Data Science Intern - Technology Solutions (Doctoral Students)

Join AIR as an Data Science Intern in our Technology Solutions team  team during our 2024 Virtual Summer Internship Program. This internship offers a unique opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research at the intersection of mathematics, machine learning, and algorithmic fairness. The successful candidate will have the chance to develop the theoretical and practical foundations for understanding and mitigating bias in large AI models.

AIR’s 2024 Summer Internship Program is designed to identify, attract, and hire the best talent that will drive creativity and innovation while enabling the organization to create a diverse and skilled talent pool. Spanning 10 – 12 weeks, AIR’s paid summer program provides interns with various learning and networking opportunities that enhance their skillset and build lasting professional connections.

This position is located within AIR’s Data Science and Advanced Analytics (DSAA) group. DSAA employs advanced analytics methods to solve complex research questions, address public policy questions, and to support evidence-based decision-making to solve complex social problems. Our ideal candidate is passionate about ensuring that the transformative power of AI benefits all of society and has a strong drive to explore the ethical implications of emerging technologies. The Technology Solutions team is a vibrant and supportive community dedicated to using data-driven insights to improve decision-making and promote a more just world.

We design, architect, develop, and deploy cutting-edge, user-centered solutions, including:

• Software development of data collection, processing, and reporting solutions for data-intensive projects
• Dissemination of data and information through websites and content management systems
• Solving complex problems using machine-learning and artificial intelligence
• Data visualization
• Online training courses and media development

With diversity, equity, and inclusion built into our DNA, we value the contributions of every member of our institution. Use your tech skills for good and collaborate with fellow changemakers in our Technology Solutions team.

Candidates hired for the position may work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. 

About AIR:

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to solve some of the most urgent challenges in the U.S. and around the world. We advance evidence in the areas of education, health, the workforce, human services, and international development to create a better, more equitable world.

AIR’s commitment to diversity goes beyond legal compliance to its full integration in our strategy, operations, and work environment. At AIR, we define diversity broadly, considering everyone’s unique life and community experiences. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives, abilities/disabilities, racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, ages, genders, gender identities and expressions, education backgrounds, and life stories drives innovation and employee engagement. Learn more about AIR's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and hear from our staff by clicking here .

The responsibilities for the position include:

• Conduct literature reviews and perform independent research in the mathematical theory of algorithmic bias.
• Develop novel mathematical frameworks to quantify and measure bias in machine learning, deep learning, or transformer-based models.
• Design and implement experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of bias detection/mitigation techniques.
• Collaborate with senior researchers, mathematicians, data scientists, and engineers to translate research findings into actionable insights.
• Contribute to publications and present findings at relevant conferences and workshops.
• Assist with a range of mathematical and data science tasks within the DSAA team, as time permits:
• • Assist with exploratory data analysis (EDA) on various datasets to uncover patterns, trends, and potential insights.
  • Contribute to the development of mathematical models for diverse research problems, applying theoretical expertise to real-world challenges.
  • Support the design and optimization of algorithms to improve the efficiency and accuracy of data processing and analysis tasks.
  • Participate in preparing and cleaning diverse datasets, ensuring data quality and suitability for analysis.
  • Collaborate with other data scientists, researchers, and engineers on interdisciplinary projects, sharing mathematical expertise and insights.

Education, Knowledge, and Experience:

• Must be a student (for the duration of the internship) currently enrolled in a PhD program in pure or applied mathematics, statistics, data science, computer science, physics, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated proficiency in stochastic analysis or related areas of probability theory.
• Strong programming skills in Python or another object-oriented language.
• Track record of research excellence, ideally evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals or conferences.
• Experience with machine learning, deep learning, or natural language processing techniques is plus but not required. 
• Familiarity with concepts of fairness and bias in AI is plus but not required.

 Skills:

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication skills, particularly the capacity to explain complex technical concepts.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with individuals at all levels and from diverse backgrounds
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate efficiently in a virtual work environment

Disclosures:

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship (including H-1B sponsorship) is not available for this position. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.

AIR adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo reference and background checks.

This position offers $45 per hour. Salary offers are made based on internal equity within the organization and external equity with competitive markets. Please note this is the salary for candidates that are based in the United States.

AIR maintains a drug-free work environment .

Fraudulent Job Scams Warning & Disclaimer:

AIR is aware of individuals falsely presenting themselves as AIR representatives. Fraudulent job scams seek to extract sensitive information or money from victims. To protect yourself, please be aware that AIR recruitment will only email you from an “@air.org” domain. Please take extra caution while examining the email address, for example jdoe@air.org is correct and jdoe@aircareers.org is not a legitimate AIR email address. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a communication you have received, please reach out to [email protected] .

If you see a job scam, or lose money to one, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov . You can also report it to your state attorney general . Find out more about how to avoid scams at ftc.gov/scams .