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Opportunities

2023 Summer
Internship/Volunteer Program

The Human Survival Project is a newly forming nonprofit organization to protect the future of humanity and create a world we can be proud of.  It aims to protect against existential threats to humanity, like climate change, destruction of nature, pandemics, weapons of mass destruction, advanced technology like artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, climate-driven mass migration, and wealth inequality across the world.  We are pushing to transform and strengthen the United Nations, because these global threats need strong global systems to manage them.  

 

The Human Survival Project will grow into a global grassroots advocacy effort, powered by a cutting edge content creation studio.  Our efforts are aimed at the general public, to build the political will for the UN reforms we need.  Think tanks and academics over the last many years have already developed solid UN reform proposals.  Our role is to help citizens around the world understand the urgency of our catastrophic risks, and the necessity of global governance to manage them.  We speak in plain language that regular people can understand.  With bold creativity and vigorous digital outreach, we will spark a public conversation that inspires citizens’ imagination and desire to act.

 

Our summer interns/volunteers will help lay the foundation for our conversation with the public.  We will create compelling educational content, establish a strong social media strategy, strengthen our existing podcast/YouTube, and push great ideas into the world - while establishing The Human Survival Project as a credible agent of change.

If you have one or more of the following skills, we want to hear from you:

  • Video editing

  • Animation

  • Infographics / graphic design

  • Searching for stock video footage

  • Social media strategy and execution

  • Writing: video scripts and web content (not academic-style writing)

  • Political science background (international focus is ideal, but not required)

  • Research / fact-checking

  • Podcast production assistant: invite guests for the show, write show notes, innovate show quality

Right now, we are at the very early stages.  Interns/volunteers must be comfortable with a flexible startup environment.  We do not have well-defined policies and procedures yet, but we have creative ideas, passion and great opportunities in front of us.  Interns/volunteers will not do boring busywork; we will do meaningful work together that we’ll feel proud of.  Each team member will have plenty of interaction and guidance from HSP’s founder/director, as well as participate in weekly team meetings where we will jointly plan strategy and coordinate.

 

Interns/volunteers will work approximately May 29 through August 31.  We are happy to accommodate time off for travel or other needs.  You may continue working with us longer into the future if you wish.

 

You can work however many hours per week fits your schedule.  Aside from occasional meetings, you will set your own schedule.  We work remotely; you can be located anywhere.  

 

This experience is unpaid - sorry.  We have not raised money yet.  As our efforts are successful, we will attract funding and hire paid staff and interns.  Unpaid work now could turn into a paid position in the future.

 

We are focusing our recruitment at college students looking for internship opportunities, but you do not need to be a college student to participate.  If you are older, or not in college, but have solid skills and interest, we would love to hear from you.

 

If this interests you so far, you can review the following to learn more:

 

To apply, please send a resume and brief letter to:

Shelby Mertes (HSP’s founder/director)

human *at* thehumansurvivalproject.org

 

There is no application deadline.  We will continue considering applicants until we have assembled a strong team.  Even if you are unsure of this, or considering other opportunities, please contact us soon and start a conversation.

 

Thanks for considering this opportunity with The Human Survival Project. 
We hope to hear from you soon.

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