Who We Are
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) is a private, nonprofit research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources for the improvement of government in the New Orleans metropolitan area. We are an independent, constructive, objective voice in the local policy landscape. Since 1932, BGR has helped make government more effective, efficient, transparent and accountable for the public’s benefit.
The Research We Do
Our nonpartisan research focuses primarily on five policy areas:
- General administration and structure
- Government finance, including taxation, pensions, budgets and contracting
- Infrastructure, such as streets, water, sewer, drainage and flood control
- Essential services and core systems, such as public schools, parks and recreation, public transportation, and criminal justice
- Public involvement in the private sector, such as economic development, city planning and zoning laws, and tax exemptions
What You Will Do
During the internship, you will work as a Research Assistant on one or more reports. These may include:
- An independent, nonpartisan analysis to help voters make an informed decision on a local ballot proposition,
- A major report that seeks research-based solutions to important public policy issues affecting the New Orleans area, and/or
- Interactive, online dashboards that convey government information clearly and concisely to the public.
You will gain experience in applying various public policy research techniques, such as evaluating current policy and practice against best practices, surveying approaches in other jurisdictions, analyzing legal authority and government structure, and performing budget and financial analysis. In addition, you will help us gather historical, economic and social context relevant to an issue.
On a day-to-day basis, you will work directly with our Vice President & Research Director and collaborate with our President & CEO and the other members of our research team. When you start the internship, we will develop specific project assignments.
You will also participate in BGR staff meetings, training sessions and other team building. We may also ask you to participate in meetings of BGR’s board of directors and its committees, as well as assist us with planning and executing BGR events, such as Breakfast Briefings with local policymakers and experts.
Who We Are Looking For
BGR’s Research Internship offers a unique experience for graduate or undergraduate students interested in a career in public policy research, public administration, program evaluation or fields that intersect with local and state government, such as public finance, public health, law, politics, journalism or social sciences.
Our ideal candidate for the Research Internship can pursue disciplined, independent research, including the following tasks:
- Locating relevant primary and secondary sources, including laws, policies, agreements, journal articles and other information.
- Collecting and analyzing data, which may include attending public meetings and conducting interviews.
- Developing quantitative and qualitative research techniques.
- Benchmarking, including identifying variables that affect the comparability of data.
- Writing succinct summaries and analyses of research material.
We are looking for internship candidates who can use their skills, talents and creativity to advance our work. The candidate should have:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Experience with programming, data analysis or data visualization tools is a plus
We Are Flexible
BGR internships can be performed for course credit or compensation. If paid, the Research Internship offers a rate of $15 per hour for a minimum of 20 hours of work per week. If you are selected for the internship, we will work with you to develop a specific work schedule and the duration of the internship. Our office is located in downtown New Orleans at the K&B Plaza building (1055 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 200).
How to Apply
Please send an email to careers@bgr.org explaining your interest in the BGR Research Internship and attach your resume and at least two writing samples. In your email, please specify the season and year for which you wish to be considered:
- Spring (January – April); apply by November 15
- Summer (May – August); apply by March 15
- Fall (September – December); apply by July 15
The application period for Summer 2024 closed on March 15, 2024.
Unfortunately, as of February 1, 2024, BGR cannot accept applications for the Fall 2024 season. Please check back later about opportunities for 2025.
As noted above, we will tailor the start and end dates and weekly hours of the internship to fit the selected candidate’s availability.
We look forward to hearing from you! If you have any questions, please contact Stephen Stuart, BGR’s Vice President and Research Director, at sstuart@bgr.org or (504) 525-4152 ext. 105.