Spring 2023 Science Externship – Fossil Fuels Program

Earthjustice’s Fossil Fuels Program is seeking an undergraduate student in their senior year or a graduate student for one part-time science externship during spring 2023. The student must be eligible to receive course credit through their school or fulfill a graduation requirement for this role. This is a remote role, but the successful candidate may have the opportunity to visit the Earthjustice office nearest them.

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy, and combat climate change. We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals, and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are guided by a passionate, ambitious vision for the future for people and our planet: until justice stands for all, we will never rest. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Tallahassee, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

At a time when we desperately need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, the oil and gas industry is aggressively expanding fossil fuel infrastructure, locking us into decades of future fossil fuel use and directly harming the communities already hardest hit by climate disruption. Earthjustice’s Fossil Fuels program is confronting this massive build-out along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast and in the Ohio River Valley. We use litigation, administrative advocacy, and partnership to advance an end to U.S. oil and gas extraction and production, and stop new infrastructure (e.g., petrochemical facilities, export terminals, and pipelines).

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of staff scientists:

• Conduct environmental and/or climate science research to support litigation and advocacy, such as health and climate impacts from industrial air pollution, water quality concerns from industrial discharge, and using environmental justice screening tools to determine disproportionate pollution burden.
• Summarize research findings relevant to Earthjustice advocacy in writing, including helpful tables and figures (e.g., plots, maps, and diagrams).
• Review, analyze, and summarize regulations, environmental planning documents, technical support documents and other scientific and technical information to support litigation and advocacy.
• Draft and fact-check scientific and technical information in fact sheets, press releases, blogs, news articles, slides, reports, and other materials for internal use or external use with clients, coalitions, the media, and others.
• Organize scientific information for use by lawyers.

Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program as a senior or in a graduate program.
• Those studying geosciences, atmospheric sciences, ecology, environmental sciences, oceanography, coastal/marine science, or similar fields preferred.
• Must be eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship.
• Must be available a minimum of 12 hours per week.
• Passion for the environment and commitment to environmental advocacy and climate justice are essential.
• Ability to efficiently identify, evaluate, and synthesize scientific and technical information that is both scientifically sound and compelling for non-scientific audiences.
• Ability to conduct literature reviews and basic quantitative analyses and mapping skills.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Interest in contributing to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.

Compensation:

Science externs are unpaid and must receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement for their work with Earthjustice.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit the following materials by September 11, 2022 via Jobvite. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Resume
• Cover letter (that describes your interest in this externship, relevant coursework, and aspects of your background that are relevant to the qualifications listed above).
• List of 2-3 references, including at least one academic and one professional/volunteer reference.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. Earthjustice only considers applications submitted for current openings via Jobvite. Unsolicited resumes or resumes for posted positions that are not submitted via Jobvite will not be reviewed or retained.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

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