Instituto RIA

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Opportunity 

Instituto RIA is a Mexican-based organization that undertakes high quality research, highlighting and proposing innovations in order to advocate for public policies within a social justice framework. Human rights, access to justice, and drug policies, stand at the center of the analysis, proposals and advocacy work we do, opening dialogue and forums for debate, publishing evidence-based research, and catalysing innovative initiatives in Latin America at the international level. We see drug control policies and their devastating consequences as being at the crux of many of the issues in our country and region. Our lines of work are Research, Advocacy and Education.

Internship Description

The intern will be provided with one research project which will depend on the political scenario at that time (possibly around harm reduction and opium or the current cannabis regulations which will be approved by that time). Additionally, the intern will be tasked with attending some meetings and taking notes to understand the political landscape. The other project will be administrative, and could include drafting reports, data entry and/or media communications. During this time, we will be implementing a course that we provide on the emerging cannabis industry with a social justice focus. The intern will be invited to join (thus increasing their capacity greatly) and will provide logistical support during the course, including setting up the room, receiving speakers, sending out the evaluations, making contact with the participants and closing the space at the end of the day.

Intern Responsibilities 

  • Data collection and note taking

  • Logistical support during the cannabis course

  • Presence in meetings representing the organization

  • There will be expected research outputs at the end of the internship which will be communicated to the intern upon arrival (since some of the projects are currently being developed)

Intern Qualifications

  • Preferred high level of Spanish

  • Preferred major in political science, communication, sociology, law, organizing or related fields

  • Interest in politics, public policy, drug policy, organizing, communication (social media)

  • Must bring their own computer and be able to use Google Docs, Word, Excel, etc

  • Capacity to work independently but with our supervision

  • Research capacity using academic and media sources