Internship Opportunities
*Our Summer 2020 Internships will remain open to applicants as we remain optimistic about the containment of COVID-19. We are monitoring the situation as closely as possible and will update our policies as time goes on. Thank you for your patience & understanding.
About us:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) was founded in 2000 with one clear objective: accelerating meaningful therapeutic advances and, ultimately, a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Foundation applies extraordinary scientific, business and media assets to this singular focus — thus creating a unique and dynamic organization. Since inception, MJFF has quickly grown into the largest global funder of Parkinson’s disease research outside the U. S. federal government, having funded over $900 million in research projects in both academic and industry labs worldwide.
In order to achieve our mission of finding a cure for PD it is critical that we engage with, and bring together, members of the PD community including researchers, physicians, health professionals and most important, people with Parkinson's and their families. We believe that raising the Foundation’s profile with a broader audience will help us more efficiently reach and mobilize highly engaged stakeholders who are more likely to feel personally vested in helping speed progress toward a cure.
We believe that to find a cure for PD as quickly as possible, our capital needs to push research forward today — we therefore deliberately have no endowment. We instead start our fundraising from zero each year and seek to deploy funds raised as quickly and wisely as possible. MJFF raises over $100 million annually. Today, the Foundation’s staff comprises approximately 150 full-time employees, increasingly including remote employees as well as those based in New York City.
Position Summary:
Effective project management is key to achieving the ambitious goals of the organization. The Communications and Marketing departments at MJFF have launched a Project Management Office (PMO), which serves as a one-stop shop to coordinate client requests, foster collaboration, facilitate information sharing and boost efficiency through a standardized approach to project management.
This role will support the PMO with initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing projects. Throughout the project lifecycle, you will gain hands-on experience applying various tools including the project charter, stakeholder register, risk register, responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) and work breakdown structure.
By the end of the internship, you will have a basic understanding of the ten knowledge areas of project management as defined by the Project Management Institute: Integration Management, Scope Management, Schedule Management, Cost Management, Quality Management, Resource Management, Communications Management, Risk Management, Procurement Management and Stakeholder Management.
MJFF is a dynamic organization in which to practice marketing and communications. This is a great opportunity to gain agency experience within a nonprofit environment.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Support project managers with drafting project charters and statements of work, estimating resource hours, and building project plans.
- Maintain and monitor project schedules.
- Prepare presentation materials for project meetings.
- Attend and participate in stakeholder meetings.
- Document and follow up on important action items.
- Support project managers in assessing project risks and identifying solutions.
- Ensure projects adhere to PMO standards and all documentation is maintained appropriately for each project.
Qualifications and Skills:
- Highly organized and detail oriented.
- Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
- Experience with project management tools such as Asana and/or Jira a plus.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to multitask and work on tight deadlines.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter describing your specific qualifications and interests. Applicants who best match the position description will be contacted.