Summer 2025 Fellowship - Quantitative Research and Polling Fellow

The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) is thrilled to announce that applications are now open for its 2025 Summer Fellowship Program. This ten-week, U.S.-based fellowship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to AAPF’s mission.

The fellowship is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week paid position, running from Monday, June 9, 2025, through Friday, August 15, 2025, with a strong preference for candidates located in New York, the DC/Baltimore area, and Nashville. Due to the intensive and immersive nature of the program, fellows must commit exclusively to the AAPF Summer Fellowship and may not concurrently participate in other fellowships.

AAPF is seeking a Qualitative Research Summer Fellow to join our team, specializing in focus group methodologies. We are seeking an individual with a strong background in the social sciences and/or data science who has conducted research using focus group and qualitative methodologies.. The RFMP Qualitative Research Summer Fellow will contribute to research projects by helping to design focus group research to collect and subsequently analyze primary data related to RFMP objectives, develop presentation decks for stakeholders and funders, and produce high-quality written reports and publications. This is a 10 week summer fellowship reporting directly to the Director of Strategic Initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop a plan to expand the organization’s capacity to conduct qualitative research using focus group methodology; Knowledge of or experience with Qual Board methods a plus;
• Designing research instruments such as focus group protocols, interview guides, and open-ended survey questions;
• Work closely with Quantiitative Research Fellow to integrate research approach/design/outcomes using focus group methodology
• Conducting in-depth virtual or in-person interviews through focus groups across different demographics;
• Contributing to the creation of clear, compelling data visualizations (e.g., graphs, dashboards, infographics) to communicate findings to funders, partners, and the general public; and
• Preparing communications, such as memos, emails, newsletters, reports, and other correspondence.

The ideal candidate should have

• Bachelor's degree or higher in the social sciences, data sciences, or related field for qualitative methodologies
• Demonstrated proficiency in statistical analysis, survey design, and qualitative research methods
• Ability to translate complex concepts into clear, accessible prose
• Experience in multidisciplinary research using focus group research and methodologies
• Familiarity with different approaches within the field to elicit the best focus group data from target groups
• Familiarity with challenges in recruiting difficult to reach constituencies and strategies for building the respondent pool
• Experience with qualitative data analysis software tools (Atlas, NVivo, MAXQDA, Dedoose) desirable.
• Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, ggplot2) is a plus but not required

AAPF’s Core Competencies include:

• Intersectionality:
  • Scholarly understanding of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality
  • Familiarity with Kimberlé Crenshaw's work
• Communication & Collaboration
  • Strong written and verbal communication
  • Ability to work closely with others and foster professional relationships within the organization and with professional organizations
• Intellect & Curiosity
  • Critical thinking skills; strategic and analytical approach to your work
  • Desire to continue to deepen and/or widen expertise
• Autonomy & Leadership
  • Taking initiative to identify opportunities and projects & pitch to leadership
  • Strong organizational, multi-tasking, and prioritizing skills