Science & Health Intern

About The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS)

DISCUS is a national trade association located in Washington, DC that represents producers and marketers of distilled spirits sold in the U.S. The DISCUS team of government affairs specialists, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications professionals advocate for government policies that reduce excessive taxation and expand fair and equitable treatment of distilled spirits products. DISCUS:

• Advocates on legislative, regulatory and public affairs issues impacting the distilled spirits sector at the federal, state, local and international levels;
• Promotes the distilled spirits sector in the United States and around the globe; and
• Encourages responsible and moderate consumption of distilled spirits among those who choose to drink as part of a healthy adult lifestyle based on evidence-based research and policy.

DISCUS is proud a MyPlate National Strategic Partner in disseminating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, within the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) Nutrition Communicators Network.

Position description - 2024 Science & Health graduate-level internship:

• Description of Possible Work:
  • Conducting literature searches, reviewing journal articles, identifying strengths/weaknesses of methodology/study design, and summarizing research findings
  • Drafting health communications/outreach materials (e.g., social media posts, letters to the editor) related to the alcohol recommendations included in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  • Tracking health policy developments in the U.S. and globally (e.g., USDA, HHS, WHO, UN)
  • Communicating with scientific and industry experts and coordinating meetings/events
• Requirements/Preferences:
  • Graduate student, pursuing a degree in a Science or Health discipline (e.g., Public Health, Health Policy, Health Communications, Epidemiology) OR in a Statistics or Research Methods discipline
  • Completed at least one (1) graduate-level course in Statistics or Quantitative Research Methods (e.g., Measurement & Evaluation, Study Design, Epidemiological Methods, Data Analytics)
  • Familiarity with methodology for systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses
  • Experience developing health communications materials (e.g., infographics, social media)
  • Contribution to peer-reviewed journal articles and/or conference presentations
• Internship salary and work schedule:
• DISCUS graduate-level interns are paid an intern salary of $20.00 per hour. DISCUS internships can also be managed through your institution's internship program/department.
• DISCUS interns will work ~20 hours per week between January and May 2024 (exact start/end dates and weekly schedule to be agreed upon with your supervisor). There may be an opportunity to extend the internship, to be discussed with your supervisor.
• Most of the internship work can be completed remotely. You may be asked to participate in occasional meetings/events on site at or around DISCUS' Washington, DC office.

How to apply for the internship:

To inquire about the position, please email Kendra Carroll at kendra.carroll@DistilledSpirits.org. Include a copy of your resume/CV with the subject line "Science & Health Internship" no later than January 10, 2024.

About the internship program:

The DISCUS internship program is dedicated to helping develop future leaders who are interested in learning about the industry and their career interests through our Summer, Spring or Fall internship opportunities. The DISCUS internship program will uphold our commitment to inclusion across race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state and local law. We seek to create a culture in which all participants and other stakeholders are treated fairly and equally by utilizing the principles of diversity and equality in all areas our work, at all times. In accordance with this policy, we strongly encourage women, people of color, people with disabilities, and veterans to apply.