Seafood Policy Intern
Program/Department Overview
This position will be a part of the Federal Affairs team under Political Affairs, working with Aquaculture and Oceans lobbyists. The intern will report to the Legislative Analyst.
Overall Function
The Seafood Policy Intern will assist the federal affairs team with research projects relevant to EDF’s work on creating a framework for sustainable and equitable federal waters aquaculture. This includes research on existing aquaculture policies and programs in the United States, opportunities for seafood sector workforce development programs, and tracking relevant policy. The intern will also assist in educating members of Congress and their staff on EDF’s ocean priorities by via member research, preparing meeting materials, and assisting with meetings. The intern will provide support for the FY2024 congressional appropriations process, collaborating with the Oceans and Federal Affairs teams to submit and advocate for funding requests. This position will also have the opportunity to develop a research project around equity and environmental justice principles in the seafood space and develop a blog.
Key Responsibilities
Tasks will include but are not limited to:
- Monitor news clips, regulations and legislation for developments relevant to U.S. seafood policy.
- Research and compile a blog for EDF’s website on seafood policy.
- Prepare meeting materials for new members of Congress.
- Provide support on FY2024 Congressional appropriations requests and outreach.
- Research and provide recommendations for staff on ways to further incorporate equity and environmental justice into EDF’s oceans policy strategy.
- Investigate existing state and federal aquaculture policy and workforce development programs.
- Participate in advancing EDF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
Qualifications
- Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
- Coursework in political science, government, social science or similar.
- Proficiency in policy research and knowledge of U.S. federal government systems or congressional affairs.
- Demonstrated interest in environmental policy development, conservation, ocean issues or seafood policy.
- Relevant experience, knowledge or strong interest in environmental justice issues preferred.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, equivalent to third or fourth year undergraduate students or first year graduate students.
- Must be well organized, self-motivated, and detail-oriented.
- Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
- Capable of receiving professional critique or praise and adjusting future work as necessary.
- Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
- Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills.
Location
Hybrid out of Washington, DC or U.S. remote
Term
Spring 2023 (January-May)
Hours
Part time (10-15 hours/week)
Compensation
This internship would involve either compensation for work paid at a rate competitive with leading non-profits at $17/hr-$20/hr depending on education level, or academic credit. Students are encouraged to seek academic credit or funding through their college/university and EDF will ensure that any and all paperwork needed to secure academic credit is completed.
Application Materials
Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application, together with an unofficial transcript and short writing sample (two pages or less, an excerpt from a larger document is fine).