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Tobacco-related Disparities Research at the University of California, San Francisco

Summer Internship Position, Summer 2026

We are seeking applicants interested in a summer internship experience on studying tobacco-related disparities. Our work is focused on dismantling inequities that lead to high rates of tobacco use among vulnerable populations. Our primary focus is on populations experiencing homelessness and those with mental health and substance use conditions. Our projects are aimed at developing interventions to increase access to smoking cessation services and smoke-free policies for people experiencing homelessness and those with mental health and substance use conditions.

We have two ongoing projects where we welcome student involvement:

• Extended intervention for tobacco use for people experiencing homelessness: In partnership with homeless shelters in San Francisco, CA and a community pharmacy, our study aims to increase access to cessation services for adults experiencing homelessness. The study enrolls individuals interested in smoking cessation and connects them to a pharmacy intervention for smoking cessation and a 3-month supply of medications for cessation. We examine barriers to cessation, use of cessation aids, and effects of the intervention on smoking reduction and cessation. Participants may also have a chance to engage in Project Homeless Connect Events. 
• Healthy Homes intervention in affordable housing: In partnership with affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area, we are conducting a randomized controlled trial of a brief intervention to increase adoption of smoke-free homes. The intervention includes a brief counseling intervention for residents in supportive housing on how to adopt a smoke-free home and a brief intervention for staff on how to support residents’ smoke-free living. We assess whether the intervention increased adoption of voluntary smoke-free homes. The intervention will be conducted in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

This work is embedded within the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Division of General Internal Medicine at UCSF, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, the Center for Vulnerable Populations, and the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center. Students interested in working with our group will have the opportunity to engage in seminars and other training activities through these Centers. We anticipate that summer work will be conducted in person in San Francisco, and we expect students to spend some time in the field each week learning about community-based research across our diverse study sites in San Francisco County. Students will be required to join team meetings for the projects/

Roles for interns

• Support in-person, on-the-ground data collection at homeless shelters and supportive housing programs, and subsidized housing programs 
• Conduct in-depth interviews with participants
• Code interviews in Atlas.Ti.
• Assist with literature searches for write-ups for accompanying manuscripts 
• Support public health communications efforts, including the development of website content, outreach materials, fact sheets, and messaging strategies for smoking cessation initiatives
• Support curriculum development in field work
• Possible data analysis for other related projects

Qualifications

• Working towards completion of graduate degree
• Interest in working with vulnerable populations, health disparities, addressing inequities
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Interest in field work in homeless shelters, affordable housing, safety net clinics
• Interest in public health communications 
• Interest in research and literature reviews 
• Interest in analysis 

This is a full-time position between June and September 2026, and compensation is $20.00 per hour. Applications will be accepted through April 1, 2026 or until the position is filled. 

Please submit a resume and cover letter to Maya Vijayaraghavan, MD MAS, Professor of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, [email protected]