1987 to 1997, the last three years as
Democratic counsel to the House Appropriations Committee. He served as
USCIRF’s Executive Director from 2002 until his untimely death in 2007.
A committed public servant, Mr. Crapa guided USCIRF with consummate
skill, combining a keen sense of public service with an abiding
commitment to advancing the cause of religious freedom. He helped
USCIRF amplify its voice and broaden its reach.
INTERNSHIPS
The Commission is now accepting internship applications for Summer 2010.
Communications Department Intern:
Creates daily press clips for distribution to USCIRF Commissioners and staff, as well as to select individuals at the White House and State Department
Maintains and expands database of media, non-governmental organization, think tank, academia, and religious contacts
Helps prepare materials for distribution to the public and press. This includes press releases, policy briefs, newsletters, and reports
Helps organize and provide logistical support for events such as press conferences, public hearings, and speaking engagements
Provides general administrative support as needed
Eligible candidates should have:
At least two years of undergraduate study completed
Willingness to do administrative work
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
Willingness to work independently and with minimal supervision
Interest in human rights and foreign policy
Excellent writing and editing skills
Government Relations Intern:
Tracks foreign policy statements, human rights legislation, and relevant policy publications
Attends and reports on Congressional hearings
Reviews relevant government agency websites and publications daily
Researches actions taken by and platforms of Members of Congress and Congressional committees and organizations
Provides general administrative support as needed
Eligible candidates should:
Be recent college graduates, college seniors or students enrolled in a graduate program, with an interest in government affairs, foreign policy or a related field.
Possess excellent writing and comprehension skills
Be familiar with Microsoft Office, including Excel
Policy Department: Legal Research Intern
Conducts research on a variety of international human rights and comparative law topics, as assigned
Eligible candidates should be:
At least second-year law students or recent law graduates with coursework or experience in constitutional law, international affairs, human rights, religious affairs, or a related field
Familiar with legal research techniques and the Microsoft Office suite.
Ability in Arabic is helpful, but not required
Interested in the field of international human rights
Researches a variety of international religious freedom and human rights issues, with a focus in one or more of the following world regions:
Africa
East Asia
Europe and Central Asia
Middle East
South Asia
Assists in preparations for meetings, roundtables, Commission travel, and other events
Possesses demonstrable knowledge of a particular world region
Attends meetings at the Commission with international visitors and other groups interested in the Commission's work
Attends and reports on public hearings and other events around D.C. on issues relevant to the Commission's work
Assists with administrative duties, as needed
Eligible candidates should have:
At least three years of undergraduate study completed with coursework or experience in public policy, international affairs, political sciences, human rights, religious affairs, government affairs, or a related field. Recent graduates and graduate students are encouraged to apply.
Academic background in the desired world region(s) of study
Willingness to do administrative work.
Familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite. Knowledge of Microsoft Access is a plus.
Fluency in a foreign language (particularly Mandarin Chinese, Russian, or Arabic) is preferred.
Most internships are part-time (20-30 hours) and all are unpaid. Course credit is available. The Commission does not provide housing or pay moving expenses, however, will do provide a transport stipend to cover the costs of transport to and from the Commission.
To apply for an internship, please e-mail, fax or mail a resume, 3-5 page writing sample, 2-3 references and a cover letter explaining your qualifications and why you would like to intern at the Commission. Please specify for which internship you are applying in your cover letter and in the subject line of emailed applications.
Internship Program c/o Walter DeSocio
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
800 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 790
Washington, DC 20002
(PH) 202-523-3240; (FAX) 202-523-5020; (EMAIL)
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The application deadlines for each semester are as follows:
Fall/Winter Semester: September - December
Application Deadline: August 1st
Spring Semester: January- May
Application Deadline: December 1st
Summer Semester: June - August
Application Deadline: April 1st
