Closing Date: July 5, 2025

Intern Dates: August 2025 through December 2025

Pay Rate:  The Hourly pay rates are based on the following:

·         Current Undergraduate Student: $14.00

·         Current Graduate Student: $16.00

Positions Available: 1

Hours: Minimum of 20 hours per week – up to but not to exceed 29 hours per week. 

*Maximum of 29 hours per week cannot be exceeded.

Location: 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE. Suite 754 East Tower Atlanta, GA

Agency Overview

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia's Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, federal nutrition programs, and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community-powered child care rating system.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education.

Position Overview

The Research and Policy intern will have the opportunity to support and assist with finding innovative ways to conduct research studies, statistical analyses, and surveying. Intern will work closely with various team members across the Research and Policy division.  Duties include:

• Compiling, reviewing, and analyzing statistical data. This includes creating data sets from administrative data, analyzing publicly available data, and communicating findings. 
• Developing and fielding surveys for DECAL divisions and DECAL research and evaluation projects.
• Creating research and evaluation materials and visuals. This includes presentations, handouts, data visualizations, clean data sets, and analysis summaries. 
• Assisting with team communications and coordination activities. 
• Conducting literature reviews related to key early education topics such as Quality Rated and Improvement Systems, early childhood language and literacy, and new research methodologies.
• Working with other Research and Policy Analysis team members and QIP staff on various projects and assignments.

Learning Objectives

Gain knowledge of grant and program administration and the Federal regulations guiding the programs; knowledge of the state of early childhood education in the State of Georgia; knowledge of governmental agency operations and reporting needs of a high performing state agency; knowledge about how a state agency uses data and research to inform policy decisions.

Interest Areas

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Research Methodologies, Policy Analysis and Development, and Early Childhood Education.

Entry Qualifications:

•       Currently enrolled student, part-time or full-time, with a 3.0 GPA or higher (must submit transcript to verify enrollment and GPA) OR no more than six months past receiving their degree at time of employment by DECAL.

•       Georgia resident or attending a Georgia college, university, or law school.

•       Working level skill in the use of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook).

•       Good research and analytical skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

•       Advanced level skill in the use of Excel.

•       Excellent business writing, organizational, and computer skills.

•       High level of skill in research and analysis with the ability to form conclusions and recommendations based on analysis.

•       Understanding of quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Physical Requirements and Performance Aptitudes: 

•       Requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading and visual inspection. 

•       Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification. 

•       Requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.

•       Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

 Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportunity employer.  A background check will be completed upon hire, which may consist of any of the following: criminal history, credit history, employment history, educational records, IRS records and driving records.

If you are an individual with a disability who may require assistance or other reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the selection process for this position, you may contact our HR department at 404-656-3922.  Due to the volume of submissions received by this office, information concerning application or interview status cannot be provided in writing, over the phone, or in person. All applicants who submit a complete application package will be considered but may not necessarily receive notification or an interview.  The job posting may be subject to being closed at any time without notice.  Only those qualified candidates who are selected for an interview shall receive notification upon the filling of this vacancy.

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportunity employer.