Help Us
Job Opportunities
Want to play a role in saving our democracy?
Want to have an extraordinary experience and opportunity to work at the Project's spectacular Montana mountain retreat?
The Project maintains a modest staff primarily composed of recent college gradu ates dedicated to our mission of voter education and candidate accountability. All staff commit to work through the next general election, at a minimal salary. The Project Vote Smart pledge, signed by all staff, commits individuals to absolute impartiality, respect and deference toward all citizens, and professional integrity.
It is essential that all applicants believe in Project Vote Smart's mission. The contributions you make to your country and the extensive experience you gain will make it worthwhile. Project Vote Smart provides medical benefits, as well as the most extraordinary experience of your life!
If you are interested in contributing to this effort, please send your cover letter, resume and three references to researchjobs@votesmart.org for Research positions or jobs@votesmart.org for other positions. Please indicate the position for which you are applying.
Unless otherwise noted, all positions are at our Philipsburg, MT office. Project Vote Smart is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please see our Equal Opportunity Policy for more details.
Job Title: Graphic Design Artist
Location: Remotely or Philipsburg, MT
Description:
Our organization is looking for a graphic designer who will reinforce our brand identity and visually supplement/improve upon our website, blog, and social media accounts. Our hope is to find a graphic design artist who understands, at the very least, how graphics will translate from their illustrator to an actual web page.
This position will be offered two different ways:
1.)For some one wishing to work remotely, we will offer this as a part-time, on-call position, paid hourly.
2.) Based on past experience and interest, this position is available as a full-time position for those willing to relocate to our headquarters in southwest Montana. This person will handle the organization's graphic design needs, in addition to fulfilling roles inside our Research or Information Techonology departments as needed (training will be provided).
Please specify your preference inside your application materials.
Responsibilities:
1. Work closely with the Communications Coordinator, Development, and Information Technology departments to develop consistent, innovative design for advertisements, logos, online banners, web pages, web graphics and formatted electronic communications. In addition, design of charts, tables and infographs, as needed.
2. Implement changes/upgrades/improvements to organization's website at staff's request.
3. Work with Directors and department staff on idea generation and creation of new promotional methods intended to increase Vote Smart's visibility and encourage membership.
Qualifications
Requirements:
1+ years of experience in similar position that requires graphic and some web design
Excellent computer skills
Experience with HTML 5, CSS, and Javascript a must
Some experience with server-side languages and templating systems a plus
Well-experienced in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
Ability to start graphic projects from scratch
Ability to multi task and handle projects in a timely manner
Receptive to creative input and ability to take direction
Email resume, design portfolio, and cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.
Job Title: Research Associate
Location: Philipsburg, MT
Description:
Research Associates are the backbone of Project Vote Smart's efforts. Research Associates will be matched to assignments based on their demonstrated abilities and in accordance with the shifting needs of a growing, election-oriented organization. Exceptional applicants may find themselves with opportunities to help manage and develop program areas within months of their start date.
Examples of programs that the researcher may be involved with are:
-Current Officials: The first step to connecting citizens to their government is making it easy for them to find out who their representatives actually are, what their roles are, and how to contact them. Researchers for this program are responsible for making sure that at any given time, our roster of tens of thousands of officials mirrors those currently in office. Other tasks may include inputting biographical information, contact information, committee assignments, and leadership positions.
-Political Courage Test: Project Vote Smart challenges candidates to tell voters where they stand on the issues, but when candidates don't have the courage, we answer the questions for them. Researchers may be involved with: administering Political Courage Tests to candidates through mailings, email, and phone contacts; inputting candidate responses in our database; and collecting evidence for and determining candidates' issue positions.
-Legislative Research: Project Vote Smart makes it easy to see how representatives act in office, summarizing in plain language the key votes made in all 50 states and Congress. Researchers for this program may be involved with tracking the progress of legislation in several states, reading and summarizing legislation, and entering in the votes made by representatives.
-Interest Group Ratings: Project Vote Smart collects performance evaluations of public officials from hundreds of interest groups on the state and national level. Researchers for this program retrieve and normalize these evaluations, as well as collect information about the interest groups to provide context.
-Public Statements: From climate change to how they feel about the business down the street, Project Vote Smart maintains a warehouse of every public utterance made by key politicians. Researchers are responsible for collecting, classifying, formatting, and inputting these statements.
-Public Engagement: Not everyone will gravitate to and make sense of Vote Smart's vast database on their own, so our researchers are often involved in answering our Voter's Research Hotline, researching special requests made by those who call or write, highlighting data relevant to the events of the day on various platforms, and visualizing our data.
Requirements:
Ideal applicants will have a good understanding of government and politics, a solid knowledge of current events, experience in researching political issues, exceptional web searching skills, good written and oral communication skills, and experience with normalizing data. Those that are highly self-motivated, willing to help out wherever needed, organized, detailed-oriented, committed to self-improvement, and in possession of a strong work ethic do not need to have related experience.
Job Title: Information Technology Staff
Location: Philipsburg, MT
Description:
Project Vote Smart is seeking a person to fill a third Information Technology position at its beautiful Montana Research Retreat. The position would play a crucial role in supplying political data to millions of citizens and media.
Responsibilities:
-Assisting with web development
-Maintaining website and internal applications
-Maintaining UNIX/Linux servers and Windows workstations
-Providing technical support
Requirements:
-Experience with web development, especially Django. Some experience with PHP, XML, JavaScript, jQuery
-Working knowledge of Linux/Unix
-Experience supporting users in a mixed OS environment (Windows XP/2K/Linux)
-Good Attitude, motivated to learn and can pick things up quickly on own.
-Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
-Familiarity with scripting/programming (bash, perl, python, java, C/C++)
-BS/MS or equivalent
-Familiarity with webservers, DNS, MTAs, Samba, and firewalls
-Experience with web technologies (PHP, XML, JSP, Perl)
-Proficiency in SQL and database design principles. Postgresql and Slony experience a plus
Job Title: Development and Communications Associate
Location: Philipsburg, MT
Description:
The primary objective of this role will be to raise the visibility of Project Vote Smart and enhance Project Vote Smart's financial resources. Currently our focus is on attracting new members via the web.
Responsibilities:
-Organizing and maintaining database of individual members (donors) and contributions, troubleshooting of member and donation tracking software
-Corresponding with members via letter, telephone and email
-Advising on copy and layout for newsletters, brochures, mailings, and other publications
-Working with vendors to organize mass mailings to members and prospects
-Helping coordinate our member volunteer program and ambassador program
-Helping the Communications Coordinator in the production of regular, relevant content on our homepage, all social media platforms, our blog, e-newsletters, and e-communications to potential and current members
-Implementing other components of our online fundraising plan as assigned by the Development Director
-Researching and implementing methods for improving our membership services and expanding our membership base
-Maintaining our outreach contact databases
-Implementing outreach campaigns as time allows
Requirements:
Applicants must be highly detail-oriented, have good written and oral communication skills, have superior organizational and time management skills, have a strong work ethic, and be committed to the Project's mission of voter education and candidate accountability. Applicants must be willing to commit through the November 2012 election.