The Detroit Partnership on Economic Mobility is seeking a research intern to work on Partnership projects in the summer of 2026. The Detroit Partnership on Economic Mobility is a partnership between Poverty Solutions at U-M, the City of Detroit, and community-based organizations across the city, focused on reducing poverty in Detroit. The intern will work with Poverty Solutions staff on action-oriented projects that will include:

• Collecting and analyzing quantitative (census-type data) and/or qualitative (interviews, focus groups) data for one or more Poverty Solutions projects, including current projects on community violence intervention, housing, and community development; and

• Assisting with other data and research projects as needed.

ABOUT POVERTY SOLUTIONS AND THE DETROIT PARTNERSHIP:

Poverty Solutions staff – together with our faculty experts – conduct action-oriented research to help inform, enhance, and evaluate collective efforts to improve economic opportunity in the city, and galvanize collective action from government, philanthropy, and nonprofits around core economic mobility issues. We have a Detroit-based team that works closely with City departments and community groups across the city; we engage undergraduate and graduate research assistants from across the university to support our work; and we fund faculty research projects that shed new light on some of the most persistent problems facing Detroit residents as well as potential solutions.

We pride ourselves on working in partnership with community in everything we do, co-creating our research agenda based on the concerns and needs of both residents and city leaders. We seek to confront and eliminate racism of all kinds through these research priorities and practical engagement. We view poverty as the result of many interlinked systems that fail to operate as they should for those with low incomes. Therefore, we work not in one area, but within and across a variety of systems, enabling us to intervene in a number of domains to make concrete improvements in the lives of Detroit residents with low incomes.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Students interested in being considered for these internships should submit a resume and a one-page statement of interest. In your statement, you are encouraged to identify your interest in working on poverty reduction and improving economic well-being, and the skills/experience you would bring to the team. Please also highlight policy areas that are of particular interest to you. You may wish to describe your career interests and discuss your previous work and educational experiences demonstrating these interests.

The position will be paid at a rate of $18 per hour, in-line with our pay rate for all graduate students. The individual employed in this role can work up to 35 hours per week and can work as many weeks as they are able to between academic terms. Poverty Solutions and the chosen candidate will come to an agreement on the exact term of employment. Transportation, lodging, and expenses for the internship are the responsibility of the student. The position is remote, but individuals can work from the Detroit Center at 3663 Woodward Ave if they prefer. The internship is available to graduate students from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus. Poverty Solutions will work with units on campus to ensure the internship meets any designated internship requirements. 

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Interested candidates can apply by completing the Research Assistant Application Form at this link: https://airtable.com/shryU8uASfgsAZ2cW

Please follow the instructions below when applying:

• Under “Application,” select “Poverty Solutions Summer Internship (Detroit) Job Posting Summer 2026”

• Please specify whether you meet the preferred qualifications in your cover letter

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until March 20th, 2026. 

If you have questions, please reach out to Sam Stragand at stragand@umich.edu

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Interest in cross-disciplinary approaches to poverty alleviation– applicants from all units across campus are encouraged to apply

• Proficiency in Microsoft and Google Office Suite 

• Punctual and accurate communicator, responsive to email, phone calls or other communications from manager 

• Ability to meet deadlines on time

• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated attention to detail 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to work cooperatively and professionally with faculty and staff, local and national partners, and members of the general public

• Ability to work well under the direction of others and to take ownership of projects independently

• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy in collecting and analyzing data

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Has access to own transportation

• Ability to meet participating residents at public locations in Detroit

• Previous experience analyzing qualitative and/or quantitative data