Innovation & Design Intern - Spring 2027

Who We Are 

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. 

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.  

The Need 

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking an Innovation & Design Intern to join the 2027 Spring Internship class.

The Innovation & Design Intern will support various initiatives executed by the Global Innovation & Design Center who equips IJM program teams to use human-centered design for greater innovation, scale and impact.

The Innovation & Design Intern will support our teams around the world problem-solve and enhance their programs. Tasks may include: 

• Support developing IJM’s partner-facing data management system;
• Support intervention lifecycle development;
• Support innovation events and brainstorming sessions;
• Synthesizing and analyzing qualitative data sets;
• Participating in departmental and general IJM administrative support.

This position can be fully in-person or hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) in the Washington, DC area. It reports to the Director, Innovation & Design. The position requires 40 hours per week. As volunteers, interns and fellows receive a monthly stipend to help defray their expenses related to participating in the internship program. This volunteer stipend is not an hourly wage, nor wages paid for services provided by the intern or fellow.

Spring internship program dates are January 11 – April 9, 2027.    

Application Deadline: September 25, 2026.

General Qualifications and Required Skills 

• Prospective interns need to have completed at least two years of undergraduate study by the start of their internship.
• At least one prior professional internship experience or significant leadership experience in extracurricular, campus, volunteer, or community-based organizations.
• Ability to commit to a schedule consistent with the required time commitment listed above (20, 30, or 40 hours per week during standard business hours).
• Experience in research, writing, and MS Office Suite applications.
• Experience in policy, technology, advocacy, design, and/or data.
• Ability to thrive in multi-disciplinary settings and ambiguity.
• Ability to work effectively across cultures and time zones.
• Strong self-starter and able to work independently.

Critical Qualities  

• Mature orthodox Christian faith;  
• Humble and resilient;  
• Pursues excellence;  
• Culturally aware and appreciative of difference;  
• Strong service ethic;  
• Innovative problem solver;   
• Ability to build trust and strong partnerships with others;  
• Courageous in pursuing opportunities and challenges;   
• Tenacious in achieving goals; and   
• Professional.  

Application Process:  

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document. 

*What is a statement of faith? 
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship. 

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes. 

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed. 

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.

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