Campaign Finance Research Assistant - Federal Work-Study Internship Program (Student Wage)

Overview:

Professor SoRelle W. Gaynor, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, is seeking a research assistant for her project on congressional activity and campaign finance. The role will involve archival work and data collection of campaign finance data, dataset construction, and file management. This position is for the Fall 2026 semester, with the possibility of renewal for Spring 2027.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in congressional politics and campaign finance. Not required, but beneficial: Experience with Excel, familiarity with campaign finance data sources, such as FEC.gov or OpenSecrets.org. The FWS internship will include training on above skills.

Expected responsibilities:

• Data collection of campaign finance information, involving the databases of FEC.gov, OpenSecrets.org, and more.
• Data organization via file management and Excel.
• Literature review research in political science literature.
• As required for FWS: There will be five meetings with Prof. Gaynor over the course of the semester.

Mininum qualifications:

• Currently enrolled UVA student (undergraduate or graduate).
• Interest in congressional politics and campaign finance.
• Interest in learning archival research skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills
   

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with Excel, file management
• Familiarity with congressional politics, campaign finance laws, or campaign finance data sources.

In addition to the job duties and responsibilities outlined above, this position will participate in a structured internship experience through the Internship Placement Program (IPP). If selected, interns must enroll in either UNST 3910 (1 cr.) or UNST 3920 (1 cr.). The courses are offered 9+ times during the fall, offering plenty of options to choose from. If the course does not work for your schedule, we also offer an asynchronous co-curricular workshop series through Canvas. Through this robust internship experience, students will receive dedicated career support from their supervisor and gain key skills and competencies that align with future job interests. The FWS Internship will look great on your resume and provide the student with impactful stories to share in interviews. TFWS Internships are best suited for students in their 2nd – 4th years.

Position compensation: $20/hour.

Scheduling: Expected 10-20 hours per week, hybrid.

To apply: Please submit a short paragraph discussing your interest in the position, as well as your resume via Workday.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Resume and letter of interest required.

Education: Current UVA student. Federal work-study students preferred.
Experience: None
Licensure: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.