Voice Up Purpose & Leadership Development Internship 100% Remote

Atlanta, Georgia (United States) VOICE UP ASSISTANT DIRECTOR INTERNSHIP Applied Purpose Science Research Lab Exploring Purpose at the Intersection of Research Governance, Ethical Stewardship, and Leadership Voice Up's early-stage model has engaged students and emerging professionals from more than 80 universities and learning environments worldwide, contributing nearly 3,000 hours of logged purpose-driven work. The Applied Purpose Science Research Lab helps people discover their purpose and make sure that discovery happens in safe, supportive ways. The Assistant Director Internship invites students and emerging leaders to help us answer an important question: How can we make sure that helping people find their purpose is done ethically and protects their dignity? Instead of just reading about theories, Assistant Directors work directly on real challenges making sure our programs protect people, support ethical practices, and help organizations grow in the right way. This internship is designed as a leadership development pathway people who show strong alignment with our values and do excellent work can move into leadership positions at Voice Up. This program runs on: The Fuller Method of reflective mentoring and purpose discovery The B Curriculum for clarity, self-discovery, and meaning-making Voice Up's Five Core Principles The Lab's Six Non-Negotiable Principles Applied, real-world research governance and ethical stewardship challenges Students leave not only with skills but with clarity of purpose, leadership capacity, and a blueprint for stewarding developmental integrity over time. LEARNING GOALS Students completing this internship will: 1. Understand the Lab as Purpose-Oriented Research Center Learn how the Applied Purpose Science Research Lab protects people's dignity, makes sure our programs are ethical, and helps the organization stay true to its mission. Understand why we take time to make careful decisions and don't rush things when people's futures are at stake. 2. Connect Research Work to Your Personal Values Discover how your own life story, beliefs about what's right, and sense of purpose connect to the Lab's mission of protecting people from being pushed into the wrong career paths or having their work go unrecognized. 3. Develop Critical Leadership Skills Build skills in ethical thinking, bringing research findings together, participating in organizational decisions, managing knowledge, learning from multiple programs, and leading in ways that put people's dignity first. 4. Create Purpose-Based Research & Leadership Projects Design practical projects like ethical review systems, tools to check if our programs are working right, training materials for facilitators, ways to learn from different programs, or guidelines for partnering with other organizations. 5. Build a Path to Leadership Roles at Voice Up Get direct mentorship and experience with every part of the Applied Purpose Science work, with opportunities to move into permanent positions like Lab Director, Research Coordinator, Ethics Officer, Council Member, or other Voice Up leadership roles. 8-12 WEEK INTERNSHIP STRUCTURE The internship is structured in progressive phases that build mastery while honoring developmental timing: WEEKS 1-2: Getting Started with Purpose Science & Lab Work Read the Lab's founding documents to understand our mission and values Learn the Six Core Principles we never compromise on and how they guide our work Understand The Naming Gap why people struggle to put their purpose into words Sit in on leadership meetings to see how decisions get made WEEKS 3-4: Research Coordination & Learning from Our Programs Help our Research & Learning team bring together findings from different programs Track how people are growing and developing through our programs Learn to spot when our recognition systems aren't working the way they should Start building systems to organize and share what we're learning WEEKS 5-6: Making Sure We Do the Right Thing Watch for problems like pushing people into wrong careers or not giving credit for their work Help with ethics reviews and make sure we're protecting people's information properly Create tools to prevent us from caring too much about looking good instead of doing good Practice thinking through tough ethical decisions WEEKS 7-8: Building Partnerships & Connecting Everything Help create partnerships with other organizations while keeping our values strong Connect our research, our programs, and our recognition systems so they all work together Learn how to protect our mission when working with funders who might want us to focus on numbers instead of people Create a complete partnership plan or set of guidelines WEEKS 9-12 (Optional): Taking on Leadership & Making It Real Lead your own Lab projects with support from your mentor Share your research findings or recommendations with Lab leadership Help plan what the Lab should research over the next few years Explore opportunities to stay on with Voice Up in a permanent leadership role DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES Assistant Directors engage in research governance and organizational stewardship activities including: Charter Compliance Monitoring: Ensuring all Lab-aligned work adheres to Non-Negotiable Principles Decision Documentation: Supporting Stewardship Council processes and maintaining governance records Cross-Site Learning Synthesis: Identifying patterns across Universities of Practice and recognition initiatives Methodological Review: Assessing research approaches for developmental integrity and ethical alignment Extraction Risk Assessment: Monitoring for identity foreclosure, premature sorting, and invisible labor Partnership Protocol Development: Creating frameworks that protect Lab values in institutional collaborations Facilitator Training Support: Contributing to certification standards and training material development Knowledge Infrastructure Design: Building systems ensuring the Lab serves as memory and conscience of the ecosystem THREE PARTICIPATION PATHWAYS Students can participate in one of three ways: 1️ Academic Credit Pathway Partner with your university to receive academic credit for practicum, thesis, capstone, or independent study in research methodology, organizational development, ethics, or leadership. Voice Up provides all necessary documentation, learning outcomes, and faculty liaison support. 2️ Volunteer Service Pathway Contribute your hours toward graduation requirements, professional development, or leadership experience. All hours are documented and recognized through official Voice Up certificates and reference letters. 3️ Voice Up University Pathway (Subscription-Based) Join our professional development platform for advanced training, certification opportunities, and potential stipend support. Voice Up University members gain access to exclusive workshops, mentorship networks, and leadership development resources with pathways to permanent roles. ALIGNMENT WITH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS This internship aligns with core competencies for: NIH Research Training Goals (research ethics, responsible conduct of research, cross-disciplinary collaboration, developmental science, community-engaged research, equity in research participation) NSF Broader Impacts Criteria (advancing discovery while promoting teaching and learning, broadening participation of underrepresented groups, enhancing research infrastructure, benefiting society, integration of research and education) Research Governance & Administration (organizational stewardship, decision-making frameworks, strategic planning) Ethical Review & Compliance (IRB preparation, data governance, participant protection) Applied Psychology & Developmental Science (identity formation, recognition systems, purpose science) Organizational Development & Leadership (change management, values-based governance, strategic partnership) Knowledge Management & Learning Infrastructure (documentation systems, cross-site synthesis, institutional memory) THE VOICE UP FIVE CORE PRINCIPLES Every Voice Up internship is guided by five foundational principles: 1. Collaboration All Are Welcome We help you set a goal to talk to new people every week and share the lessons you learn. The journey towards purpose begins with others that allow you to be the true you. There is power in consistency in a collaborative community. 2. Humility We All Have Much to Learn We can learn and become better with each conversation. We embrace the reality that everyone from students to senior researchers brings valuable lived experience to the work of stewarding purpose and protecting developmental integrity. 3. Precision All the Details Matter The steps we overlook may be the ones that make us great. In research governance and ethical stewardship, precision protects people. Accuracy in recognition prevents identity foreclosure. Careful documentation ensures continuity over time. 4. Patience We All Need Forgiveness We all make mistakes. The key is to learn from each and become better. The Lab explicitly prioritizes slow decisions around identity-shaping practices and resists urgency pressure. Choice always outweighs momentum. 5. Empathy We Must Understand Your Why Every week the impact of your idea continues to grow and inspires others towards action. We help you think about, decide, and share why your cause is the right cause for you at this moment. Understanding the 'why' behind every governance decision, research choice, and ethical framework ensures the Lab remains human-centered. JOB DETAILS Position Title: Assistant Director, Applied Purpose Science Research Lab Organization: Voice Up Publishing Inc . click apply for full job details