Digital Safety Research Intern

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Digital Safety Research Intern at UL Research Institutes, based in our Evanston, Illinois office.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on society through research? UL Research Institutes is seeking a motivated and dedicated Research Intern to join our team for the Summer 2025. This 3-month internship provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a non-profit research environment, contribute to meaningful projects, and develop valuable skills in research and analysis.

UL Research Institutes:

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Digital Safety teams who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice.

Digital Safety Research Institute:

The Digital Safety Research Institute (DSRI) addresses unresolved safety risks and emerging dangers in the world’s digital ecosystem. We aim to help protect people from unwanted access to personal devices and privacy, algorithm, and disinformation threats by working to create a new digital safety ecosystem.

DSRI is committed to sharing digital safety insights, collaborating with key stakeholders, and offering extensive outreach and education to help support safer digital environments for people everywhere.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

As the Digital Safety Research Intern, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Assist in conducting research projects related to the Digital Safety Research Institute’s safety mission and goals. This may involve literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, and synthesizing information from various sources.

• Help collect and organize data using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Analyze data to draw meaningful insights and trends.

• Support in creating reports, presentations, and visualizations summarizing research findings. Prepare materials for internal and external presentations.

• Work closely with the research team and other departments to gather information, share insights, and contribute to a collaborative and innovative research environment.

• Assist in managing and organizing research projects, ensuring they are on schedule and within budget. Take on specific tasks related to project goals.

• Stay current with relevant literature, trends, and developments in the field to contribute valuable insights to ongoing projects.

• Perform administrative duties as needed, including data entry, scheduling, and coordination of meetings.

What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Excellent communication and writing skills.

• Proficiency in Python and associated tools for reproducible data analysis (e.g., git as well as pandas, NumPy, and Jupyter)

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• An eagerness to learn, adapt, and take on new challenges.

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Currently enrolled in a bachelor's or master's program in a related field (e.g., social science, computer science, engineering, computational physical sciences).

• Recent graduates may also be considered, including candidates for an M.A. degree and students currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program.

• Strong interest in the non-profit sector and public-interest digital safety research.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

Our affiliate, UL Solutions, stands alongside us in working for a safer and more sustainable world.  UL Solutions conducts testing, verification and certification, and provides training and advisory services, along with data-driven reporting and decision-making tools, for customers around the world.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

Salary Range:

Pay Type:

Hourly